A file photo of a chest x-ray. Photo: DPA

Obese man acquitted for squashing wife to death

Published: 18 May 09 17:18 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20090518-19361.html

A German appeals court overturned a five-year jail sentence on Monday for an obese bus driver who fatally squashed his wife by falling on her during a booze-fuelled row.

The court in Hildesheim near Hannover decided the 52-year-old man, who weighs more than 20 stone (130 kilos, 280 pounds), was guilty of causing bodily injuries by negligence and issued him with a warning and a fine of €2,580.

The court could not rule out an accident in the woman’s death in April 2006 and actually said she was most responsible for her own death because she failed to see a doctor for a follow up appointment after an initial three days in the hospital - even when she coughed up blood for several days.

The couple had an argument over Italian music in April 2006 during which the woman poured beer over her husband's laptop computer. In the ensuing scuffle, she struck his neck, causing the man to fall on her with all of his weight, he told the court.

Six weeks later the 46-year-old woman, who was less than half her husband's weight, died from chest injuries. An autopsy found she had 18 broken ribs and several litres of fluid in one of her lungs.

In the appeal to the five year prison sentence, the man characterised the relationship as a “forced marriage” in which there were frequent arguments about money and said his wife frequently abused him.

AFP/DPA/The Local (news@thelocal.de)

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Your comments about this article:

21:10 May 18, 2009 by PCDonkey
Shit, don't give my husband ideas.
21:14 May 18, 2009 by Timmeh
issued him with a warning and a fine of ?2,580.
Don't be fat and squash your wife to death again. You've been warned!
21:25 May 18, 2009 by trolleydolly
Apparently she hit his neck causing him to fall on her!!! Was it one of those karate chop specials?
21:28 May 18, 2009 by Lavender Rain
He was smashed and she was smashed.
21:29 May 18, 2009 by Annieross
How does someone weighing more than 20 stone fit into the driver's seat of a bus?!
21:33 May 18, 2009 by trolleydolly
I have seen much bigger in an airplane seat, so I suppose it's possible.
12:13 May 19, 2009 by cb6dba
well, if you are standing in front of a big fat person - fat enough to squash you to death and you are have an argument with them do you..

1). Step to the side.

2). Walk away.

3). Punch them in the neck with the potential result they will fall forward...

Well, know which one the wife went for...
16:54 May 19, 2009 by tigress
Wiebles wobble but they dont fall down.
03:25 May 20, 2009 by KBCraig
Six weeks?

Why isn't this a medical malpractice suit, instead of a criminal prosecution?
07:55 May 25, 2009 by Memo
Six weeks?

Why isn't this a medical malpractice suit, instead of a criminal prosecution?
In order for malpractice, or any kind of practice to take place, the patient should at least GO to a practice.
she was most responsible for her own death because she failed to see a doctor for a follow up appointment after an initial three days in the hospital
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