Death sentence for rapist and murderer

(Baonghean.vn)-On the morning of February 29, at the headquarters of the People's Court of Nghe An province, the Supreme People's Court opened an appeal trial to try the murder case against defendant Nguyen Van Thanh, born in 1989, residing in Dien Lam commune, Dien Chau district.

According to the indictment, at midnight on June 30, 2011, Nguyen Van Thanh went to his aunt's house, Pham Thi H (born in 1982, living in the same neighborhood) and committed rape. Due to fierce resistance, Thanh used his hands, pillows and blankets to suffocate H and cause her to die. After committing the crime, Thanh returned home, and on July 14, 2011, Thanh surrendered to the investigation agency.

In the first instance criminal trial on November 29, 2011, the Provincial People's Court sentenced Nguyen Van Thanh to death for murder, 5 years in prison for rape, and 1 year in prison for theft (Thanh was involved in a theft case before the murder case). Combining all 3 sentences, Nguyen Van Thanh received the death penalty.

Thanh sent an appeal to the Supreme People's Court requesting a review and reduction of the sentence for murder. The Trial Panel found that the defendant's criminal behavior was too obvious, he was a person with a bad character (he had been sentenced to 1 year in prison for robbery), when committing the crime, knowing that Ms. H. was no longer moving, Thanh did not take any action to save the victim. On the other hand, Thanh's actions not only took Ms. H.'s life but also deprived a 3-month-old fetus of the right to life. Based on the above reasons, the Trial Panel upheld the death sentence for Nguyen Van Thanh.

DP