Conviction of Palme Suspect Is Overturned

An appeals court Thursday freed a man convicted of killing Prime Minister Olof Palme, ruling that there was not enough evidence to find him guilty of the crime that traumatized Sweden.

Christer Pettersson, 42, who maintained his innocence throughout his sensational trial, walked away from Kronoberg prison hours after the Svea Appeals Court threw out his July conviction.

Prosecutors had charged that Pettersson, who has a long criminal record and a history of drug and alcohol abuse, gunned down the popular Swedish leader on a Stockholm street in 1986. He had been sentenced to life in prison.

“I’m surprised. I never really believed I would be acquitted, although I am innocent,” Pettersson said after his release.

Thursday’s ruling could dash any hopes authorities have of bringing Palme’s killer to justice. It is the biggest setback in a three-year investigation that critics have said was bungled from the beginning.

Prosecutor Joergen Almblad said he would not decide whether to appeal to the Supreme Court until the appeals court issues its formal verdict Nov. 2.

Prime Minister Ingvar Carlsson vowed to press ahead with the hunt for Palme’s killer. “The work in this investigation must continue with full force,” Carlsson said.

Pettersson was convicted even though no motive was established, no weapon was found and no witnesses testified to seeing the Swede fire five shots at Palme.

Palme’s widow, the only witness close to the scene, testified she was “100% certain” it was Pettersson she saw staring at her from a few feet away after her husband fell to the ground, mortally wounded.