Birgitte Tengs Case: Cousin Speaks Out After civil Judgement Lifted
Table of Contents
On September 23, 2021, the world watched in awe as a massive, vibrant aurora borealis illuminated the night sky over Norway. This breathtaking spectacle, captured in stunning detail, showcased the ethereal beauty of this natural phenomenon.
The aurora borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, is a celestial display of dancing lights that occurs when charged particles from the sun collide with atoms in Earth’s atmosphere. These collisions excite the atoms, causing them to release energy in the form of light.
This particular display was a true spectacle, with vibrant shades of green, purple, and pink painting the sky. The intensity and movement of the aurora captivated viewers, creating a truly unforgettable experience.
Their proposals, however, were met with resistance from the Justice Committee and Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl. They contended that a full-scale investigation was needless, stating that lessons would be learned from the ongoing investigation into the Baneheia case, another high-profile Norwegian murder case. They maintained that the findings from the Baneheia investigation would provide valuable insights applicable to future criminal cases.
Birgitte Tengs’ cousin sees the decision to forego a dedicated investigation as a deliberate attempt to sweep the mistakes of the past under the rug. He believes it allows the system to evade accountability for the profound injustices he suffered.
“They did a terrible job, which had terrible consequences. The fact that everything is now hidden away is what makes it possible for the rule of law to commit abuses for 24 years, as they did with me. It is 24 years in which they must have understood that I am innocent, in which they must have understood that they have taken the wrong man, in which - until Cold Case comes on the scene in 2016 – they fail to follow up loose ends. And where the court has no choice until November 2022 – with a new man indicted – it chooses to hide behind paragraphs to fail to correct both its own and others’ mistakes,”
he stated poignantly.
This text appears to be a news article about the Birgitte Tengs case in Norway. Here’s a breakdown of the key points:
**The Aurora Borealis:**
* The article opens with a vivid description of an impressive Aurora Borealis display over Norway on September 23, 2021.
* It explains the scientific phenomenon behind the Northern Lights – solar particles interacting with Earth’s atmosphere.
**The Birgitte Tengs Case:**
* The aurora description transitions into a discussion of the Birgitte Tengs murder case.
* Birgitte Tengs was found murdered in 1995.
* Her cousin was initially convicted based on a coerced confession, but was later acquitted in 1998. He was, though, ordered to pay restitution to Tengs’ parents.
* The cousin’s conviction was heavily criticized due to questionable police methods.
* The case remained unsolved for years, with the cousin facing ongoing scrutiny and prejudice.
* In 2021, a new suspect, Johny Vassbakk, was arrested and charged with the murder.
* DNA evidence linking Vassbakk to the crime was found.
* In November 2022, the civil judgment against the cousin was annulled.
**Key Themes:**
* **Justice Delayed:** the article highlights the long and complex journey towards justice in the Birgitte Tengs case.
* **Miscarriage of Justice:** the initial conviction of the cousin raises concerns about police conduct and the potential for wrongful convictions.
* **Impact on the Innocent:** The cousin’s experience underscores the lasting damage that false accusations and societal stigma can inflict.
* **Hope for resolution:** The arrest of Vassbakk offered a possibility of finally bringing closure to the case and providing answers for Tengs’ family.
The article provides a glimpse into a highly publicized and emotionally charged criminal case in Norway, raising important questions about justice, accountability, and the impact of crime on individuals and communities.
Their proposals, however, were met with resistance from the Justice Committee and Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl. They contended that a full-scale investigation was needless, stating that lessons would be learned from the ongoing investigation into the Baneheia case, another high-profile Norwegian murder case. They maintained that the findings from the Baneheia investigation would provide valuable insights applicable to future criminal cases.
Birgitte Tengs’ cousin sees the decision to forego a dedicated investigation as a deliberate attempt to sweep the mistakes of the past under the rug. He believes it allows the system to evade accountability for the profound injustices he suffered.
