On Thursday, the Luxembourg City court held the third and final hearing in the trial of a man accused of strangling his father to death on 25 December 2022.
The prosecution has requested a life sentence for the defendant, with the final day of proceedings focusing heavily on the forensic report.
A key point of contention was once again the duration of the strangulation. The defendant claimed he had only held his father in a headlock for 20 seconds, insisting he had acted in an attempt to calm him down following an argument.
However, the prosecution challenged this account, calling the forensic pathologist back to the stand to provide clarity. Based on the autopsy findings, the pathologist ultimately determined that the strangulation lasted two to three minutes, despite previously acknowledging that the victim’s pre-existing medical conditions could have shortened the time required to cause death.
Relying on this testimony, the prosecution argued for a charge of murder without premeditation, specifically parricide. “The injuries are the result of massive compression”, the prosecution stated.
The prosecutor also highlighted what he described as a troubling pattern in the defendant’s life, dating back to his youth. He found no mitigating circumstances to justify a lesser sentence and, as a result, is seeking the maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
The defence, however, contested the forensic findings, arguing that the medical examiner could not definitively determine the duration of the strangulation. They insisted that such cases must be evaluated individually. This argument was met with strong criticism from the court.
Defence lawyer Christian Biewer maintained that his client had neither the motive nor the intent to kill his father. He instead pleaded for a charge of assault and battery resulting in death, which carries a prison sentence of 20 to 30 years. Notably, the prosecution did not pursue a charge of premeditated murder.
Trial for fatal assault – Day 2: Accused claims he only wanted to ‘calm down’ father
Trial for fatal assault begins: Man accused of strangling his 71-year-old father
