The Lamia Mixed Jury Court of Appeal requested that the life sentence imposed on former special guard Epaminondas Korkoneas for the murder of 15-year-old Alexandros Grigoropoulos, a high-school student, in Exarchia district of Athens in December 2008 be implemented.
The Court unanimously rejected the granting of the mitigating circumstance that had led him out of prison in 2019, in accordance with the proposal of the Prosecutor of the seat who reportedly requested that the principle of proportionality be applied in the administration of justice.
The announcement of the sentence, which was life imprisonment – by unanimous decision – followed, which means that according to the previous Criminal Code, he is obliged to serve a sentence of 16 years until he submits an application for conditional release.
Korkoneas had served 11 years until 2019 for the murder of teenager Alexandros Grigoropoulos and after the repeated appeals of the Court of Appeals decisions that released him from prison, he served another 16 months.
In October 2010, a Mixed Jury court found Korkoneas and his accompanying colleague, Vassilis Saraliotis, found guilty of “homicide with direct intention to cause harm,” and his and his accompanying colleague, Vassilis Saraliotis, guilty as an accomplice.
Korkoneas was sentenced to lifetime and additional 15 months imprisonment, while Saraliotis was sentenced to ten years in prison
In July 2019, the life sentence was overturned and reduced to 13 years imprisonment. Kokoneas was released from prison.
If I’m not wrong also Saraliotis was earlier released citing reasons of “supporting his family.”
PS for 17 years Grigoropoulos’ mother has been fighting for Justice for her murdered child. For 7 years victims’ families and survivors of the deadly wildfire in Mati (120 dead -July 2018) have been fighting that someone will go to prison for the biggest tragedy in Greece in peace times. For two and a half years, families and survivors of the deadly train crash tragedy in Tempi with 57 dead(February 2023) have been fighting to see a trial and justice for their beloved ones.
If you seek Justice in Greece, you probably need nerves steal, pockets full of money, endless patience and a very long life expectancy.