Lawyer Beaten Before Children in Block 23, Four Held
Police arrested four suspects over an attack on a lawyer and a young man in a park in Block 23, New Belgrade. The assault happened in front of the victim's young children.
- Police arrested four suspects, aged 20, 28, 21 and 21, over an attack in Block 23.
- The assault took place on July 4 in a park, in front of the victim's young children.
- The lawyer suffered serious injuries; a 19-year-old man was lightly hurt.
- The motive is not yet known, and the investigation is ongoing.
Police have arrested four men on suspicion of taking part in an attack on a lawyer and a young man in New Belgrade. The suspects are Dj. M. (20), J. B. (28), D. R. (21) and V. B. (21). They face charges over violence that took place in a park in Block 23, on Arsenija Carnojevica Boulevard.
The attack happened on July 4. According to the investigation, the group physically assaulted the lawyer and a young man identified by the initials M. J. (19). The lawyer sustained serious bodily injuries. The younger man escaped with light injuries and cuts to the head.
What sets this case apart is the setting in which it unfolded. The attack took place in the open, in a park between residential buildings, in front of the victim’s underage children. The children were present while the violence was going on. That fact is at the center of both public attention and the inquiry.
What is known about the arrests and suspects?
The suspects were detained on the order of the competent prosecution. According to available information, that is Belgrade’s Third Basic Public Prosecution Office, which ordered detention of up to 48 hours. Within that window, prosecutors decide on further measures and on any request for pre-trial custody.
All four are being treated as suspects for now. Guilt has not been established by a final court ruling. That means a court, not the police, will weigh the evidence and determine who is responsible and to what degree. Until then, the presumption of innocence applies.
The motive for the attack is not yet known. Investigators are checking whether the attackers and the victims had an earlier dispute or knew one another. Witness statements are being collected, along with any footage from nearby cameras. The park in Block 23 is a busy part of the neighborhood, so more eyewitnesses are expected.
Bar associations and the victim’s colleagues are following the case closely. An attack on a lawyer, if it turns out to be linked to his work, would further raise the question of the safety of legal professionals doing their jobs. For now, however, there is no official confirmation of a motive, so any such link remains speculation.
How is the investigation proceeding and what comes next?
After the detention period, the case passes to the prosecutor. He decides whether there are grounds to file an indictment and for which offenses. The legal classification will depend on medical findings about the severity of the injuries and on the role each suspect played in the attack.
Serious bodily injury and violent conduct are offenses that carry prison sentences under the law. If it is proven that several people acted together, that can affect the legal classification. The presence of children at the scene may also be treated by prosecutors as an aggravating circumstance.
For the public, an open question remains: how did such violence happen in broad daylight, in a neighborhood full of families? The answer should come from the investigation, which is only just beginning.
In your view, what would have to change so that parks and courtyards stay safe for children?
