The Lonely Boy's Cruel Sword

(Baonghean.vn) - Just because of a moment of anger, Pay Van Dau (born 1994), residing in Yen Tinh commune, Tuong Duong district, had to pay a heavy price of 11 years in prison after taking a sword and taking the life of his neighbor because of a trivial conflict.

When Dau was 3 years old, his parents filed for divorce due to irreconcilable differences in their lives. His father married a woman from a neighboring village, and his mother moved to Dak Lak to get married. Both parents had their own lives, so no one cared about Dau's existence. Dau grew up in the love of his grandparents.

Having the last word, the defendant did not ask for a lighter sentence, but only asked the victim's family and the panel of judges to reduce the compensation, promising that when he was released from prison, he would go to work and earn money to gradually pay it back.

Feeling inferior about his parents' abandonment and living with his poor grandparents made Dau become quiet and always self-conscious about his fate. Dau was always bullied by his peers. After finishing 9th grade, Dau stayed at home around the cassava and corn fields, and at night he only knew how to be friends with the TV and phone.

On the evening of October 17, 2015, on the occasion of the new rice celebration (according to the customs of the Thai ethnic group), Pay Van Dau and some people went to the house of Mr. Luong Van Vinh (born in 1975, living in the same locality) to drink alcohol. When they stood up to leave, Dau and his neighbor Lo Van Tu (born in 1995) had a conflict and argued about Dau turning his motorbike and touching Pay Van Thay. Tu rushed in and punched Dau repeatedly in the body and face. After being stopped by everyone, Tu and Dau each went home.

When he got home, upset about being beaten, Dau called Tu to make an appointment to “talk” and Tu agreed. Before going to see Tu, Dau had a sword at his side.

At around 9:30 p.m. that same day, Tu and Dau met. As soon as he saw the other, Tu rushed forward and kicked Dau repeatedly. Being beaten, Dau took out a sword and stabbed Tu, causing the victim to die on the spot.

Pay Van Dau's trial was without any relatives. Dau sat with his head down, not daring to look towards the audience for fear of the eyes of the victim's relatives. The defendant confessed his actions honestly. According to the defendant, because he had been bullied many times by Tu and many other young men in the village, Dau was resentful, already drunk, and had just been beaten by Tu, so Dau was upset, planning to take a sword to threaten Tu but did not expect a heartbreaking murder to occur.

When hearing Mr. Lo Van Dao (victim’s father), the legal representative of the victim, request compensation of 220 million VND, the defendant burst into tears. Being an orphan himself, even if he worked for hire all his life, he would never have enough money to compensate the victim’s family.

Having the last word before the sentencing, the defendant did not ask for a lighter sentence, but only asked the victim's family and the panel of judges to reduce the compensation, promising that when he was released from prison, he would go to work, earn money, and gradually pay it back.

After reviewing the details of the case, for the act of “murder”, Pay Van Dau was sentenced to 11 years in prison. At the same time, the defendant must compensate the victim’s family with over 75 million VND.

The trial ended, the defendant trudged back to the prison with the officers, leaving behind the regretful sighs of the audience about the tragic life of the unfortunate young man...

Hoang Hai