A former medical student standing trial for murdering three people pinned the blame for his gruesome crime on an unlikely accomplice — a computer in his head.
Fouad L. is facing trial for the murder of his neighbour, her 14-year-old daughter, and a professor at the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam in September 2023.
On Monday, Fouad’s lawyers requested the court re-examine the shooter’s mental state due to his bizarre explanation of why he committed the crime, reports the NOS.
Fouad is claiming he was forced to commit the shootings by a “coercive and commanding” computer in his head.
He alleges he made up the computer in his youth to combat loneliness. He told the court that the imaginary machine sometimes forces him to do things he doesn’t want.
Calculated revenge
The prosecution has rejected Fouad’s claims and believes that the crime was motivated primarily by revenge.
Fouad’s neighbour had previously reported him for animal abuse, while Erasmus University wanted to prevent him, a then final-year medical student, from practising medicine due to “worrying and psychotic behaviour”.
The shooter expressed anger about both of those things online.
He also managed to keep all psychological assistance he was receiving at a distance while he was planning his crimes.
Due to this, the prosecution doesn’t believe anyone could have known about or prevented the murders.
The court refuses
The victims’ families called Fouad’s excuse a “load of bull, meant to drag things out”, said their spokesperson, Niels Dekker.
The prosecution claims that Fouad was well aware of the seriousness of his actions and that he carefully planned the murders.
The court sided with the prosecution and refused further investigation into the shooter’s mental state in a move that was met with applause from the victims’ families.
READ MORE: Here’s what we know so far about Rotterdam’s university hospital shooter
Dekker explained that the trial is very important for the families since they want to confront the shooter. They also want to see him convicted as fast as possible.
The courtroom was packed with the victims’ relatives during the trial, with an additional 150 people from Erasmus Medical Centre following the hearing via a video connection.
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