The court in Den Bosch will start on Monday with the substantive hearing of the appeal of triple murder suspect Thijs H. (30) from Brunssum.
Thijs was sentenced by the court in Maastricht to eighteen years in prison and tbs with coercion, but his lawyers think the prison sentence is unjustified and argue that he should be declared completely mentally insane.
Three murders
The thirty-year-old has confessed that he killed a 56-year-old woman on 4 May 2019 in the Scheveningse Bosjes in The Hague. Three days later he struck at Brunssummerheide, where he first stabbed a 63-year-old woman to death and a short time later a 68-year-old man. The victims were suddenly attacked and killed with great violence.
Behaviors colored
The appeal revolves around the question of whether Thijs was completely mentally insane during the murders. Experts from the Pieter Baan Center concluded that he acted under the influence of psychosis. According to the court, however, Thijs intensified symptoms and colored behavior afterwards. According to the court, he colored this on the basis of stories searched for on the internet about symptoms of psychopathy, medication and drug use.
Not in a psychotic state
Experts who have re-examined the triple murderer’s psyche argue that the Brunssumer may not have been in a psychotic state when he stabbed the three people to death. Several sources confirm this against L1. The report is at odds with conclusions from previous studies.
Also read: New experts question psychosis Thijs H.
Schizophrenia
The court allocates several days for the criminal trial. On Monday, experts will have their say, such as a psychiatrist and a psychologist who have re-examined Thijs on behalf of the defense. They conclude that Thijs was acting in a psychosis caused by schizophrenia. The judges will also be advised on Monday by two experts that they have appointed themselves.
Sentencing is expected on Tuesday.