“They did a terrible job, which had terrible consequences. The fact that everything is now hidden away is what makes it possible for the rule of law to commit abuses for 24 years, as they did with me. It is 24 years in which they must have understood that I am innocent, in which they must have understood that they have taken the wrong man, in which - until Cold Case comes on the scene in 2016 – they fail to follow up loose ends. And where the court has no choice until November 2022 – with a new man indicted – it chooses to hide behind paragraphs to fail to correct both its own and others’ mistakes,”
he stated poignantly.
This text appears to be a news article about the Birgitte Tengs case in Norway. Here’s a breakdown of the key points:
**The Aurora Borealis:**
* The article opens with a vivid description of an impressive Aurora Borealis display over Norway on September 23, 2021.
* It explains the scientific phenomenon behind the Northern Lights – solar particles interacting with Earth’s atmosphere.
**The Birgitte Tengs Case:**
* The aurora description transitions into a discussion of the Birgitte Tengs murder case.
* Birgitte Tengs was found murdered in 1995.
* Her cousin was initially convicted based on a coerced confession, but was later acquitted in 1998. He was, though, ordered to pay restitution to Tengs’ parents.
* The cousin’s conviction was heavily criticized due to questionable police methods.
* The case remained unsolved for years, with the cousin facing ongoing scrutiny and prejudice.
* In 2021, a new suspect, Johny Vassbakk, was arrested and charged with the murder.
* DNA evidence linking Vassbakk to the crime was found.
* In November 2022, the civil judgment against the cousin was annulled.
**Key Themes:**
* **Justice Delayed:** the article highlights the long and complex journey towards justice in the Birgitte Tengs case.
* **Miscarriage of Justice:** the initial conviction of the cousin raises concerns about police conduct and the potential for wrongful convictions.
* **Impact on the Innocent:** The cousin’s experience underscores the lasting damage that false accusations and societal stigma can inflict.
* **Hope for resolution:** The arrest of Vassbakk offered a possibility of finally bringing closure to the case and providing answers for Tengs’ family.
The article provides a glimpse into a highly publicized and emotionally charged criminal case in Norway, raising important questions about justice, accountability, and the impact of crime on individuals and communities.
Vassbakk, who had been under suspicion since the initial investigation, was initially convicted in the district court but ultimately acquitted by the Court of Appeal in a 5-2 vote in december 2023. This acquittal,however,did not erase the deep scars left by the prolonged ordeal for Tengs’ cousin. He had endured years of wrongful imprisonment based on flawed investigations and a flawed judicial process.
In the wake of Vassbakk’s acquittal and the ongoing scrutiny of the Tengs case, several members of the Storting (Norwegian Parliament) called for a thorough investigation into the handling of the case by the police, prosecution, and the courts. They argued that a dedicated committee was needed to fully analyze the shortcomings and prevent similar miscarriages of justice in the future.
Calls for Scrutiny Ignored
Their proposals, however, were met with resistance from the Justice Committee and Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl. They contended that a full-scale investigation was needless, stating that lessons would be learned from the ongoing investigation into the Baneheia case, another high-profile Norwegian murder case. They maintained that the findings from the Baneheia investigation would provide valuable insights applicable to future criminal cases.
Birgitte Tengs’ cousin sees the decision to forego a dedicated investigation as a deliberate attempt to sweep the mistakes of the past under the rug. He believes it allows the system to evade accountability for the profound injustices he suffered.
“They did a terrible job, which had terrible consequences. The fact that everything is now hidden away is what makes it possible for the rule of law to commit abuses for 24 years, as they did with me. It is 24 years in which they must have understood that I am innocent, in which they must have understood that they have taken the wrong man, in which - until Cold Case comes on the scene in 2016 – they fail to follow up loose ends. And where the court has no choice until November 2022 – with a new man indicted – it chooses to hide behind paragraphs to fail to correct both its own and others’ mistakes,”
he stated poignantly.
