Sofia's lawyer insists on psychologist

Sofia's lawyer insists on psychologist

JAKARTA (JP): The defense lawyer for a woman being tried on
charges of murdering her two small sons has repeated his demand
that the court hear testimony from a psychologist because the
defendant had displayed an unstable psychological condition.

Saky Septiono, defense lawyer for Sofia Sukma Sumardi, 26,
read his defense statement yesterday. The prosecutor has asked
the court to jail Sofia for 12 years, for allegedly murdering her
two sons.

Presiding judge Leo Hutagalung turned down the lawyer's
request, saying that the defendant had no psychological problem.

In August, the panel of judges rejected the same demand made
by the lawyer.

Saky said yesterday that his client did not show any regret
after killing her sons, who were 21 days old and one year old.

According to the indictment, Sofia killed them by slashing
their wrists and necks with a razor blade.

The lawyer said that Sofia also tried to kill herself after
she allegedly committed the murders.

Saky, who was appointed by the court to defend Sofia because
she is too poor to hire a defense lawyer, said that he cannot
afford to provide his client with a psychologist.

The judge based his rejection yesterday on the medical report
of a police psychologist, which states that Sofia is
psychologically stable.

Saky said a psychologist could help alleviate Sofia's sentence
and stabilize her psychological condition, so that she would not
try to commit suicide again.

"Sofia murdered her sons because she suffered economic
difficulties," Saky said.

He reminded the court of Sofia's earlier statement, which said
that her husband, an ojek (motor bike taxi) driver, always got
drunk and never gave any attention to his family.

"Anyone under so much pressure can not commit a sadistic
murder unless they are mentally disturbed," Saky said.

Therefore, he added, there should be an expert brought in to
check on how serious her mental problem is. (03)