Authorities on Basel homicide Perpetrator was not electronically monitored on his way out

Following the homicide in Basel last week, the authorities will explain themselves to the media at 2 p.m. blue News will be showing the media conference live.

Following last week's homicide in Basel, an external investigation into the events at the University Psychiatric Clinics (UPK) is to bring clarity. "The ultimate goal is to prevent such acts from happening again," said Security Director Stephanie Eymann to the media on Monday.

Eymann went on to say that it was not yet possible to say whether everything had gone according to plan before this investigation.

Health Director Lukas Engelberger also commented on the investigation into the case in which a UPK patient allegedly killed a 75-year-old woman during an unaccompanied walk on Thursday. "If the strong suspicion is confirmed, it is the case that we as a canton were unable to live up to our responsibility - I regret that," said Engelberger.

The external investigation in question has not yet been launched, said Michael Rolaz, CEO of UPK. Experts from other forensic institutions in Switzerland could be considered for this task. Before the external investigation, UPK would already analyze the internal processes, said Henning Hachtel, Director of the Clinic for Forensics at UPK.

No details of the individual case during proceedings

It is not yet known how the decision was made to release the 32-year-old suspect alone from the closed clinic. The cantonal penitentiary system decides on releases. Until the proceedings have been concluded and the court decision has been made, it cannot yet comment on the individual case, as its head Sabine Uhlmann said.

The authority always decides on such relaxations based on the case file and issues a ruling based on this. As a rule, "six to eight eyes" look at a person undergoing inpatient measures. According to Uhlmann, there are currently twelve clients in the canton of Basel-Stadt with a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia with ordered measures and an underlying offense, i.e. a violent or sexual offense.

The openings are prescribed by law, said Rolaz. After the homicide, however, releases from the UPK were blocked for a short time. The measure applies until Tuesday. It is in place to protect the patients.

Release after gradual release from prison

The relaxation of measures for patients in forensic wards is always carried out in stages, as Hachtel explained. Initially, they are accompanied and take place on the UPK premises, then gradually also outside. The aim is to gradually check whether treatment goals have been achieved.

The police arrested the suspect on Friday afternoon following a manhunt. The Swiss man is said to have killed his victim in an apartment building on Nasenweg. He is a repeat offender. Back in November 2014, he stabbed two women in the same neighborhood and seriously injured an elderly man with a knife. He was arrested at the scene of the crime.

The Basel criminal court then ordered inpatient psychiatric treatment. It found that the culpable offender had committed multiple murder and attempted murder. The psychiatric report at the time stated that without treatment, the risk of recidivism for serious offenses was high.

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3.06 p.m.

When did the public search come about?

The question now arises as to why the public search was only carried out a day later. Eymann says that's the job of the public prosecutor's office. "But it can be said that there must have been a very concrete suspicion of a crime. This is a drastic measure." However, she could not go into more detail.

That concludes the press conference.

2.56 pm

How did he get out?

How did the perpetrator manage to get out? The authorities rule out any manipulation of blood tests. However, deception is conceivable, such as not disclosing symptoms. Offenders often live in a parallel world that is in stark contrast to the real world, says Hachtel.

2.48 pm

No electronic monitoring

According to Sabine Uhlmann, no electronic monitoring is used. Rather, they rely on precise clarifications before easing the measures. "Electronic monitoring would be useless in a case like this," says Uhlmann.

Currently, 12 people with diagnosed paranoid schizophrenia and a violent or sexual offense are being treated in Basel. These cases are comparable with the perpetrator.

2.46 p.m.

Patient exits blocked

According to Michael Rolaz, the patients' exits were suspended after the crime. However, this had more to do with protecting the patients in order to avoid possible encounters with the skeptical population. "Otherwise, however, we are still obliged to comply with the legal requirements". The exits will therefore be resumed.

2.40 p.m.

Who was responsible?

The law enforcement authorities are responsible for relaxing enforcement measures, says Sabine Uhlmann. Relaxations are ordered by law, for example, on the basis of files. In the case of violent and sexual offenses, six to eight eyes would look over the respective measures. In some cases, 10 people are involved.

2.36 p.m.

Did everything go according to plan?

Eymann says it is unclear whether everything went properly and according to plan in the case of the alleged perpetrator. It is still too early to talk about the consequences. "We must learn the lessons from this case," says Eymann.

2.35 p.m.

Relaxation after clinical course

Relaxation in prison is subject to approval, says Hachtel. Initially, people are sent to a closed garden, for example. Then, depending on their progress, people can leave the facility with 2:1 or 1:1 supervision. Unaccompanied external exits are only possible at a very advanced stage with appropriate preparations and screenings.

2.30 p.m.

Various components

Henning Hachtel, Director of the Clinic for Forensics at UPK, explains that the processes are already being reviewed internally and adapted where necessary. The systems are balanced and numerous checks are carried out.

Hachtel explains that treatments are carried out differently. For example, psychotherapeutic or medicinal components are included in the therapies. "The structures are difficult to understand from the outside," says Hachtel.

There are also regular blood tests to prevent substance use, for example.

2.18 p.m.

Why the alleged perpetrator came to the ward

Sabine Uhlmann says that the alleged perpetrator was admitted to the ward because he had been diagnosed with a mental illness. "If this is related to the crime, an inpatient therapeutic measure is applied."

The outcome is gradual. Patients are first accompanied, then it is assessed whether the person can go outside on their own, for example. "If symptoms such as hallucinations or perceptual disturbances then become apparent, no outings are approved," Uhlmann clarifies.

2.12 p.m.

This is how the alleged perpetrator was accommodated

Michael Rolaz, CEO of UPK, now explains the course of treatment. The man was placed in a specially secured ward with a lock structure. The patients would follow a clearly structured daily routine. However, contact with the outside world is not prevented, as this is important for the patients. Measures such as going out are agreed and coordinated with several agencies. "Holidays in prison and going out are also required by law."

An external review should now clarify whether and if mistakes were made.

2.08 pm

"Responsibility tragically not fulfilled"

Lukas Engelberger provides information about the structures. There is a special, well-guarded ward for mentally ill offenders at the University Psychiatric Clinics in Basel. They are not only offenders, but also patients. Responsibility is paramount here. "If the urgent suspicion of a crime is confirmed here, then we have tragically failed to fulfill our responsibility," said Engelberger.

2.04 pm

Various agencies involved

According to Eymann, the homicide requires a clean and transparent investigation. Various agencies are involved, which is why several people are speaking to the media.

2 p.m.

Press conference begins

Head of Security Stephanie Eymann starts the press conference. She says that the aim today is to provide information about all the events and the background to the case. However, it is not possible to go into precise details - due to the ongoing investigation.

1 p.m.

Basel authorities provide information from 2 pm

Those responsible will be answering questions from the media from 2 pm. The media conference will be attended by Stephanie Eymann, Head of the Department of Justice and Security, Lukas Engelberger, Head of the Department of Health, Sabine Uhlmann, Head of the Cantonal Department of Corrections and Measures, Michael Rolaz, CEO of UPK, and Henning Hachtel, Director of the Forensic Clinic at UPK.

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