Man accused of shooting migrant boy on Lesvos has murder record
A 78-year-old man on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos has been given until Friday to prepare his defense after he was arrested on Tuesday for shooting a 16-year-old Syrian asylum seeker.
His lawyer said the incident occurred when three men entered his fenced garden in the community of Moria and that he opened fire with an unlicensed rifle to scare them off. He claimed he had no intention of shooting the 16-year-old.
The teenager suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
The 78-year-old has a criminal record, having served a total of 37 years in prison for two murders, including stabbing his wife to death in front of their child.
Nonetheless, the president of the Moria local community, Nikos Trakellis, called on residents to rally in his defense.
However, very few people showed up at the local courthouse on Wednesday where the 78-year-old appeared.
