Privacy laws in Switzerland
Under Switzerland’s strict privacy laws, the media are barred from publishing the names of defendants or convicted criminals, with few exceptions. As a result, from the moment the killer was arrested, the Swiss press referred to the killer as B.V. (his initials) or at the most by using his first name only.
Swiss journalists nonetheless made reference to the killer’s background, using terms such as Der Galerist (gallery owner), Galeristsohn (son of the gallery owner) and Kunsthändler (art dealer) amongst others. The Blick used the term «Goldküsten-Killer» (Goldcoast Killer) once.
Basically, Swiss law does not allow for the publication of a defendant’s or victim’s name and all photos must be pixelated. Newspapers can nonetheless publish an artist’s impression of the defendant during the trial. They can also photograph and publish pictures of the exterior of the crime scene, in this particular case the outside of the villa where Alex was killed.
Unlike their Swiss counterparts, almost all international media took a more robust view. However, some international newspapers, such as the Daily Mail and The Telegraph, wary of falling foul of the Defendant’s third lawyer who specialized in communications and media law, used geo-blocking. In this way, they circumvented the legal problem.
Geo-blocking restricts access to internet articles depending on the user’s geographical location (in this case Switzerland).
This meant that readers outside of Switzerland were able to view online articles with full names and photos of all involved and descriptions of the killer. Whereas readers in Switzerland were redirected to ‘error‘, ‘access denied’ or ‘Page not found’ on their screens.
Loss of anonymity
The Swiss press picked up on the fact that the British newspapers were covering the trial in detail, with names of all concerned plus photos. A story within a story. The Tages Anzeiger stated “So ist plötzlich niemand mehr anonym” (Suddenly, No One Is Anonymous Anymore). This meant that anyone in German-speaking Switzerland, who really wanted to know who the killer and victim were, now knew where to look.
By the following week, the story of Alex’s brutal killing had reached the rest of the world. It was covered by journalists in Mexico, Japan, Georgia, Hungary, USA, Indonesia, and Greece, amongst others.
Articles in the Press
Below you will find articles relating to the case. Articles are listed in chronological order, first those published in German, then English, and finally Spanish and other languages. This list represents a selection of the articles published. Depending on the reader’s geographical location, some articles may be geo-blocked for legal reasons.
German
- Toter in Küsnacht: Polizei verhaftet Tatverdächtigen
Tages Anzeiger, 30/12/2014 - Tötungsdelikt in Küsnacht: Verdächtiger legt ein Geständnis ab
Tages Anzeiger, 31/12/2014 - Galeristensohn in Haft
Tages Anzeiger, 5/01/2015 - Es war der Sohn (29) der Kunsthändler-Familie
Blick, 5/01/2015 - «Er wurde uns in der Blüte seines Lebens genommen»
20 Minuten, 7/01/2015 - Tötung und Vergewaltigung im Drogenwahn
Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 13/03/2017
- Im Drogenrausch getötet
Tages Anzeiger, 13/03/2017 - So brutal tötete Bennet S. (32) seinen Kollegen A.M.
Blick, 13/03/2017 - Täter rammte dem Opfer eine Kerze in den Rachen
20 Minuten, 13/03/2017 - Dieser Prozess bringt das Meilemer Bezirksgericht an seine Grenzen
Zürcher Unterländer, 24/03/2017 - Im Drogenrausch Kollegen brutal getötet
Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 27/03/2017 - Eine Teuflische Tat
Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 27/03/2017 - Er hat Ketamin und Kokain konsumiert wie andere Bonbons
Zürichsee-Zeitung, 27/03/2017 - •«Wie aus einem Science-Fiction-Film» – Kunsthändler-Sohn tötete Freund unter Drogen
Watson.ch, 27/03/2017 - Goldküsten-Killer schweigt über seine brutale Taten
Blick.ch, 27/03/2017 - V. dachte, das Opfer sei ein grüner bedrohlicher Alien
20.Minuten, 27/03/2017 - Wütende Freunde trauern um Opfer von Küsnacht
20.Minuten, 28/03/2017 - Knallharter Briten-Boulevard an der Zürcher Goldküste
Tagesanzeiger, 29/03/2017 - Tötungsdelikt von Küsnacht ZH: Beschuldigter bleibt stumm
Telebasel.ch, 29/03/2017 - Tötung im Villenviertel: Waren es wirklich die Drogen?
