Knife attack on own father: 6 years in prison for 18-year-old

The crime was committed in March after an argument between the defendant and his father. “I deeply regret hurting him and I swear I did not mean to kill him,” he said. The charge was attempted murder, but the jury unanimously decided against it.

Father stabbed in bathroom

The young Ukrainian had come home drunk from a birthday party to his parents’ apartment and had brought his girlfriend with him. When he had sex with her in the children’s room where his siblings were sleeping, there was a clash between him and his father. The father reprimanded him sharply and a physical altercation ensued. The younger boy left the apartment and returned with a switchblade. He stabbed his father, who was washing himself in the bathroom. The 18-year-old then ran out of the apartment, threw the knife away and finally called the police.

“He had a very strained relationship with his father, and this argument was the last straw,” said the defense attorney, stressing: “He is not a murderer.” The stab wounds hit the man in the shoulder and flank, but the injuries were not life-threatening.

“I acted in the heat of the moment”

The 18-year-old stressed that he had not wanted to kill his father. “Then what did you want?” asked Judge Florian Farmer. “I was drunk and angry and acted in the heat of the moment,” replied the defendant. The anger blocked out his reason. “When I argue with my father, I usually lose control,” he confessed. He had told the police that he wanted to stab his father in the stomach.

During his questioning, he told us he had a problem with aggression and alcohol. He was supposedly undergoing therapy in his home country because of his aggressive behavior, but after three sessions the war came and the family had to leave. The psychiatric expert Manfred Walzl said that the accused had never said anything to him about aggression, but rather described himself as “calm and balanced.” The doctor therefore suggested a new – immediate – examination to determine whether he had a mental disorder and possibly to request that he be committed on the grounds of lack of mental capacity.

Guilty verdict for attempted manslaughter

After this examination, the defendant confessed that he had lied that morning, but had always told the truth to the doctor. Conclusion: The 18-year-old can be held responsible for his actions because he does not have an affective disorder or mental illness, according to the expert. However, his ability to be held accountable was limited by his alcohol consumption.

The jury decided by a vote of 8:0 that it was not attempted murder but rather attempted manslaughter (6:2). The defendant accepted the sentence, the prosecutor made no statement. The verdict is not final.