Trial starts for 14 Serbian hooligans charged with fatally beating French soccer fan
By APWednesday, April 21, 2010
Trial starts for 14 Serbians in fatal fan attack
BELGRADE, Serbia — The trial has started for 14 hooligans charged with fatally beating a French soccer fan before a Europa League match last September.
Proceedings opened Wednesday at Belgrade’s Higher Court.
The group are charged with first-degree murder after 28-year-old Brice Taton was attacked in a downtown cafe in the Serbian capital before Partizan Belgrade’s match against Toulouse on Sept. 17. Taton died several days later in a hospital.
Officials say two suspects remain at large and will be tried in absentia. A senior police official says they are probably hiding in neighboring countries.
Serbia has recently seen a surge in fan violence. A Red Star Belgrade fan was seriously wounded last week in a shooting during a local cup match.
