He said 'I regret it' in court: Good conduct reduction for husband who strangled his wife in front of their child

On September 27, 2021, in Esenyurt, Sebahattin Can strangled his wife Melike Can to death in front of their child's eyes during an argument.

Sebahattin Can then shouted from the window of the apartment where they lived, "I killed my wife, call the police." In the indictment prepared regarding the incident, it was requested that Sebahattin Can be sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment.

The detained defendant Sebahattin Can and the lawyers for the parties were present at the hearing held at the Bakırköy 4th High Criminal Court regarding the incident. During the hearing, the report from the Council of Forensic Medicine regarding the defendant was read. The report stated that the defendant Can had full criminal responsibility. The Public Prosecutor, presenting his opinion, stated that the defendant Sebahattin Can, who was the legally wedded husband of the victim Melike Can, had been experiencing disagreements and arguments for some time, and that as a result of the argument on the day of the incident, the defendant killed the victim by squeezing her throat with his hands. In the opinion, it was requested that the defendant Sebahattin Can be sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment for the crime of 'intentional killing of a spouse.'

DEFENDANT CAN, GIVEN THE FLOOR, SAID "I REGRET IT."

Announcing its verdict, the court initially decided to sentence the defendant Sebahattin Can to aggravated life imprisonment for the crime of 'intentional killing of a spouse.' The defendant's attitude and behavior during the hearings, the potential effects of the discretionary sentence on the defendant's future, and the defendant's past and social relations were accepted as grounds for reduction, and the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.

FROM THE INDICTMENT

In the indictment prepared by the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was stated that the victim Melike Can and the defendant Sebahattin Can were legally married and had been experiencing disagreements and arguments for some time. The indictment stated that the defendant and the victim had an argument at their home in Esenyurt on September 27, 2021, and that the defendant killed the victim by squeezing her throat with his hands. A citizen named Fatma, a friend of the victim Melike Can, stated in her testimony taken within the scope of the investigation, "About 3 weeks ago, while we were walking outside together, the defendant called Melike and insulted her. Melike said, 'This man is threatening me, he is going to kill me.'" In his statement, the defendant Sebahattin said that they argued with the victim on the day of the incident and that he did not remember what he did. In the indictment, it was requested that the defendant Sebahattin Can be sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment for the crime of 'intentional killing of a spouse.'

News Source: İHA