German cannibal Armin Meiwes is back in court for a second helping of debate about whether he should be jailed for life for eating a man he met online.

Meiwes, 44, who admits to killing software developer Bernd-Juergen Brandes, says it was not a crime since Brandes agreed to it. He was sentenced in January 2004 to eight and a half years in prison for manslaughter. Last April, the Supreme Court ruled that judges had been too lenient and ordered a retrial.

Meiwes repeated to the court much of the testimony he gave during his previous trial, telling how he placed an ad looking for “a young, well-built man who wants to be eaten.” Brandes answered the call and agreed to let Meiwes cut off his penis, which they together tried — unsuccessfully — to eat. Meiwes, who taped the whole thing, killed Brandes by stabbing him in the neck after he fell unconscious. He claims he was unaware Brandes was still breathing — a fact brought to light by the videotape.

The so-called Cannibal of Rothenburg faces life in prison if prosecutors can prove he killed Brandes not only because the latter wanted to be eaten, but also to satiate his own base desires.

Germany’s top criminal court said the first trial court had ignored the fact that Meiwes had filmed the slaying for later sexual gratification, Reuters reports.

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