This text appears to be a news article about the Birgitte Tengs case in Norway. Here’s a breakdown of the key points:
**The Aurora Borealis:**
* The article opens with a vivid description of an impressive Aurora Borealis display over Norway on September 23, 2021.
* It explains the scientific phenomenon behind the Northern Lights – solar particles interacting with Earth’s atmosphere.
**The Birgitte Tengs Case:**
* The aurora description transitions into a discussion of the Birgitte Tengs murder case.
* Birgitte Tengs was found murdered in 1995.
* Her cousin was initially convicted based on a coerced confession, but was later acquitted in 1998. He was, though, ordered to pay restitution to Tengs’ parents.
* The cousin’s conviction was heavily criticized due to questionable police methods.
* The case remained unsolved for years, with the cousin facing ongoing scrutiny and prejudice.
* In 2021, a new suspect, Johny Vassbakk, was arrested and charged with the murder.
* DNA evidence linking Vassbakk to the crime was found.
* In November 2022, the civil judgment against the cousin was annulled.
**Key Themes:**
* **Justice Delayed:** the article highlights the long and complex journey towards justice in the Birgitte Tengs case.
* **Miscarriage of Justice:** the initial conviction of the cousin raises concerns about police conduct and the potential for wrongful convictions.
* **Impact on the Innocent:** The cousin’s experience underscores the lasting damage that false accusations and societal stigma can inflict.
* **Hope for resolution:** The arrest of Vassbakk offered a possibility of finally bringing closure to the case and providing answers for Tengs’ family.
The article provides a glimpse into a highly publicized and emotionally charged criminal case in Norway, raising important questions about justice, accountability, and the impact of crime on individuals and communities.
Vassbakk, who had been under suspicion since the initial investigation, was initially convicted in the district court but ultimately acquitted by the Court of Appeal in a 5-2 vote in december 2023. This acquittal,however,did not erase the deep scars left by the prolonged ordeal for Tengs’ cousin. He had endured years of wrongful imprisonment based on flawed investigations and a flawed judicial process.
In the wake of Vassbakk’s acquittal and the ongoing scrutiny of the Tengs case, several members of the Storting (Norwegian Parliament) called for a thorough investigation into the handling of the case by the police, prosecution, and the courts. They argued that a dedicated committee was needed to fully analyze the shortcomings and prevent similar miscarriages of justice in the future.
Calls for Scrutiny Ignored
Their proposals, however, were met with resistance from the Justice Committee and Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl. They contended that a full-scale investigation was needless, stating that lessons would be learned from the ongoing investigation into the Baneheia case, another high-profile Norwegian murder case. They maintained that the findings from the Baneheia investigation would provide valuable insights applicable to future criminal cases.
Birgitte Tengs’ cousin sees the decision to forego a dedicated investigation as a deliberate attempt to sweep the mistakes of the past under the rug. He believes it allows the system to evade accountability for the profound injustices he suffered.
“They did a terrible job, which had terrible consequences. The fact that everything is now hidden away is what makes it possible for the rule of law to commit abuses for 24 years, as they did with me. It is 24 years in which they must have understood that I am innocent, in which they must have understood that they have taken the wrong man, in which - until Cold Case comes on the scene in 2016 – they fail to follow up loose ends. And where the court has no choice until November 2022 – with a new man indicted – it chooses to hide behind paragraphs to fail to correct both its own and others’ mistakes,”
he stated poignantly.
This text appears to be a news article about the Birgitte Tengs case in Norway. Here’s a breakdown of the key points:
**The Aurora Borealis:**
* The article opens with a vivid description of an impressive Aurora Borealis display over Norway on September 23, 2021.
* It explains the scientific phenomenon behind the Northern Lights – solar particles interacting with Earth’s atmosphere.
**The Birgitte Tengs Case:**
* The aurora description transitions into a discussion of the Birgitte Tengs murder case.
