Man convicted in violent, random Amsterdam murder won’t go to prison

The District Court in Amsterdam sentenced the 36-year-old Nuri Ö. to mandatory treatment at a TBS psychiatric facility on Friday for the murder of 25-year-old Rens, and the attempted manslaughter of his 29-year-old roommate. The man, who lived above the two victims, attacked Rens with a large kitchen knife on August 1 in his apartment on the Robert Scottstraat in Amsterdam-West.

Rens did not survive the attack. His roommate fought with Ö. and was eventually able to escape the apartment despite being heavily wounded. The police were able to arrest the suspect at the scene shortly after.

The court believes that the charge of murder has been proven because he went to the home below him carrying a knife and forced his way into the home. The severe wounding of the roommate qualified as attempted manslaughter, according to the court.

But the court also ruled that Ö. was not of sound mind and could not be held accountable for his actions based on reports from forensic psychiatric specialists at the Pieter Baan Centrum, the judicial observation clinic.

The man lived in “a very extensive and continuous delusional world of which several people, including his downstairs neighbors, were a part of,” the court added. His behavior became increasingly aggressive and threatening.

The court said it was proven during the hearing on April 26 that the man still lives in a delusional world. Ö could not behave himself at the hearing and was eventually sent to the holding cell by the court chair. He also suddenly blocked his lawyer from arguing on his behalf. The court ordered the attorney to argue his case on May 13, which he did by pleading for the TBS measure, with no prison time involved.

Although the Public Prosecution Service factored in that the suspect was not fully accountable for his actions because of mental illness, the prosecutor had recommended a prison sentence of 15 years in addition to the TBS measure.

The Dutch judicial system allows either the defendant or the Public Prosecution Service to file an appeal. Both parties can appeal against the District Court’s verdict and sentencing. Either side typically has 14 days to file an appeal after the verdict is read in court.