fechter bled to death after about an hour. after reunification, two border police were found guilty of manslaughter. they were convicted and given suspended prison terms of 20 and 21 months respectively. both had told the court they fired shots at fechter, but did not want to kill him. the court also ruled that fechter was killed by the shots, and not by the absence of aid. the evidence could not show who of three gunman (one had already died) was responsible for the bullet that killed fechter.