German court rejects defense motion claiming judicial bias in neo-Nazi trial

Beate Zschaepe, member of the neo-Nazi group National Socialist Underground (NSU) enters the court room before the start of her trial in Munich, southern Germany, Monday, May 6, 2013. The highest-profile neo-Nazi murder trial in Germany in decades opened Monday amid tight security and intense media interest, with the five accused appearing in public for the first time since their arrest more than a year ago. Zschaepe, 38, is accused by prosecutor of complicity in the murder of eight Turks, a Greek and a policewoman between 2000 and 2007. If convicted she faces life imprisonment. Zschaepe is also accused of involvement in at least two bombings and 15 bank robberies carried out by her accomplices Uwe Mundlos and Uwe Boenhardt, who died in an apparent murder-suicide in November 2011. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) (The Associated Press)

Presiding Judge Manfred Goetzl awaits the start of a trial against Beate Zschaepe, alleged member of the neo-Nazi group National Socialist Underground (NSU) in a court room before the start of her trial in Munich, southern Germany, Monday, May 6, 2013. The highest-profile neo-Nazi murder trial in Germany in decades opened Monday amid tight security and intense media interest, with the five accused appearing in public for the first time since their arrest more than a year ago. Zschaepe, 38, is accused by prosecutor of complicity in the murder of eight Turks, a Greek and a policewoman between 2000 and 2007. If convicted she faces life imprisonment. Zschaepe is also accused of involvement in at least two bombings and 15 bank robberies carried out by her accomplices Uwe Mundlos and Uwe Boenhardt, who died in an apparent murder-suicide in November 2011. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) (The Associated Press)

Lawyers for the main defendant in Germany's highest-profile neo-Nazi trial in decades have failed in a bid to replace the presiding judge.

German news agency dpa reported Friday the Munich court has dismissed a motion which claimed Manfred Goetzl was biased.

Prosecutors have accused 38-year-old Beate Zschaepe of murder for alleged complicity in the killing of eight Turks, a Greek and a policewoman between 2000 and 2007.

She is also accused of involvement in at least two bombings and 15 bank robberies allegedly carried out by her accomplices, Uwe Mundlos and Uwe Boenhardt. The two men died in an apparent murder-suicide in November 2011.

The trial against Zschaepe and four men accused of aiding the group in various ways began Monday.

It is expected to last over a year.