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West Gate Bridge in Melbourne (AP) |
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) _ A man who killed his 4-year-old daughter by throwing her off a bridge in Australia's second-largest city as her horrified brothers watched was sentenced Monday to life in prison.
Arthur Freeman, 37, stood motionless as Victorian Supreme Court Justice Paul Coghlan handed down the punishment, which came despite Freeman's argument that he was mentally ill when he tossed his daughter, Darcey, to her death.
``The throwing of your 4-year-old daughter from a bridge more than 80 meters (260 feet) above the ground could not be more horrible,'' Coghlan said. ``What Darcey's last thoughts might have been does not bear thinking about, and her death must have been a painful and protracted one.''
The judge said Freeman killed his daughter to get revenge on his ex-wife. The day before Darcey's death, a court had reduced Freeman's access to his children.
Freeman was driving Darcey and her two brothers, aged 2 and 6, through Melbourne on Jan. 29, 2009, when he telephoned his former wife, Peta Barnes, and told her to say goodbye to her children.
He then parked his car in the emergency lane of the bridge, coaxed his daughter out of the car and picked her up. Darcey's brothers watched as Freeman carried her to the edge of the bridge and threw her over the side.
Freeman admitted to the killing, but pleaded not guilty by reason of mental impairment, with his attorney arguing during the trial that his client was ``mad _ not bad.'' A jury last month rejected his defense, and found him guilty of murder.
On Monday, Coghlan sentenced him to life in prison with a non-parole period of 32 years.
``It can only be concluded that you used your daughter in an attempt to hurt your former wife as profoundly as possible,'' the judge said.
<한글 요약>
딸을 80미터 높이 다리에서 던져 숨지게한 남성, 종신형 선고
호주의 한 남성이 자신의 4살배기 딸을 다리에서 밀어 숨지게 한 혐의로 종신형을 선고 받았다.
월요일 빅토리아 대법원 판사는 37세 남성 아서 프리만이 전 부인에게 복수하기 위해 딸을 살해했다고 말했다.
프리만은 2009년 1월 29일 딸 다시와 2세, 6세의 아들들과 멜버른을 지나며 운전하고 있었고,전 부인에게 전화해 아이들에게 작별인사를 하라고 말한 후, 다리 갓길에 차를 대고 딸을 차에서 끌어내린 후 다리 끝으로 끌고가 약 80미터 높이의 다리에서 던졌다. 나머지 아이들은 이 장면을 보고 있었다고 한다.
프리만은 딸을 살해한 혐의를 인정했으나, 정신적인 문제로 무죄를 요청하기도 했다.
결국 프리만은 32년간 가석방이 없는 종신형을 선고 받았다.
판결을 내린 판사는 이 사건은 프리만이 전 부인에게 상처주기 위해 딸을 이용한 것으로밖에 결론을 내릴 수밖에 없다고 말했다.
