Cassation Court upholds 12-year sentence for man convicted of attempted murder

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a November 2023 Criminal Court ruling, sentencing a man to 12 years in prison after convicting him of attempting to murder a man with a broken bottle in Zarqa in July 2021.

The Criminal Court declared the defendant guilty of attempting to murder the victim in downtown Zarqa on July 20.

The defendant was given the maximum sentence.

Court papers said the defendant and the victim were consuming alcohol on the day of the incident.

An argument ensued between the two and they engaged in a scuffle, court papers said.

"The defendant then slammed his alcohol bottle to the ground and it broke then he used it as a weapon to stab the victim once in the neck," court documents said.

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital and survived the stabbing incident, the court said.

The defendant did not contest his verdict at a higher court.

The Criminal Court’s attorney general asked the higher court to uphold the 12-year sentence ruling.

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 Mahmoud Ebtoush, Nayef Samarat, Mohammad Shreiri, Mohammad Khashashneh and Hammad Ghzawi.