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The defendant receives a suspended sentence. The judges see excessive demands, desperation, days of sleep deprivation and alcohol consumption as the causes of the incident. (Archive photo) © Arne Dedert/dpa
A 63-year-old woman is overwhelmed with caring for her husband, who is suffering from severe dementia. She mixes an overdose of medicine into two glasses. They both drink it. The woman has now been convicted.
Hanau – Because she gave her husband, who was suffering from severe dementia, a glass containing an overdose of a sleeping pill to drink, a 63-year-old woman has been sentenced by the Hanau Regional Court to a suspended prison sentence of one year and ten months for attempted murder and dangerous bodily harm. She must also pay 10,000 euros to two charitable organizations.
The jury found it proven that the defendant had administered the overdose to her 79-year-old husband in Gründau (Main-Kinzig district) in March of last year and had drunk the mixture herself. The already unconscious couple were found in their shared bed by relatives in time and rescued by emergency doctors.
Limited criminal responsibility
The judges said that the causes of the incident were excessive demands, desperation, days of sleep deprivation and alcohol consumption. At the time of the crime, the 63-year-old had more than three per mille alcohol in her blood. She therefore acted in a state of limited criminal responsibility. Nevertheless, the act was insidious because the husband was unsuspecting and defenseless and the woman had the intent to kill.
The defendant admitted what had happened and stated that she was overwhelmed with the care and finally wanted to sleep. She regretted what had happened. She is now widowed.
Prosecution and defense for suspended sentence
The public prosecutor had requested a conviction for attempted murder in a state of diminished responsibility. The defense attorney, on the other hand, had requested a conviction for grievous bodily harm. Both had agreed on suspended sentences.
