Fritzl Will Plead Insanity

Posted May 4, 08 1:28 PM CDT in Crime & Courts, World

(Newser) – The man charged with imprisoning his daughter for 24 years and repeatedly raping her may not spend long behind bars, reports the Times of London, as Josef Fritzel's lawyer plans to plead insanity to avoid a prison term. “Josef Fritzl is mentally ill and therefore not responsible for his actions," and belongs "in a closed psychiatry ward," Rudolf Mayer said.

If the court psychiatrist doesn't find Fritzl sufficiently crazy, Mayer can choose another doctor to evaluate his client. Meanwhile, further details of the saga emerged today, with the Times reporting that Elisabeth Fritzl was kept tethered for months, and that the growing second family occupied a single underground bunker room for 9 years—meaning that the children witnessed Fritzl's repeated abuse of their mother.

Source Times (UK)

12 comments |

I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT FRITZI KNEW EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS DOING; EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. FRITZI IS JUST AN EXTREMELY (EVIL) OLD MAN, AND NEEDS TO BE PUT AWAY FOR THE REMAINDER OF HIS LIFE FOR WHAT HE HAS DONE...........

V.L.E. | May 4, 08 7:42 PM CDT

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A question for Evil Dad's Lawyer: HOW IN THIS WORLD OR THAT TO COME CAN YOU (and anyone else for that matter) DEFEND SUCH A PERSON (have you no conscience -- what if he had done this to one of your children) DO YOU THINK HE DESERVES TO WALK FREE AFTER DOING SUCH A THING? DOES MR. FRITZL THINK HE DESERVES TO WALK FREE? This case is getting sicker by the minute

M.C. , Ontario, Canada | May 4, 08 7:49 PM CDT

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Insanity? Know that if this case goes unpunished this will reflect badly on Austria as well. He knew what he was doing and deserves to pay for his crimes.

Brad Quebec, Canada | May 4, 08 8:15 PM CDT

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What a joke. That man kept his own child in a cellar for 24 years and managed to be smart enough to avoid getting caught for as long as he did. It takes a very sick, very exacting person to do that. Not a crazy person. He should get a bullet through the brain not be placed in a pcyc ward.

Ryan Boice | May 4, 08 8:35 PM CDT

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The least that Mr. Fritzl can do is be willing to accept what he deserves and not be a coward (pleading insanity - give me a break) . If he gets away by pleading insane, he will be quite the manipulater while everyone else are the insane ones.

| May 4, 08 10:08 PM CDT

| 0 minutes ago

Mr. F. shouldn't be thrown in prison (will have it too good), nor should he be insitutionalized, but what should be done with him (as he himself would say) protect him from the world by putting him in the dungeon for the rest of his life. And, perhaps, to really understand the situation, the lawyer (by the sounds of things) need to have a little taste of what Mr. F's victims was put through (A LITTLE TASTE) - After your little taste, if you still feel the same way, then you should be put on the psych ward (and God help your children if you have any)

Marilyn | May 5, 08 12:59 AM CDT

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There is NO justice in this world today. But ONE day he will come before the man above then he will be Judged and receive what he deserves!

TC | May 5, 08 1:03 AM CDT

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the lawyer is run out of what to say. i would like to tel him to get rest for few years then he can talk about this case

musharaff | May 5, 08 2:30 AM CDT

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the lawyer is run out of what to say. i would like to tel him to get rest for few years then he can talk about this case The guy was very smart acordento what the lowyer said. but th qustion is what the government was doing when she was given barth 4 children?

some | May 5, 08 2:33 AM CDT

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HE IS A SICK PERVERTED OLD MAN WHO DESERVES TO GO TO PRISON FOR LIFE WHERE HE CAN BE RAPED FOR 24 MORE YEARS AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED THE REST OF HIS NATURAL LIFE BECAUSE HE WILL AND I MEAN WILL END UP IN HELL FOR THIS AND THE LAWYER IS SORRY AS HELL FOR TRYING TO DEFEND A MAN AS SICK AS THIS PETHETIC EXCUSE FOR A FATHER BURN IN HELL OLD MAN BURN IN HELL

JOSH FROM THE STATES | May 6, 08 1:31 PM CDT

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Josef Fritzl should be made to feel as horrible as he made his victims feel. This whole situation is disgusting. Insane...sure. we are insane if we believe that Fritzl is.

megan | May 6, 08 4:26 PM CDT

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Josef Fritzl should be publicly and slowly castrated.

megan | May 6, 08 4:27 PM CDT

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District governor Hans Heinz Lenze, left, and Dr. Berthold Kepplinger, medical head of the 'Mauer' hospital, are seen during a press conference Wednesday, April 30, 2008. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson)

Residents of Amstetten walk past a roll of paper inscribed with comments and thoughts in support of a family who became victims of a crime of incest and abuse in Amstetten. (AP Photo/Diether Endlicher)

A car drives past the front of a house that was the scene of a crime of incest and abuse in Amstetten, Lower Austria, Saturday, May 3, 2008 as the gathering of evidence continues. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson)

A nun writes down her comments and thoughts on a roll of paper in support of the Fritzl family. Friends of the family still grapple with how Josef Fritzl's crime could have happened in their midst. (AP Photo/Diether Endlicher)

Two policemen are seen at the backyard entrance of the Fritzl house as the gathering of evidence continues. Josef Fritzl intends to plead insanity, says his lawyer. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson)