German cannibal to write memoirs
A self-declared cannibal who says his victim volunteered to be eaten has told a Sunday newspaper he wants to write his memoirs.
Arnim Meiwes told German newspaper Welt am Sonntag he hoped his coming book would deter other people from following his example.
Meiwes is in custody pending a trial for murder, but is aware his writings are likely to be extremely controversial.
The 41-year-old human flesh eater has told investigators on Sunday he believes the German cannibal scene numbers around 800 people.
Former cannibal’s suggestion
“They should check in for appropriate treatment and talk about it, so that it doesn’t escalate like it did with me,” Meiwes said.
He was arrested last December in a case that has horrified Germany and sent investigators into new legal territory.
Meiwes has admitted killing and partly eating a 43-year-old man from Berlin whom he met via a contact ad on the Internet.
The Berliner reportedly agreed to be eaten, and asked for the whole act to be carried out in front of a video camera.
Prosecution case
Prosecutors say Meiwes acted on his desire “to carve up a person and later eat him”, and that his victim appeared to have consented.
But they say the victim’s “death wish” does not alter the fact that Meiwes had wanted to commit murder “for sexual satisfaction” and was thus ineligible for the lesser charge of “killing on demand”.
He is also accused of “disturbing the peace of the dead” for butchering the corpse.
But technically, cannibalism itself is not illegal under German law.
Trial date
The computer expert, who comes from the western town of Rotenburg, will go on trial from 3 December.
His lawyer, Harald Ermel, told newspapers the defence team would argue for a charge of “killing on demand” – punishable by a maximum prison sentence of five years.
According to the prosecution case, based on Meiwes’ admissions, he is said to have cut off and fried his victim’s penis, which they ate together.
Then he stabbed his acquaintance, cut him into pieces, stored the flesh in the deep freeze of his house and later ate some of it.