Man gets 1-year prison term for involuntary manslaughter

AMMAN — The Cassation Court has upheld a February Criminal Court ruling, sentencing a man to one year in prison after convicting him of involuntary manslaughter following a scuffle in Zarqa over a parking space in September 2017. 

The Criminal Court declared the defendant guilty of pushing the victim to the floor on September 20 while in a butcher's shop, which caused his death.

The victim succumbed to his wounds on October 10.

The court also decided to amend the manslaughter murder charges to involuntary manslaughter because it was proven to the court that the “defendant had no intention of killing the victim”.

Court papers said that the two argued about a parking spot on the day of the incident.

The argument became “heated” and they started beating each other, court papers said.

“The defendant pushed the victim during the scuffle and the latter fell on his head on the ground,” court documents said. 

The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital with a fractured skull, the court papers added. 

“He was immediately admitted to the department and underwent a surgery,” court papers said.

However, the victim died almost 20 days later as a result of the wounds he sustained to his skull, court papers said. 

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, Bassim Mubeidin, Nayef Samarat, Yassin Abdulllat and Mohammad Khashashneh.