Demjanjuk trial session called off after defendant hospitalized

Demjanjuk trial postponed for health reasons

BERLIN — A court session in John Demjanjuk’s trial has been called off after the 90-year-old defendant was hospitalized with dangerously low blood hemoglobin levels.

The former Ohio autoworker is being tried on 28,060 counts of accessory to murder over allegations he was a guard at the Nazis’ Sobibor death camp. He says he is a victim of mistaken identity and never served as a guard at any camp.

Presiding Judge Ralph Alt said Tuesday that Demjanjuk was taken to a Munich hospital for a blood transfusion after his hemoglobin level registered 7.7. Normal levels are about 14 to 18.

Demjanjuk suffers from a variety of medical problems. It was at least the eighth session to be canceled for health reasons since the trial began Nov. 30.