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CNN Live At Daybreak

A Self-Confessed Cannibal Convicted, Sentenced

Aired January 30, 2004 - 05:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Well, a self-confessed cannibal has been convicted now and he's been sentenced in Germany. It happened less than two hours ago.
So let's take you there live.

Walter Rodgers is in Kassel, Germany.

He has details on this bizarre and grizzly case -- hello, Walter.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

The verdict from the five judge panel was a bit of a compromise. The prosecution had sought a murder conviction, mandatory 15 years to life. The court decided it really wasn't murder. They called it manslaughter and Armin Meiwes will be serving now an eight and a half year sentence. Now, this, of course, more than he and his lawyer wanted. There was never any question about his guilt. He admitted to the killing and to the cannibalism. But the defense always insisted it was a kind of euthanasia, what the Germans call death upon demand.

The court decided that was too lenient, so they gave Meiwes eight and a half years. He's already served a year in prison so he can appeal after serving two thirds of that eight and a half year sentence, which is, in theory, on good behavior and if the parole board agrees, he could be out in five years -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Walter Rodgers reporting live from Kassel, Germany this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired January 30, 2004 - 05:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Well, a self-confessed cannibal has been convicted now and he's been sentenced in Germany. It happened less than two hours ago.
So let's take you there live.

Walter Rodgers is in Kassel, Germany.

He has details on this bizarre and grizzly case -- hello, Walter.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

The verdict from the five judge panel was a bit of a compromise. The prosecution had sought a murder conviction, mandatory 15 years to life. The court decided it really wasn't murder. They called it manslaughter and Armin Meiwes will be serving now an eight and a half year sentence. Now, this, of course, more than he and his lawyer wanted. There was never any question about his guilt. He admitted to the killing and to the cannibalism. But the defense always insisted it was a kind of euthanasia, what the Germans call death upon demand.

The court decided that was too lenient, so they gave Meiwes eight and a half years. He's already served a year in prison so he can appeal after serving two thirds of that eight and a half year sentence, which is, in theory, on good behavior and if the parole board agrees, he could be out in five years -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Walter Rodgers reporting live from Kassel, Germany this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com