Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Theo Van Gogh killer gets life in prison

The Netherlands has no death penalty, so this was the toughest sentence they could give the evil creep. Hopefully, the Dutch will find a way to prevent Mohammed Bouyeri from giving media interviews. Forever. The world does not need another Charles Manson appearing on television here and there.

From AP:

A Dutch court sentenced the killer of filmmaker Theo Van Gogh to life in prison Tuesday, the harshest sentence possible for a murder that heightened ethnic tensions and raised concerns about homegrown Islamic terrorism.

Mohammed Bouyeri, 27, had mounted no defense at his two-day trial earlier this month for the Nov. 2 slaying of Van Gogh, whom he accused of insulting Islam, and told the court he would do it again if given the chance.

Presiding judge Udo Willem Bentinck said life in prison was the only fitting punishment for a crime that sought to undermine Dutch democracy and the political system. He said the three-judge panel had concluded there was no possibility for Bouyeri to return to society, citing his lack of remorse.

UPDATE: 10:45 AM CDT: Roger L. Simon has a great post about Hollywood's fascination with the Roman Polanski-Vanity Fair trial, but has largely overlooked the murder of filmmaker Van Gogh.

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