In November 2012, the suspect in the murder of Marianne Vaatstra was arrested in the village neighboring the village where the victim lived. He has been in a cell since November 18, 2012. After the arrest, the investigation begins and in February 2013 he, referred to as Jasper S., appears in court for the first time. It is a high-profile trial involving a murderer who kept his mouth shut for more than 13 years and lived with a horrible secret.
Jasper S. from Oudwoude
Jasper S., the farmer from Oudwoude who was arrested in November 2012 for the murder of Marianne Vaatstra, almost immediately confessed to the murder of the Frisian girl. He was locked up and investigated. A psychiatrist and psychologist examined the man’s mental state. People around S. were also questioned about his behavior.
Trial for murder of Marianna Vaatstra
On Wednesday, February 27, 2013, S. will appear in court for the first time. He must go to the court in Leeuwarden aan het Zaailand for this. The research reports are therefore completed. The public prosecutor or the suspect’s lawyer can then request an investigation at the Pieter Baan Center. If such an investigation is conducted, the case will take at least another six months to be processed.
Pieter Baan Center
The House of Detention with a specific task Pieter Baan Center (PBC) is the psychiatric observation clinic of the Ministry of Justice. The PBC investigates suspects who have committed serious violent crimes. This concerns approximately 200 cases annually. Behavioral experts provide advice to the judge or the Ministry of Justice. The advice is about:
- accountability;
- chance of recidivism;
- treatment of the suspect.
Pieter Baan Center
Gansstraat 170
3582 EP UtrechtCounsellor Jan Vlug, Jasper S.’s lawyer, saw little point in an observation in the PBC. Jasper S. lives spartanly in prison, he reported. S. was always alone in his cell and only came out to make his sandwich.
Pro forma meeting
The court hearing of February 27, 2013 was a pro forma hearing. The murder case has not yet been substantively dealt with. It was discussed how the judicial investigation should proceed. Such a hearing is usually short. S. was present. He could prepare himself for the hearings that were to come, where he would be confronted with relatives, the courtroom officials in gowns and uniforms and the journalists.
Jasper S. would be as open as possible during the hearings that followed, his lawyer said. He could remember a lot and wanted to answer all the questions.
Journalists
There was great interest in the case from the media, even for the pro forma hearing.
About 22 journalists had registered to be present at the hearing to report on it. Camera crews were also present.
Court of Leeuwarden
Postal address: PO Box 1702
8901 CA Leeuwarden visiting address: Zaailand 1028911 BN Leeuwarden
Counter
Session desk: telephone (058) 234 11 32, fax (058) 234 11 35
Information desk: telephone (058) 234 15 74, fax (058) 234 11 35
Communication
Mrs W. Wijnsma telephone: (058) 234 14 33
Mrs A. Bill telephone: (058) 234 12 81 e-mail: [email protected]
Court
The substantive hearing of the case was on March 28 and 29, extending to March 2013. That day the entire court in Leeuwarden was available for the Vaatstra case. Normally several cases are served at the same time in the different rooms of the court on the Zaailand of the Frisian capital, but this time all rooms were used for the case against Jasper S.. Two additional rooms were available to the public. The event was public, so anyone who wanted to attend could enter. Screens were set up so that interested parties could follow the proceedings from different rooms. The extra space offered room for eighty additional interested parties. The room where Jasper S. sat also had room for eighty listeners. Some of those places were reserved for relatives, witnesses, experts and people from the investigation team. Place was also reserved for some of the press. An extra room had been set up for the other media.
The family of Jasper S.
Jasper S.’s family sat in a separate room, isolated from the press and relatives. The cases that were to take place in court on that day had been moved to the court of appeal, which is located at the head of Zaailand.
read more
- Marianne Vaatstra – Arrest of the murderer
- Marianne Vaatstra – Jasper’s confession after DNA research
- Marianne Vaatstra – Details about the murder investigation
- Marianne Vaatstra – Her brothers and sisters
- Marianne Vaatstra – DNA relationship research