Man sentenced to 8 years in prison for attempted murder

AMMAN — The Cassation Court has upheld a March Criminal Court ruling, sentencing a man to eight years in prison after convicting him of attempting to murder a man in Amman in July 2020.

The Criminal Court declared the defendant guilty of attempted murder, stemming from “a heated dispute” with the victim in Jabal Naser on July 31. The defendant was initially given a 12-year prison term.

However, the court decided to reduce the sentence to eight years because the victim dropped charges against the defendant.

Court papers said the defendant was standing next to a vehicle with his friend, when another driver pulled over next to them, and the group exchanged words.

The argument became heated, and the “defendant grabbed a switchblade and stabbed the driver once in the chest,” according to court papers.

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital and survived the stabbing incident after undergoing surgery, the court papers added.

The defendant did not contest the ruling.

The Criminal Court’s attorney general asked the higher court to uphold the eight-year sentence.

The higher court ruled that the Criminal Court proceedings were accurate and that the defendant was given the appropriate punishment.

The Cassation Court bench comprised judges Mohammad Ibrahim, Mohammad Khashashneh, Hammad Ghzawi, Nayef Samarat and Ibrahim Abu Shamma.