Editing Armin Meiwes (section)

==Arrest, trial, and conviction of manslaughter==
Meiwes was arrested in December 2002, after a college student in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innsbruck Innsbruck] phoned the police after seeing new advertisements for victims and details about the killing on the Internet. Investigators searched his home and found body parts and the videotaped killing.

On January 30<sup>th</sup>, 2004, Meiwes was convicted of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manslaughter manslaughter] and sentenced to eight years in prison.<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-jan-31-fg-cannibal31-story.html German Cannibal Gets 8 1/2-Year Sentence for Manslaughter], ''The Los Angeles Times''</ref> The case attracted considerable media attention and led to a debate over whether Meiwes could be convicted at all, given that Bernd Jürgen Brandes had voluntarily and knowingly participated in the act.

Meiwes has admitted what he did, and expressed regret for his actions. He added he wanted to write a book of his life story with the aim of deterring anyone who wants to follow his steps.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3230774.stm German 'cannibal' tells of regret], ''BBC News''</ref> Websites dedicated to Meiwes have appeared, with people advertising for willing victims. "They should go for treatment, so it doesn't escalate like it did with me", said Meiwes. While in prison, Meiwes has since become a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetarian vegetarian].<ref>[https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-495132/Worlds-infamous-cannibal-vegetarian.html World's most infamous cannibal becomes a vegetarian], ''The Daily Mail''</ref> He believes there are over 800 cannibals in Germany.<ref>[https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2003/11/23/German-claims-800-cannibals-in-his-country/35241069626977/ German claims 800 cannibals in his country], ''United Press International''</ref>

In April 2005, a German court ordered a retrial after prosecutors appealed Meiwes's sentence, arguing that he should have been convicted of murder because he killed for sexual gratification, a motive proved by his having videotaped the crime. The court ruled that the original trial had ignored the significance of the video in disproving the argument that Meiwes only killed because he had been asked to kill.

At his retrial, a psychologist stated that Meiwes could reoffend, as he "still had fantasies about devouring the flesh of young people." On 10 May 2006, a court in Frankfurt convicted Meiwes of murder and sentenced him to life imprisonment.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/may/09/ukcrime.world Cannibal killer gets life sentence], ''The Guardian''</ref>