Last autumn, Bente Mevåg, who was an expert in the criminal case against Viggo Kristiansen, was sent two messages from a man living in Østerdalen. The two did not know each other before, and the messages were sent on Messenger. “Damn justice murderer fit***, who misled the court, tyrannized your employees and opposed Viggo Kristiansen’s reinstatement. You don’t even have the decency to apologize. May you burn in hell!”, the man wrote in the message, which was sent twice. – I have received several messages and it is unpleasant, says Mevåg to news. The case was reported to the police and now the man is charged with resisting the judiciary. – This is about retaliation for work she has carried out as an expert in a criminal case. We believe that the retaliation is punishable as opposition to the judiciary, says state attorney Camilla Ek Sørensen in the Hedmark and Oppland state prosecutor’s offices to news. The case will go to court later this year. Baneheia defender When the man was reported, he contacted Arvid Sjødin, who has defended Viggo Kristiansen for a number of years. Sjødin currently takes on very few new assignments, but agreed to defend the man. He believes that the report does not work against the judiciary. – Obviously not. What is also the point is that she has nothing to do in court. She is retired and I don’t understand how they can say that. It is absolutely not a criminal offense to send a message directly to her. This indictment seems poorly thought out, to put it bluntly, says Sjødin to news. He believes that the wording in the messages is not punishable and refers to previous cases that have gone before the Supreme Court. The defense attorney says the case is a unique opportunity to ask Mevåg questions about the much-discussed DNA evidence in the Baneheia case. Sjødin believes that the former chief engineer has never previously spoken about the handling of this DNA evidence in court. – Now she will have to come and explain herself in court about the mistakes she has made. According to Sjødin, his client was upset that Viggo Kristiansen had to serve 21 years in prison in connection with the Baneheia case. – That’s what he reacted to, that’s why he brought it up, he says. After Viggo Kristiansen’s case was reopened, no technical evidence has been found linking Kristiansen to the child murders. In December, he was acquitted. Sjødin tells news that it may be appropriate to summon DNA expert Ragne Farmen and Olav Gunnar Ballo, former director of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, as witnesses. He believes they will be able to substantiate that mistakes were made in connection with the DNA evidence in the Baneheia case. – This case is not about the Baneheia case, it is about the messages I have received, says Mevåg to news. State attorney Ek Sørensen disagrees that Mevåg must explain his own work when the case comes before the court. – Her work is not the subject of evidence in this case and will therefore not be part of the evidence. What is at issue is whether or not the defendant’s behavior constitutes punishable retaliation for work she has done for the judiciary. – To what extent is it relevant if, according to Sjødin, she has contributed to a judicial murder? – That is not part of the case, as I see it.
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Message sent to DNA expert Bente Mevåg – must face the court – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
