The killer of Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh has gone on trial for murder in Stockholm. His lawyer is asking that the charge be reduced to manslaughter.
In opening statements lawyer Peter Althin said Mijailo Mijailovic should be tried for manslaughter because the attack was not planned.
Althin said of the fatal stabbing in a department store: "He did not intend to kill her."
Mijailovic, sporting slight beard, sat at a small table with his lawyer, facing the panel of judges.
Mijailovic has already claimed voices in his head, including Jesus, told him to stab Lindh, her blood has been found on his clothes and his DNA on the knife used to stab her.
Althin said there was no political motive behind the attack, which came just four days ahead of a divisive referendum on whether to adopt the euro. He said he will request a psychiatric screening of Mijailovic.
Mijailovic, a Swede of Yugoslav descent confessed to police last week. In transcripts of the confession, he said voices in his head told him to stab Lindh. He said he had nothing against her and that the victim might as well have been someone else.
Prosecutors say the attack was premeditated and are expected to argue that Mijailovic briefly stalked Lindh for 14 minutes before stabbing her.
Mijailovic has a history of mental problems and three previous convictions, including one for a 1996 stabbing attack on his father, who survived.
A psychiatric evaluation during that trial found Mijailovic "in great need of psychiatric and psychotherapeutic efforts," but said there were no medical grounds to sentence him to psychiatric care.