Analysis to the case of Olof Palme – A final point that none of the 34 years after the assassination of the former Swedish Prime Minister, presented to the Stockholm police for a suspected murderer. What remains are a lot of unanswered questions and the impression that the investigators have failed.Opinion Gunnar Herrman0 KommentareOlof Palme, then Swedish Prime Minister, in December 1983. Photo: Keystone
it’s over – or is it? After 34 years the floor, presented to the Stockholm police, Stig Engström as the alleged killer of Olof Palme. And the investigations. Prosecutor Krister Peterssons appearance this Wednesday closing would be for a national Trauma for Sweden since that sad 28. February 1986 wrestling, to the Prime Minister Palme on Sveavägen was gunned down. The Problem is: Stig Engström will remain forever only a suspected murderer. Prosecution, court proceedings, conviction – all of that is excluded. Because Engström is already died, almost exactly 20 years ago, on 26. June 2000.
the murder of the social-democratic head of government in Sweden has, to Figures. 10 ‘000 people interrogated by the special investigation group of the Stockholm police. Even more recently, new witnesses came forward almost each anniversary in February with the investigators. 134 people have confessed over the years to have the palm tree shot, many in the Public, 29 directly at the Stockholm police.
Engström was able to lead the police literally around by the nose.
The press conference this Wednesday will not be able to heal this Trauma. Prosecutor Petersson was forced to present a whole series of embarrassing calculation errors of his predecessors. The police had the so-called “Skandia-man” – Engström worked at Skandia insurance in the vicinity of the crime scene – early on as a Suspect identified. But the former chief investigator Hans Holmér pursued the track is not neat. He believed that the PKK Palme was murdered. Engström was able to lead the police literally around by the nose, he has even appeared as a “witness” on television, gave newspaper interviews, and even claimed that he had provided First aid at the scene of the crime. Anyone who followed the press conference, had the impression, to consider the Declaration of bankruptcy of a public authority.
this is Precisely why Peterssons deserves a appearance a lot of praise. The identification errors are not his. But with him finally, someone brought up the – after 34 years – the courage to say to the Public: The police has made gross errors. We have not managed to make the killer to justice. The error is now no longer correct. Because there remain open questions that can probably never be answered: Was Engström a single offender, or he had accomplices? What was his motive? He had planned the murder or it was the spontaneous act of a mentally ill Waffennarrs? And: Would Engström can, perhaps, claim something to his defense?
The debates around the case will not be finished with this result.
It is to be hoped that the police and the Public in Sweden cutting now, at least thoroughly, how it came to this unsatisfactory result. Because of the Palme-murder will probably not respond to you only as a brutal assassination attempt, and great puzzles in the history of the country. But, above all, as a terrible example of authorities ‘ failure.
The debates around the case will not be finished with this result. Directly following the live press conference, the experts started in the Swedish TV already, investigation results, take apart, and to speculate on possible Alternatives. No one can imagine really, what does this mean for the Palmes family. The Prime Minister had three sons, his wife, Lisbeth Palme, died in 2018. The murder accompanied the family since that 28. February 1986. You will probably never get an answer to the question: Why?
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