A man who fatally stabbed his mother last year has been sentenced to 19 years and 10 months in prison by the Taoyuan District Court.
The defendant, surnamed Chen (陳), was 18 years old and a vocational school student when he killed his mother on June 1 last year, citing her “disapproval of his life choices,” the court said in a statement following Friday’s ruling.
Chen had felt dismissed by his mother for a long time, the court said, adding that after she refused to discuss matters related to his life and education, he decided to kill her to “move forward in life.”
Photo: Chou Min-hung, Taipei Times
In its indictment, the Taoyuan District Prosecutors’ Office described Chen’s actions as “ferocious and determined,” with multiple stab wounds to vital organs.
However, the court said that Chen admitted the crime shortly after it occurred, remained consistent in his statements and showed remorse throughout the investigation.
The court also said that Chen had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder since childhood, and had difficulties controlling his emotions.
The incident caused severe emotional distress to Chen’s family, with many relatives struggling to forgive him, the court said.
In determining the sentence, the court concluded that Chen might still have a chance to reintegrate into society, taking into account several mitigating factors.
They include his lack of a prior criminal record, efforts to support himself through part-time jobs, closeness to his family and continued expressions of affection for them after the incident, the court said.
The sentence is subject to appeal.
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