¹ Referring to a notorious incident in 2002, in which the Frankfurt Chief of Police was accused of having used improper methods – potentially amounting to torture – on the main (and only) suspect of the abduction of Jacob von Metzler, son of the owner of a well-known Frankfurt private bank, in order to extract a confession on the whereabouts of the boy. The latter was subsequently found murdered, and the suspect, Magnus Gäfgen, was tried by the Frankfurt District Court and sentenced to life-imprisonment later that year; it was during the trial that his defense team alleged improper conduct by the Police-Chief, triggering a criminal investigation, as well as widespread discussion of the issue.Google Scholar

² Seat of the Federal Constitutional Court (the Editors).Google Scholar