Police go on trial for leaving man with life-changing injuries

The trial began on Wednesday of two police officers who had originally been sentenced by a court of first instance to eight years in jail for torturing the now 40-year-old Christos Chronopoulos at Kallithea Police Department in Athens in 2007 leaving him wheelchair-bound for life.

The court of first instance later turned the offense into a misdemeanor for the two police officers, who were acquitted as the charge was statute-barred due to the lapse of five years.

The victim was arrested by the officers after being notified by locals that he was harassing patrons at a cafe in Kyprou Square.

He was taken to the local police precinct but was rushed to hospital a few hours later with head and other injuries and underwent surgery.

Police at the time had claimed that the victim injured himself while trying to avoid arrest, and “hit the bar of the cafe.”