Tages Anzeiger, 29/03/2017 - Eine drogendominierte Beziehung
Zürichsee-Zeitung, 29/03/2017 - «V. hat 150 g Ketamin in einem Jahr weggemacht»
20.Minuten, 29/03/2017 - Abgründe – und keine Antworten
Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 30/03/2017 - Bis zu 16 Jahre Gefängnis gefordert für Tötung unter Drogen
Tages Anzeiger, 30/03/2017 - Staatsanwalt fordert 16 Jahre als Höchststrafe
Der Landbote, 30/03/2017 - Die Verteidiger schlagen zurück
Zürichsee-Zeitung, 31/03/2017 - «Es tut mir unendlich leid»
Blick.ch, 31/03/2017 - Mord in der Luxusvilla
Die Weltwoche, 13/04/2017 - Er wollte den Tod seines Freundes
Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 9/08/2017 - 12,5 Gefängnis für Tötung an Goldküste
Tages Anzeiger, 9/08/2017 - Küsnachter Galeristensohn muss 12,5 Jahre hinter Gitter
SRF.ch News, 9/08/2017 - «Es ist verheerend, ohne meinen Sohn zu leben»
20.Minuten, 9/08/2017 - Bennet S. (32) muss 12½ Jahre ins Gefängnis: Goldküsten-Killer wegen vorsätzlicher Tötung verurteilt
Presse24.net, 9/08/2017 - Freund im Drogenrausch getötet: 32-Jährige zu 12,5 Jahren Haft verurteilt
Watson.ch, 9/08/2017 - Er tötete einen Freund im Drogenrausch: Küsnachter Galeristensohn zu 12,5 Jahren Gefängnis verurteilt
Limmattaler Zeitung, 9/08/2017 - Im Drogenrausch Getötet
Luzerner Zeitung, 9/08/2017 - Der Tag, an dem mein Sohn umgebracht wurde
NZZamSonntag, 11/08/2017 - Das Leben in einen Albtraum verwandelt
Tages Anzeiger, 12/08/2017 - Die Wahrheit rammte mich wie ein Lastwagen
Blick.ch, 14/08/2017 - Goldküsten-Killer will eine mildere Strafe
20 Minuten, 26/09/2019 - Goldküsten-Killer will eine Strafmilderung
Blick, 27/09/2019 - Galeristensohn B. V. holt sich dritten Staranwalt 20 Minuten, 15/10/2019
English
- Art dealer held for Gold Coast murder
The Local, 5/01/2015 - Prominent Swiss Art Dealer Confesses to Homicide
Artnet.com 6/01/2015 - EXCLUSIVE: British ex-public schoolboy ‘was choked to death with a metre-long CANDLESTICK during a Swiss skiing holiday by drug-crazed wealthy friend who thought he was a green alien’
The Daily Mail, 27/03/2017 - Graduate was choked to death with a candlestick
The Times, 28/03/2017 - Brit graduate ‘had his head caved in then was chocked to death with a candlestick by drugged up pal
The Sun, 28/03/2017 - Swiss art dealer accused of murdering former British public schoolboy with candlestick
The Daily Telegraph, 28/03/2017 - Briton killed by friend high on drugs
The Times, 29/03/2017 - Art dealer accused of killing friend with candlestick thought he was a ‘green alien’, Swiss court hears
The Independent, 29/03/2017 - Swiss Art Dealer’s Lawyers Plead Insanity in Brutal Murder Case
bidnow.com, 29/03/2017 - Swiss man ‘killed Brit while high raped an ex-girlfriend’
Rapetrial.com, 29/03/2017 - Art dealer high on Ketamine, Cocaine Choked friend to death with Candlestick
The Observer, 29/03/2017 - Swiss Art Dealer’s Lawyers Plead Insanity in Brutal Murder Case
Artistswork.uk, 29/03/2017 - ‘Killer’ art dealer raped me and threw me out of a taxi, says friend
The Times, 29/03/2017 - Killer showed no remorse for rape
The Times, 30/03/2017 - Graduate ‘choked to death on candlestick after man shoved it down his throat because he thought he was an alien’
The Daily Mirror, 30/03/2017 - Horrific final moments of British graduate ‘choked to with candlestick by drug-crazed man’
The Daily Mirror, 30/03/2017 - Spaced out Toff
Daily Record, 30/03/2017 - ‘An arrogant and egotistical sponger’: The Swiss aristocrat’s son who brutally killed an English public schoolboy could yet walk free after a short prison spell and drug treatment
Daily Mail, 31/03/2017 - Judges reject killer’s alien defence
The Times, 10/08/2017 - CANDLESTICK KILLER CAGED
The Sun, 9/08/2017 - Swiss Art Dealer Jailed
Daily Mail, 9/08/2017 - Man Kills Friend, Tells Court He Thought The Victim Was An Alien
360nobs.com, 10/08/2017 - Mother of Alex Morgan vows to keep killer Bennet von Vertes in jail
The Times, 31/12/2018 - Mum of Scots public school pupil tortured to death by drug-crazed toff vows to fight killer’s appeal
Daily Record, 5/06/2019 - Mother’s plea to keep frenzied Alex Morgan killer in jail
The Times 4/06/2019
Spanish
- Inicia el juicio del joven que alucinó que su amigo era un alien y lo mató
e-consulta.com, 30/03/2017 - Guapo, rico y de futuro prometedor; alucinó que su amigo era un alien y lo mató
24-horas.mx, 30/03/2017 - Confunde a su amigo con un alien y lo mata
terra.com.mx, 31/03/2017
Other
- Alex Morgan was brutally killed by wealthy friend on drugs
TOTPI.com, 27/03/2017 - Döbbenetes: nem kell börtönbe vonulnia barátja meggyilkolásáért a magyar milliomos csemetének
Blikk.hu, 1/04/2017
- Άγρια δολοφονία 23χρονου από φίλο του επειδή τον θεωρούσε … εξωγήινο
Briefingnews.gr, 28/03/2017 - SADIS! Pemuda Inggris Dipukul dan Dimutilasi Hingga Mati Karena Dikira Alien
arrahmahnews.com, 28/03/2017 - Un millonario mató a su amigo a golpes; pensó que “era un extraterrestre”
Subrayado, 11/08/2017 - Alex Morgan Faber meurtre
Lenouveaudetective.com - Swiss art dealer jailed for ‘alien hallucination’ murder
Expatica.com, 9/’8/2017