The case against a former Army soldier accused of murdering a German teenager two decades ago is considerably weaker than it first appeared, the soldier?s lawyer argued Monday in federal court in Baltimore.
“The more we learn about their case, the weaker the case becomes against Mr. Brown,” said John Chun, the attorney for Robert Brown, 46, of Baltimore.
Germany is attempting to extradite Brown to stand trial on charges of raping and murdering a 19-year-old German woman in 1984.
But Chun says there are many problems with Germany?s case, including: A police informant has recanted a supposed confession Brown made to the informant; evidence that allegedly linked Brown?s rental car to the scene of the crime is dubious; and the date the woman was killed is a day after Brown was supposed to have visited her.
“The deceased was killed a day after Mr. Brown was supposed to see the deceased,” Chun said. “… There is no proof that Mr. Brown was at the scene of the crime and there?s no proof that Mr. Brown was with the deceased on the day of the murder. Theweight of the evidence is weak in this case.”
According to court documents, an investigation by German authorities indicates that Brown was stationed in Bad Kreuznach, Germany ,in August 1984 as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces.
The Germans allege that Brown met with the victim on Aug. 1, 1984, and, according to her diary, the victim planned to meet him again on Aug. 3.
The victim?s body was found in a wooded area new Bad Homburg, Germany, on Aug. 5, 1984, the apparent victim of a rape and strangling.
Chun told U.S. District Magistrate Judge Paul Grimm that the woman died on the afternoon of Aug. 4, a day after she was supposed to meet Brown. But Grimm said that information didn?t necessarily rule out Brown as the killer.
German authorities allege that ? as a result of scientific advances made since 1984 in DNA analysis ? semen found on clothing worn by the victim contained DNA that has been linked to Brown.
Still, authorities want more DNA evidence from Brown and asked for a swab from Brown?s cheek to get a better sample of his DNA.
Grimm on Monday denied prosecutors? request to give Germans the swab, but said he would reconsider it a later date. The judge also ordered Brown to remain behind bars while awaiting his extradition hearing.
