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)