2 prisoners sentenced to double life for murder in prison

From left to right: two prisoners Nguyen Ngoc Tam and Nguyen Van Y at the first instance trial

On June 7, the People's Court of Phu Yen province held a first-instance trial of a murder case involving two prisoners serving sentences at Xuan Phuoc prison (under Department 10, Ministry of Public Security, located in Xuan Phuoc commune, Dong Xuan district, Phu Yen province).

The two defendants brought to trial were Nguyen Van Y (29 years old, from Hong Thai commune, Bac Binh district, Binh Thuan province, currently serving a prison sentence for theft) and Nguyen Ngoc Tam (34 years old, from Thanh Son ward, Phan Rang - Thap Cham city, Ninh Thuan province, currently serving a life sentence for illegal drug trafficking).

According to the court, at 8:00 a.m. on June 14, 2022, assigned by the prison officer, prisoner Nguyen Nguyen Tuan went to inspect the cashew classification techniques of prisoners in team 3 at the cashew factory in sub-camp No. 2, Xuan Phuoc prison.

Seeing prisoner Nguyen Van Y classifying cashew nuts incorrectly, Tuan reminded Y to classify them correctly. Thinking that Tuan insulted him, Y argued with Tuan.

A moment later, after returning from the bathroom, Y went to where Tuan was sitting, took a cashew silk razor from his pocket and stabbed Tuan four times in the temple.

Seeing that, prisoner Nguyen Ngoc Tam intervened and pushed Y away. Tam picked up a chair to defend himself, saw Y rushing towards him and threw the chair at him. Y stabbed Tam twice in the left shoulder and right arm.

While trying to stop Y and Tam from fighting, prisoner Nguyen Huu Tri was cut by the knife in Y's hand in his right chest and right abdomen.

According to the forensic conclusion, Tri's injuries were 6%, Tam's 2%, Y's 7% and Tuan's 6%.

Tam and Y were charged with "murder". Tam did not request criminal prosecution for Y's injuries, while Tri was injured not because Y intentionally caused the injuries but because he was cut by a knife in Y's hand while trying to stop him, so there was no basis for criminal prosecution of Y.

In court, Tam and Y confessed to their crimes. The court found the two defendants guilty of "murder", sentenced Tam to 10 years in prison, and combined with the sentence he is currently serving, he received a life sentence; sentenced Y to 12 years in prison, and combined with the sentence he is currently serving, he received a 24-year prison sentence.

According to Tuoi Tre