Indicted in the Tina case demand compensation

Phantom drawing: The police in Stavanger have issued this phantom drawing of a man who witnessed a witness was in contact with 21-year-old Tina Jørgensen before she disappeared in September 2000. On the left, criminal investiagators work at the scene near Bore Church in Sola. (Photo: Alf Ove Hansen, Scanpix / Drawing: Harald Nygård / Police)

Men previously indicted in the Tina case demand higher compensation

Three of the four men who were charged with murder or involvement in the murder of Tina Jørgensen, sues the state with a claim for higher compensation.

 

– This is a matter that has received a lot of media attention. The total strain has been so big that we think a compensation of NOK 50,000 is too low, says lawyer Trond Wåland to the newspaper Fædrelandsvennen.

He represents one of the four men who were arrested for the murder of Tina Jørgensen in September 2000. They were arrested two years ago, but were aquitted and compensated for unjust criminal prosecution.

The original claim for damages was NOK 750,000. The renewed claim is for the same amount, the lawyer states. He says it is an assesment that forms the basis of the claim.

Fake memories

Wåland’s client and two other men were dragged into the murder case after a childhood friend died in 2015. All the three others denies that they had anything to do with the murder. Experts later found that the man was admitted guilt as a result of fake memories.

The Attorney General discharged the case against the four on September 12, 2016  and stated that no criminal offense was found regarding them.

Awaits report

In addition to Wåland’s client, the other two men who involuntarily became involved in the case applied for compensation. The two applied for NOK 700,000 each, but were awarded just over NOK 60,000. The law firm Sylte is now preparing a lawsuit on behalf of the two. Attorney Olav Sylte says they are only waiting for a recent psychologist report on the burden involved.

Kaija Marie Folkestad Bjelland from the Public Prosecutors office says Wåland’s case has been submitted to the judicial system, and she does not wish to provide further comments before a verdict is issued.

The man who admitted to the murder was awarded NOK 7,000 in compensation in June of this year.

 

©  NTB Scanpix / Norway Today