Greece: Tempe Train Disaster: Greece: Public cries out for answers: Question of the day: Will here ever be accountability? eKathimerini (Reporter Sofia Spingou) reports, noting that: "There are multiple reasons for the delay: the constant demands for more witnesses; a delayed report by an expert; parallel investigations on related matters, such as videos submitted by the rail authorities and whose authenticity is disputed; the case against a former deputy minister accused of tampering with on-site evidence; and the successive demands by two civil servants to postpone their deposition."

BACKGROUND: The Press Project: Link Below:

Tempe case timeline: Cover-up allegations, forensic revelations, and Greece’s crisis of accountability;

"The Tempe train disaster on 28 February 2023, which claimed 57 lives, exposed critical failures in Greece’s railway safety systems and sparked widespread allegations of a cover-up. Despite repeated warnings from railway workers, key safety upgrades were never implemented, and investigations have since revealed political interference, missing evidence, and potential fuel smuggling on the freight train. Two years on, mass protests, new forensic findings, and fresh legal battles continue to fuel demands for justice and accountability".

https://thepressproject.gr/tempe-case-timeline-cover-up-allegations-forensic-revelations-and-greeces-crisis-of-accountability/

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PASSAGE OF THE DAY:  "Justice Minister Giorgos Floridis had once optimistically declared that the trial would start in the summer of 2024. Earlier in 2025, he said that if the investigation concluded in March 2025, the trial could begin in September. But the file keeps being augmented with new evidence and it now appears that the trial will begin around Christmas 2025. And a further delay is not unlikely if a lawsuit against the appeals court judge conducting the investigation winds its way through the court system."

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STORY: "Tempe trial looks set for further delays," by Reporter Sofia Spingou, published by eKathimerini.com, on March 24, 2025.

GIST: "The trial of those responsible for the Tempe rail disaster, Greece’s deadliest, keeps being pushed back as the investigation drags on.

Justice Minister Giorgos Floridis had once optimistically declared that the trial would start in the summer of 2024. Earlier in 2025, he said that if the investigation concluded in March 2025, the trial could begin in September.

But the file keeps being augmented with new evidence and it now appears that the trial will begin around Christmas 2025. And a further delay is not unlikely if a lawsuit against the appeals court judge conducting the investigation winds its way through the court system.

There are multiple reasons for the delay: the constant demands for more witnesses; a delayed report by an expert; parallel investigations on related matters, such as videos submitted by the rail authorities and whose authenticity is disputed; the case against a former deputy minister accused of tampering with on-site evidence; and the successive demands by two civil servants to postpone their deposition.

So far, about 20 witnesses including survivors and people who witnessed the fatal crash of the two trains have been deposed and, according to judicial sources, have contributed little to shedding light on the causes of the accident. Yet, a parent of one of the 57 victims has requested that all 171 passengers injured in the crash testify to the investigative judge. A lawyer for the victims’ families has submitted a list of 67 witnesses to be examined, many of whom are among the 171. The investigating judge, who wants to conclude the depositions within March, has said that he will call 40 witnesses, many of whom will testify to his assistants."

The entire story can be read at:

https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1264939/tempe-trial-looks-set-for-further-delays/

PUBLISHER'S NOTE:  I am monitoring this case/issue/resource. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic"  section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com.  Harold Levy: Publisher: The Charles Smith Blog.

SEE BREAKDOWN OF  SOME OF THE ON-GOING INTERNATIONAL CASES (OUTSIDE OF THE CONTINENTAL USA) THAT I AM FOLLOWING ON THIS BLOG,  AT THE LINK BELOW:  HL:

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/120008354894645705/4704913685758792985

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FINAL WORD:  (Applicable to all of our wrongful conviction cases):  "Whenever there is a wrongful conviction, it exposes errors in our criminal legal system, and we hope that this case — and lessons from it — can prevent future injustices."

Lawyer Radha Natarajan:

Executive Director: New England Innocence Project;

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FINAL, FINAL WORD: "Since its inception, the Innocence Project has pushed the criminal legal system to confront and correct the laws and policies that cause and contribute to wrongful convictions.   They never shied away from the hard cases — the ones involving eyewitness identifications, confessions, and bite marks. Instead, in the course of presenting scientific evidence of innocence, they've exposed the unreliability of evidence that was, for centuries, deemed untouchable." So true!

Christina Swarns: Executive Director: The Innocence Project;

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