The state of siege in Smederevo; They bring U.B. to court

As reported by our reporters, the parents of those killed arrived in front of the High Court.

Uniformed persons, police in civilian clothes, as well as ambulances are located in the square in front of the court, while large security measures are also present in the premises of the institution itself.

The preliminary hearing is closed to the public. The defendant U.B. and his father will plead guilty. Also, the indictment will be read and both sides will present their evidence proposals, that is, they will propose new evidence and witnesses, says lawyer Stefan Stefanović, who represents eight injured families - three killed and five wounded in the mass shooting.

The lawyer states that among the victims there are more than 40 people who will find themselves face to face with the accused one year after the massacre.

Also, at today's hearing, the date of the main trial will be determined. A decision on whether the trial will be closed to the public is also expected.

The indictment was completed on October 18, 2023. Blažić was accused of nine murders and the attempted murder of thirteen more people whom he seriously wounded.

The youngest victim was 15, and the oldest 25. At the prosecutor's hearing, he confessed to the crime, saying that he allegedly killed young people, most of whom he did not know, in order to scare the village population because they spoke badly about him and his family.

According to the findings of the medical expert, U.B. was sane when he committed the crime on May 4, and no symptoms of psychopathological personality changes were found in him. He was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs that evening.

For U.B. and his father, Prosecution proposed a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison each.