Inventor again denies killing journalist aboard his submarine as murder trial resumes

LONDON -- A Danish inventor accused of killing a Swedish journalist aboard his submarine took the stand in Copenhagen today on the second day of his trial.

Peter Madsen, the inventor, is accused of tying up journalist Kim Wall and abusing her before killing her and dismembering her body. The charges include murder and indecent handling of a corpse. He is also charged with "sexual relations other than intercourse of a particularly dangerous nature" because stab wounds were discovered in and around Wall's genitals.

Madsen, who has given shifting explanations in the case, has pleaded guilty to the indecent handling of a corpse charge, but denies abusing and killing Wall, saying she died in an accident. In court today, he once again denied killing Wall. He also denied that he stabbed her while she was still alive or that the stab wounds were related to anything sexual.

During the first day of the trial on March 8, Madsen said that he dismembered Wall’s body because he was in denial and wanted to throw the body in the water, but that it was too heavy. Today he said that he stabbed the body to get gasses out so that the remains would sink, according to Danish media reports.

Prosecutors say that a cause of death is unknown, but that Madsen could have either strangled Wall or slit her throat. They are seeking a life sentence for Madsen.

A verdict is expected on April 25.