Austrian Incest Father Pleads Not Guilty To Murder

[MA-Caver]

I did a six page search for the story here on MT but couldn't find it.
This is a follow up of the dad who locked his daughter away in the basement for decades and sired 4 children by her.
The charges included murder for the death of one infant. This guy says he's not guilty. Yeah... right!

Austrian incest father pleads not guilty to murder

By VERONIKA OLEKSYN, Associated Press Writer Veronika Oleksyn, Associated Press Writer – 7 mins ago
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090316/ap_on_re_eu/eu_austria_fritzl_trial
ST. POELTEN, Austria – An Austrian man accused of fathering his daughter's seven children as he locked her in a basement for decades pleaded guilty to incest but insisted he was innocent of murder and enslavement charges as his trial opened Monday.
Josef Fritzl wore a mismatched suit and hid his face behind a blue file folder as a judge began the proceedings under heavy security in St. Poelten, 40 miles (65 kilometers) west of Vienna.
Fritzl, 73, faces up to life in prison if convicted of murder. Incest, by contrast, is punishable by up to one year in prison. A verdict was expected by Friday in a case that has drawn worldwide media attention.
Fritzl pleaded guilty Monday to incest and false imprisonment, but only partially guilty to charges of coercion and rape. He pleaded not guilty to murder by neglect and enslavement.

 

[MA-Caver]

Update... Now he accepts Guilty on all charges.

Nice to find follow up on stories like these... gives a sense of full circle.

Incest father pleads guilty to charges, faces life

By VERONIKA OLEKSYN, Associated Press Writer Veronika Oleksyn, Associated Press Writer – 21 mins ago
ST. POELTEN, Austria – In a stunning turn of events, an Austrian on trial for imprisoning his daughter for 24 years and fathering her seven children pleaded guilty Wednesday to all charges against him — including homicide. The move came after his daughter appeared unexpectedly in the courtroom.
full article here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090318/ap_on_re_eu/eu_austria_fritzl_trial

Thoughts?

 

[Gordon Nore]

Thoughts?

Asked by the presiding judge what had led him to change his mind, Fritzl said it was the testimony from Elisabeth. Fritzl, jurors and others in court had viewed 11 hours of her videotaped statement during closed-door sessions Monday and Tuesday but officials were not allowed to discuss what happened in those sessions.

My thoughts are very much with the jurors and trial participants who had to hear this testimony. I would say these folks have made a tremendous sacrifice for their judicial system. I hope that aftercare is available to them.

I should hope the daughter and her children receive the best of care and support for as long as they need it.

As for Mr Fritzl, I am glad that he can't hurt anybody else.

 

[Sukerkin]

I too can empathise with the jurors of such a case.

I've been called upon to perform my duty as a juror in the past and had to watch childrens evidence over a video link - it's making me tear up now just recalling it .

I can say that it was an unwelcome 'bucket of water in the face' for my until then overly rosy view of my fellow human beings.

 

[grydth]

Here's one instance, though, where the punishment will fit the crime.... its likely this monster will be confined in a small concrete room, alone, for life. No hope, no possible release. Just what he imposed on the victims.

 

[Gordon Nore]

I've been called upon to perform my duty as a juror in the past and had to watch childrens evidence over a video link - it's making me tear up now just recalling it .

I narrowly avoided serving on a jury for a homicide trial. The magnitude of the violence in this case was well-documented in the press, and I was panic-stricken over the prospect of having to view any of the evidence. The trial, as it turned out, extended weeks beyond the 8-10 week estimate jurors had been given. Had I been selected, I would likely have been discharged anyway, as I learned days after the jury call that my father was terminal. Jurors make an extraordinary sacrifice.

 

[MA-Caver]

The circle is complete, life in prison for the bastard.

Austrian incest father Fritzl gets life in prison


By VERONIKA OLEKSYN, Associated Press Writer Veronika Oleksyn, Associated Press Writer – 15 mins ago
(full story) http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090319/ap_on_re_eu/eu_austria_fritzl_trial
ST. POELTEN, Austria – An Austrian jury convicted Josef Fritzl of homicide, enslavement, rape, incest and other charges Thursday and sentenced him to life in a psychiatric ward for imprisoning his daughter for 24 years, fathering her seven children and letting one infant die as a captive.
Fritzl, 73, sat calmly and bowed his head as the verdicts were read. He later told the court he accepted the outcome and waived his right to appeal — bringing a dramatic end to a shocking case that has drawn worldwide attention.
Court spokesman Franz Cutka said Fritzl would be taken to a secure psychiatric ward for mentally deranged criminals.
The homicide count — "murder by neglect" in German — was the most serious of the charges against 73-year-old Fritzl, and the jury gave him the maximum punishment allowed by law.

It's nice to see the end of the story as far as the trial and judgment in a case like this. Little put off that he goes to a mental hospital instead of regular prison. The hospital would have softer beds, drugs and someone to "talk" to (doctor) and he isn't in constant threat of other inmates disgust and retaliation. Still, as long as he's no longer a threat to his own children or to anyone else... throw away the key.

Hopefully the healing can begin or has already begun for his family.

 

[Aiki Lee]

May he rot in that prision for all eternity.