Geir Lippestad, the Norwegian lawyer who represented mass murderer Anders Breivik held a talk at the Icelandic Bar Association about the Breivik trial, reports Vísir.
Lippestad revealed in his talk that it had been his wife who convinced him to represent Breivik, who bombed government buildings in 2011. Eight people died in the bombings and Breivik and went on to kill 69 more people, mostly teenagers, in a mass shooting at a summer camp for the Worker’s Youth League on the island of Utøya that same day.
Breivik had requested Lippestad specifically and though he was hesitant, his wife who is a nurse persuaded him by saying that doctors and nurses treat men like Breivik the same as they would any other patient and that the same should applicable in the justice system.
Lippestad said that once he had agreed to take on the case he met Breivik and the police. Breivik then narrated the events of the day to the police in great deal and fussed over what he would be getting to eat, coke versus diet coke, wheat versus whole wheat and so on.
By the time the interrogations were over Lippestad had over a thousand messages on his phone from media, other lawyers and strangers accusing him of being sympathetic to Breivik’s beliefs.
Lippestad had wanted to plead insanity, but Breivik changed his mind following letters from his admirers claiming that he would be a hero if he was found guilty but worthless if he plead insanity.
Lippestad also said that during the trial his biggest fear was the international media who, he worried, might hack into his phone or email, even break into his office.
To close Lippestad said that lawyers should never judge their clients because once they do so they begin to undermine the values on which the justice system is built.
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