British Man Released After Sentencing for Killing Wife to Spare Her Pain
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — A British man has been released immediately after a Cyprus court sentenced him to two years in prison for killing his wife in their retirement home. The man, identified as 76-year-old David Hunter, took the drastic step to spare his wife from the pain of her illness.
According to defense lawyer Nicoletta Charalambidou, the Cyprus Prisons Department authorities considered the time Hunter had already spent in custody since the December 2021 killing and decided to release him immediately.
The court had previously convicted Hunter of manslaughter after accepting testimony that his decision to suffocate his wife, Janice, was made on the spur of the moment. He could no longer bear to see her weeping in pain from a type of blood cancer she feared would develop into leukemia.
State prosecutor Andreas Hadjikyrou stated that the court took into account Hunter’s actions were driven by love to save his wife. Janice was suffering from a blood ailment when Hunter closed her mouth and nose with his hands as she sat in a recliner in their Paphos home.
The court also considered Hunter’s advanced age and the fact that he had no previous criminal record.
Justice Abroad, a group that supports Britons facing legal troubles abroad, initially stated that Hunter could be released by August 18, as he had already spent over 18 months in custody.
Michael Polak from Justice Abroad expressed his thoughts on the decision, saying, “This has been a tragic case and difficult for all of those involved with it, but today’s decision was the right one and allows David and his family to grieve together.”
Initially facing a charge of premeditated murder, the court ruled on July 21 that the prosecution failed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that there was premeditation in Hunter’s actions.
Witness testimony was accepted by the court, revealing that Janice feared her blood ailment would develop into leukemia. She had repeatedly pleaded with her husband to end her life, not wanting to share the fate of her sister who died from the disease.
After suffocating his wife, Hunter attempted to take his own life by consuming a large amount of pills. However, medical staff managed to save him.
The court referred to expert testimony that Janice suffered from myelodysplastic syndrome, a type of blood cancer that could potentially turn into leukemia. Although no definitive tests were conducted to confirm the disease, both husband and wife believed that Janice would develop it due to her sister’s fate.
The court concluded that Hunter’s earlier assurances to Janice about helping her fulfill her wish to end her life did not indicate premeditation.
Hadjikyrou revealed that defense lawyers rejected a plea deal in December 2022, which would have allowed the defendant to plead guilty to manslaughter. The defense insisted that the facts of the case included an agreement between Hunter and his wife for him to take her life. However, the court did not accept that such an agreement had been made.
Charalambidou stated that it was the Cypriot attorney-general who scrapped the plea deal, as he did not accept as fact that Janice had repeatedly asked her husband to end her life.
The Cyprus attorney-general now has 10 days to decide whether to appeal the sentence.
What factors did the court consider in their decision to release David Hunter immediately after serving only two years for killing his wife in Cyprus?
Article reports on the release of a British man, David Hunter, after he was sentenced to two years in prison for killing his wife in their retirement home in Cyprus. The court ruled that Hunter’s actions were driven by love and a desire to spare his wife from the pain of her illness. Hunter had suffocated his wife, Janice, who was suffering from a blood ailment.
According to defense lawyer Nicoletta Charalambidou, the Cyprus Prisons Department took into consideration the time Hunter had already spent in custody since the killing and decided to release him immediately. The court had previously convicted him of manslaughter, accepting the testimony that his decision was made on the spur of the moment.
State prosecutor Andreas Hadjikyrou acknowledged that Hunter’s actions were motivated by love and a desire to save his wife. The court also considered Hunter’s age and the fact that he had no previous criminal record.
Justice Abroad, a group that supports Britons facing legal troubles abroad, initially predicted that Hunter could be released by August 18 due to the time already spent in custody. Michael Polak from Justice Abroad commented on the decision, expressing his thoughts on the matter.
“Although it’s a deeply controversial topic, the release of this British man highlights the complexities surrounding assisted death. It raises important questions about compassionate choices for terminally ill patients, demanding a well-informed and open discussion.”
I’m glad to see justice has been served in this case. It’s a complex and sensitive situation, but the fact that the husband’s sentence has been commuted showcases the recognition of the extreme circumstances faced by both the husband and his terminally ill wife. This raises important questions about end-of-life choices and the need for compassionate legislation in such cases.