Incest father pleads not guilty to murder
St Poelten: An Austrian man accused of locking his daughter in a basement for 24 years and fathering her seven children pleaded guilty to incest but insisted he was innocent of murder and enslavement charges as his trial opened on Monday.
Josef Fritzl wore a mismatched suit and hid his face behind a blue file folder as a judge began the proceedings under heavy security in St Poelten, 40 miles (65 kilometers) west of Vienna.
Fritzl, 73, faces up to life in prison if convicted of murder. Incest, by contrast, is punishable by up to one year in prison. A verdict is possible as early as Thursday in a case that has drawn worldwide media attention.
Rewind: Devil dad kept 8-year-old son locked in garage for 4 years
Fritzl pleaded guilty on Monday to incest and false imprisonment, but only partially guilty to charges of coercion and rape. He pleaded not guilty to negligent homicide and enslavement.
Fritzl spoke in an almost inaudible voice as he gave the judge his name and other personal details. He eventually removed the folder from his face, but sat still in the dock, clasping his hands together and staring straight ahead.
His voice breaking, Fritzl briefly recalled his childhood and said life with his mother was "very difficult." Asked if he had friends, he said simply: "No."
Image: Josef Fritzl covers his face with a file folder as he leaves the court room after the first day of his trial at the provincial court in St Poelten, Austria, on March 16. (Copyright AP. Unauthorised reproduction is prohibited.)
St Poelten: An Austrian man accused of locking his daughter in a basement for 24 years and fathering her seven children pleaded guilty to incest but insisted he was innocent of murder and enslavement charges as his trial opened on Monday.
Josef Fritzl wore a mismatched suit and hid his face behind a blue file folder as a judge began the proceedings under heavy security in St Poelten, 40 miles (65 kilometers) west of Vienna.
Fritzl, 73, faces up to life in prison if convicted of murder. Incest, by contrast, is punishable by up to one year in prison. A verdict is possible as early as Thursday in a case that has drawn worldwide media attention.
Rewind: Devil dad kept 8-year-old son locked in garage for 4 years
Fritzl pleaded guilty on Monday to incest and false imprisonment, but only partially guilty to charges of coercion and rape. He pleaded not guilty to negligent homicide and enslavement.
Fritzl spoke in an almost inaudible voice as he gave the judge his name and other personal details. He eventually removed the folder from his face, but sat still in the dock, clasping his hands together and staring straight ahead.
His voice breaking, Fritzl briefly recalled his childhood and said life with his mother was "very difficult." Asked if he had friends, he said simply: "No."
Image: Josef Fritzl covers his face with a file folder as he leaves the court room after the first day of his trial at the provincial court in St Poelten, Austria, on March 16. (Copyright AP. Unauthorised reproduction is prohibited.)
blog comments powered by Disqus