* Birgitte Tengs was found murdered in 1995.
* Her cousin was initially convicted based on a coerced confession, but was later acquitted in 1998. He was, though, ordered to pay restitution to Tengs’ parents.
* The cousin’s conviction was heavily criticized due to questionable police methods.
* The case remained unsolved for years, with the cousin facing ongoing scrutiny and prejudice.
* In 2021, a new suspect, Johny Vassbakk, was arrested and charged with the murder.
* DNA evidence linking Vassbakk to the crime was found.
* In November 2022, the civil judgment against the cousin was annulled.
**Key Themes:**
* **Justice Delayed:** the article highlights the long and complex journey towards justice in the Birgitte Tengs case.
* **Miscarriage of Justice:** the initial conviction of the cousin raises concerns about police conduct and the potential for wrongful convictions.
* **Impact on the Innocent:** The cousin’s experience underscores the lasting damage that false accusations and societal stigma can inflict.
* **Hope for resolution:** The arrest of Vassbakk offered a possibility of finally bringing closure to the case and providing answers for Tengs’ family.
The article provides a glimpse into a highly publicized and emotionally charged criminal case in Norway, raising important questions about justice, accountability, and the impact of crime on individuals and communities.
>
WAS JUDGED: The cousin of Birgitte Tengs has lived a life with the Tengs case. Here he is covered up before the first prison meeting after his arrest in February 1997.
– Without the necessary transparency about all the mistakes that were made, I fear that others will suffer the same fate as me, he writes in a comment to Svarttrost.
Facts about the Birgitte Tengs case
- Birgitte Tengs (17) was found murdered near her home on Karmøy on 6 May 1995.
- Two years later, Tengs’ then 19-year-old cousin was convicted of the murder of his cousin. The prosecution relied on a false and manipulated confession. For many years,the police have received strong criticism for the methods used. The cousin appealed the district court verdict.
- In 1998, he was criminally acquitted in the Gulating Court of Appeal, but he was also sentenced to pay restitution to Tengs’ parents, as there are other proof requirements for civil claims. The sentence was to stand for over 24 years.
In 2001, the cousin put forward a petition for a review of the Court of Appeal’s judgment. This was rejected by the Court of Appeal and by the Supreme court’s appeal committee.
- In 2003, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg sentenced the Norwegian state to pay compensation to the cousin because the compensation judgment went too far in assuming that the cousin was guilty.
A new petition to reopen the civil compensation case was submitted in 2008. In the summer of 2010, the Supreme Court ruled that the case will not be reopened because it was time-barred.
The cousin sued Fokus Bank in 2011 because they withdrew a job offer when they found out that he is Birgitte Tengs’ much talked about cousin. the bank was successful, but was ordered to pay the cousin NOK 925,000 in compensation.
- In January 2016, the Birgitte Tengs case became the first case to be taken up by the new Cold case unit in Kripos.
- The police arrested Johny vassbakk from Karmøy in Rogaland on Wednesday 1 September 2021 when he was on holiday in Farsund in Southern Norway.
- The 52-year-old Vassbakk was also charged with the murder of Tina Jørgensen in 2000, but the police dropped this case.
- In April, it was confirmed that the DNA found on Tengs’ tights is similar to Vassbakk’s DNA. The expert report was subsequently approved by the Forensic Medicine Commission.
- The police in Stavanger concluded the investigation into the case on 31 august 2022 and sent the case to the state prosecutor and the Attorney General for a prosecution decision.
- On Monday 17 October, Nettavisen reported the news that Johny Vassbakk has been charged with the murder of Birgitte Tengs.
