The Supreme Court yesterday upheld a two-and-a-half-year prison term for an elderly Taipei man surnamed Chen (陳) in a “compassionate killing” case.
Chen, 79, was convicted in 2020 of suffocating to death his daughter, who had been bedridden since childhood due to cerebral palsy and had severe mental disability.
In court trials, Chen said he and his wife had attended to all details of their daughter’s daily life, including feeding, washing and cleaning after bodily functions, for nearly 50 years. He had been the sole caregiver in recent years after his wife also fell ill.
Photo: Wu Cheng-feng, Taipei Times
In February 2020, Chen said his daughter developed a toothache and body pain, and it was heartbreaking to see her in agony, but he could not help alleviate the pain.
Neither could he take her to a hospital due to fears of infection and COVID-19 restrictions, he said.
According to court transcripts, Chen said his daughter had taken sedatives for so long, he believed painkillers and anesthetics would not help her.
He said he therefore decided to end her suffering once for all and smothered her to death with a thick blanket. Regretting his action, he tried to kill himself, but was revived by medics.
In the first trial, the Taipei District Court noted his difficult circumstances and handed a lenient minimum sentence of two years and six months, which was upheld by the High Court and affirmed by the Supreme Court upon appeal.
The lower court said Chen had been a responsible father who diligently cared for his daughter for 50 years.
Throughout this period, the parents had to stay home and had no social activities, and were under heavy mental and physical stress, it said, recommending a minimum punishment on “compassionate grounds.”
It also suggested a presidential pardon.
Yesterday’s ruling rejected a request by Chen’s lawyer for a suspended sentence.
The Supreme Court said the two-and-a-half year term was already a grant of leniency, and that a suspended sentence only applies to prison terms of two years or less.
It added that judicial courts have no authority to recommend a presidential pardon.
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
UNREASONABLE SURVEILLANCE: A camera targeted on an road by a neighbor captured a man’s habitual unsignaled turn into home, netting him dozens of tickets The Taichung High Administrative Court has canceled all 45 tickets given to a man for failing to use a turn signal while driving, as it considered long-term surveillance of his privacy more problematic than the traffic violations. The man, surnamed Tseng (曾), lives in Changhua County and was reported 45 times within a month for failing to signal while driving when he turned into the alley where his residence is. The reports were filed by his neighbor, who set up security cameras that constantly monitored not only the alley but also the door and yard of Tseng’s house. The surveillance occurred from July
A Japan Self-Defense Forces vessel entered the Taiwan Strait yesterday, Japanese media reported. After passing through the Taiwan Strait, the Ikazuchi was to proceed to the South China Sea to take part in a joint military exercise with the US and the Philippines, the reports said. Japan Self-Defense Force vessels were first reported to have passed through the strait in September, 2024, with two further transits taking place in February and June last year, the Asahi Shimbun reported. Yesterday’s transit also marked the first time since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office that a Japanese warship has been sent through the Taiwan
‘SAME OLD TRICK’: Even if Beijing resumes individual travel to Taiwan, it would only benefit Chinese tourism companies, the Economic Democracy Union convener said China’s 10 new “incentives” are “sugar-coated poison,” an official said yesterday, adding that Taiwanese businesses see them clearly for what they are, but that Beijing would inevitably find some local collaborators to try to drums up support. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, made the remark ahead of a news conference the General Chamber of Commerce is to hold today. The event, titled “Industry Perspectives on China’s Recent Pro-Taiwan Policies,” is expected to include representatives from industry associations — such as those in travel, hotels, food and agriculture — to request the government cooperate with China’s new measures, people familiar with
RSS