Lau G. was to appeal life sentence before suicide

In a farewell letter to his lawyer, Lau Geeraets asked him to appeal against the life sentence that was imposed on him by the Maastricht court and to give any compensation following a successful appeal to his two sons. Geeraets' lawyer Marcel Heuvelmans confirmed this on Monday, 1Limburg reports. "Unfortunately I can't let him know that appeal is no longer possible, because he is dead." the lawyer said. Geeraets committed suicide in the Maximum Security Prison in Vught on Thursday by overdosing on medication. He also left notes for the court, his partner, his mother and his son Roy. According to the lawyer, Geeraets also kept a diary during his time in prison. Heuvelmans wants the prison to release the diary and give it to Roy, Geeraets' only child from his first marriage. Lau wanted it that way. He also stated that the proceeds from a publication of the diary go to Roy." Roy, who was also a suspect in the Venray murder case and arrested for perjury, has been imprisoned in Spain since February. He was arrested there for operating a cannabis plantation, according to the newspaper. Last weekend Heuvelmans submitted a request to have Roy Geerates temporarily transferred from the prison in Malaga to the Netherlands so that he can attend his father's funeral.