On Friday 4 November 2022, the civil judgment against the cousin was annulled by the Agder Court of appeal and he was finally fully acquitted. By then the cousin had made well over ten attempts to get the court to overturn the 1998 judgment
- On 6 February 2022,Vassbakk was sentenced to 17 years in prison
The saga surrounding the 1995 murder of Birgitte Tengs took another dramatic turn in October 2024 as her cousin,wrongly convicted for the crime,reached a settlement with the norwegian Ministry of Justice. He will receive NOK 26 million in compensation for the years he spent behind bars for a crime he did not commit. This growth comes after a series of high-profile legal battles and a dissenting judgment that ultimately acquitted another suspect, Johny Vassbakk.
A Winding Path to Justice
Vassbakk, who had been under suspicion since the initial investigation, was initially convicted in the district court but ultimately acquitted by the Court of Appeal in a 5-2 vote in december 2023. This acquittal,however,did not erase the deep scars left by the prolonged ordeal for Tengs’ cousin. He had endured years of wrongful imprisonment based on flawed investigations and a flawed judicial process.
In the wake of Vassbakk’s acquittal and the ongoing scrutiny of the Tengs case, several members of the Storting (Norwegian Parliament) called for a thorough investigation into the handling of the case by the police, prosecution, and the courts. They argued that a dedicated committee was needed to fully analyze the shortcomings and prevent similar miscarriages of justice in the future.
Calls for Scrutiny Ignored
Their proposals, however, were met with resistance from the Justice Committee and Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl. They contended that a full-scale investigation was needless, stating that lessons would be learned from the ongoing investigation into the Baneheia case, another high-profile Norwegian murder case. They maintained that the findings from the Baneheia investigation would provide valuable insights applicable to future criminal cases.
Birgitte Tengs’ cousin sees the decision to forego a dedicated investigation as a deliberate attempt to sweep the mistakes of the past under the rug. He believes it allows the system to evade accountability for the profound injustices he suffered.
“They did a terrible job, which had terrible consequences. The fact that everything is now hidden away is what makes it possible for the rule of law to commit abuses for 24 years, as they did with me. It is 24 years in which they must have understood that I am innocent, in which they must have understood that they have taken the wrong man, in which - until Cold Case comes on the scene in 2016 – they fail to follow up loose ends. And where the court has no choice until November 2022 – with a new man indicted – it chooses to hide behind paragraphs to fail to correct both its own and others’ mistakes,”
he stated poignantly.
This text appears to be a news article about the Birgitte Tengs case in Norway. Here’s a breakdown of the key points:
**The Aurora Borealis:**
* The article opens with a vivid description of an impressive Aurora Borealis display over Norway on September 23, 2021.
* It explains the scientific phenomenon behind the Northern Lights – solar particles interacting with Earth’s atmosphere.
**The Birgitte Tengs Case:**
* The aurora description transitions into a discussion of the Birgitte Tengs murder case.
* Birgitte Tengs was found murdered in 1995.
* Her cousin was initially convicted based on a coerced confession, but was later acquitted in 1998. He was, though, ordered to pay restitution to Tengs’ parents.
* The cousin’s conviction was heavily criticized due to questionable police methods.
* The case remained unsolved for years, with the cousin facing ongoing scrutiny and prejudice.
* In 2021, a new suspect, Johny Vassbakk, was arrested and charged with the murder.
* DNA evidence linking Vassbakk to the crime was found.
* In November 2022, the civil judgment against the cousin was annulled.
**Key Themes:**
* **Justice Delayed:** the article highlights the long and complex journey towards justice in the Birgitte Tengs case.
* **Miscarriage of Justice:** the initial conviction of the cousin raises concerns about police conduct and the potential for wrongful convictions.
* **Impact on the Innocent:** The cousin’s experience underscores the lasting damage that false accusations and societal stigma can inflict.
* **Hope for resolution:** The arrest of Vassbakk offered a possibility of finally bringing closure to the case and providing answers for Tengs’ family.
The article provides a glimpse into a highly publicized and emotionally charged criminal case in Norway, raising important questions about justice, accountability, and the impact of crime on individuals and communities.