The older brother was murdered by his younger brother for not attending his nephew's one-month birthday party.
The defendant and the victim were brothers, living in the same village. Both were grandfathers with many children and grandchildren. However, simply because the older brother didn't attend his grandson's one-month celebration, the younger brother took his life.
Cold, ruthless knife blows.
The relationship between Bui Van Thuan (born in 1964) and Mr. Bui Van H. (born in 1950), residing in Vien Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district (Nghe An province), is not only that of neighbors but also of brothers. Both were born and raised in families facing difficult circumstances, with their parents having 11 children.
Upon reaching adulthood, the two brothers got married one after the other. Because they lived in the same village, they often visited each other's homes, sharing the joys and sorrows of life. As time passed, their children also got married. Thuan and Mr. H. have both become grandfathers, living peacefully with their children and grandchildren.
But then, their peaceful life was shattered after the baby's one-month celebration. That day, simply because her brother didn't attend the celebration, Thuan unleashed a "rain of knives," taking her brother's life in his own home.
Specifically, on the afternoon of May 13, 2024, Bui Van Thuan's family held a one-month celebration for their grandson. After the party, Thuan noticed his older brother, Mr. H., was absent, so he rode his motorbike to his brother's house to inquire about him. Before entering his brother's house, Thuan took out a sharp knife and tucked it into the back of his pants.
At that moment, Mr. H. was lying in a hammock in front of his house when Thuan asked why he hadn't attended his nephew's one-month celebration. Mr. H. replied that he was busy, so Thuan thought his brother was disrespecting his family, and pulled out a knife, stabbing Mr. H. multiple times in the face, shoulders, neck, and chest.
At that moment, Mr. H.'s granddaughter, who was washing dishes by the well in the yard, witnessed the incident and ran to a neighbor's house to call for help. Immediately afterward, two neighbors, Mr. Nguyen Vinh B. (born in 1956) and Ms. Bui Thi Th. (born in 1980), rushed over to intervene but were also stabbed in the back and abdomen by Thuan.
After stabbing two neighbors, Thuan turned around and saw his older brother sitting in a hammock. Like a bloodthirsty beast, Thuan ran up and stabbed his older brother multiple times. Suffering repeated stab wounds from his younger brother, Mr. Bui Van H. died on the spot. The investigating agency determined that the cause of death was due to wounds that punctured his heart and lungs.
Regarding the perpetrator, after committing the crime, Bui Van Thuan took a few personal belongings and fled to Nghia Dan district (Nghe An province) to hide. He was arrested by the police in the early hours of the following morning. For this crime, Bui Van Thuan was prosecuted and brought to trial for "Murder".
The pain of "family feuds"
The trial of defendant Bui Van Thuan took place on a day at the end of 2024. From early morning, a large number of people were present at the provincial court. Most of them were relatives, siblings, and family members of both the defendant and the victim. Sadness was evident on everyone's faces as they sat silently while waiting for the court to begin proceedings.
In the seats reserved for the victims' legal representatives, Mr. H.'s two children continuously bowed their heads, looking sad. They cried even more when they saw the defendant being escorted to court. Before this heartbreaking incident, they were uncle and nephew. However, the uncle's anger plunged both families into tragedy.
Meeting his nephews, nieces, and relatives at the trial, Thuan bowed his head. Occasionally, he would wipe his face with his hand. When questioned by the court about his motive for committing the crime, he explained that he was angry because his older brother did not attend his grandson's one-month celebration party, even though his family had invited him beforehand. “At that party, my siblings, relatives, neighbors, and in-laws all came, but my brother didn't. That made me angry. When I went to his house to ask why, he said he was busy. He said, ‘You handle the guests yourself, I'm busy and can't come.’ Thinking he disrespected my family and didn't respect the invitation, I acted that way,” the defendant testified.
When questioned by the judges about why he repeatedly stabbed his own brother, the defendant lowered his head and replied that he did it out of anger and a lack of self-control. The presiding judge continued to question him: "Why didn't you stop when two neighbors came to intervene, but instead stabbed them?" At this point, the defendant replied: Because a neighbor pulled him, causing him to fall backward, he became enraged and turned around to stab indiscriminately.
The defendant admitted that his actions were wrong and violated the law. After realizing his mistake, the defendant contacted relatives to help pay for the neighbor's hospital bills, medication, and his brother's funeral.
According to information from the defendant's family, they have compensated the two neighbors with 1 billion VND. Regarding the older brother, both families have requested to resolve the matter privately and do not require it to be considered in court.
In the presence of the victim's legal representatives, the defendant bowed his head and offered an apology. "I would like to apologize to the children and their families," the defendant said in court, also apologizing to relatives, siblings, and family members who attended the trial.
The victim's daughter, who attended the trial, broke down in tears upon hearing the defendant's testimony. She expressed her deep sorrow over her father's death, and how heartbreaking it was that the perpetrator was none other than her own uncle. Her father's sudden death has caused immense shock to the family; the children have lost their father, and the grandchildren have lost their grandfather.
Speaking in court, she requested that the judges try the defendant according to the law. Meanwhile, two neighbors who did not attend the trial submitted petitions for a reduced sentence for the defendant Thuan.
The panel of judges noted that in this case, the defendant had aggravating circumstances, namely committing the crime to the end and committing the crime against a person over 70 years old, thus requiring a strict punishment to serve as a deterrent and general prevention measure. However, mitigating circumstances such as honest confession, remorse, family efforts to compensate the two victims, the defendant's past participation in combat to defend the country, and involvement in the new rural development movement should also be considered.
After considering all aspects of the case, the panel of judges sentenced the defendant Bui Van Thuan to life imprisonment for the crime of "murder". Regarding the civil aspect, since both parties requested to settle the matter privately, the court did not consider it.
The trial concluded with a verdict for the defendant, but the pain of both the defendant's and the victim's family remains. The defendant's anger alone plunged both families into a profound and lingering tragedy.
