Cassation Court upholds 8-year sentence for man convicted of attempted murder

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a February Criminal Court ruling, sentencing a man to eight years in prison after convicting him of attempting to murder a man with two weapons in Jerash in August 2023.

The Criminal Court declared the defendant guilty of attempting to murder a 20-year-old man with an iron bar and a switchblade during a brawl on August 25.

The court handed the defendant a 12-year prison term for the charge but reduced it to eight years because the victim dropped charges against the defendant.

Court papers said the victim was walking in a street in Jerash when he witnessed a brawl between several people.

He attempted to interfere to stop the fight but was attacked by the defendant, the court said.

"The defendant struck the victim with an iron bar on his shoulder then drew a switchblade and stabbed him once in the stomach," court documents said.

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital suffering from life-threatening injuries to his stomach, according to sour documents.

The young man underwent several surgeries and survived the stabbing incident, the court papers added.

The defendant contested his ruling via his lawyer arguing that there were “legal errors in the investigation procedures”.

The Criminal Court’s attorney general asked the higher court to uphold the eight-year sentence.

The higher court ruled that the Criminal Court proceedings were accurate and that the defendant was given the appropriate punishment.

The Cassation Court bench comprised judges Naji Zu’bi, Nayef Samarat, Hammad Ghzawi, Qassem Dughmi, and Mohammad Khashashneh.