10-year jail term upheld for man who fatally shot ‘trouble-making’ brother

AMMAN — The Cassation Court has upheld an April Criminal Court ruling sentencing a man to 10 years in prison after convicting him of murdering his brother in Tafileh Governorate in July 2014.

The court declared the defendant guilty of fatally shooting the victim on July 2 and handed him a 20-year prison term. 

The verdict was immediately reduced by half because the victim’s family dropped the charges against the defendant.

The tribunal also decided to amend the premeditated murder charges originally pressed against the defendant by the Criminal Court prosecution to manslaughter “because the court concluded that he did not plot to murder the victim”.

Court papers said the victim was considered as a “trouble maker” by his family and would often fight with his mother and other siblings and “would curse them”.

In one instance, the court maintained, “he damaged a vehicle that belonged to one of his in-laws following a fight with his family.”

On the day of the incident, the court maintained, the suspect and the victim engaged in a heated argument regarding “his violent actions with family members and he ended up shooting him to death”. 

The defendant and the Criminal Court prosecutor general attorney did not appeal the verdict because they were satisfied with the sentencing.  

However, any verdict that is five years or more is automatically reviewed by the Cassation Court within the next 30 days.

The Cassation Court stated that the Criminal Court’s proceedings were accurate and correct and the defendant received the appropriate punishment.

The Cassation Court comprised judges Basil Abu Anzeh, Naji Zubi, Daoud Tubeleh, Mohammad Ibrahim and Mohammad Beirudi.