People with major problems come together in a prison. Several inmates are often housed in one detention room, and tensions often run high. This was also the case in Graz-Jakomini prison in January 2023. Two inmates were joking around and throwing water at each other.

"I wanted to hit him"
However, a third inmate (26) lying on the bed didn't find it so funny. When, according to his statement to the presiding judge Michaela Lapanje, he was also given a whole cupful, he lost his temper. "I stood up and told him that I would pour a bottle of water over his head." If he did that, he would tear his head off, the opponent is said to have replied. "I wanted to hit him, but thought it would be better to call the prison guards over the intercom. I did that twice, but no one came."

Because he was afraid of the other two, who were also physically superior to him, he broke both mirrors in the cell and grabbed two 25-centimeter-long, pointed shards. "I wanted them to stop. When one of them kicked me, I slashed him. Three times." He only wanted to defend himself, not kill the other one.

Victim narrowly survived
However, public prosecutor Johannes Winklhofer considers the attempted murder to have been fulfilled. The victim (29), a fellow countryman of the accused, suffered stab wounds to his neck, upper body and upper abdomen. The main artery in his neck was only narrowly missed. The inmate only survived because he fled to a bunk bed and the third person involved tried to stop the bleeding with bed sheets.

Defendant accuses prison guard
"Don't you think he only kicked you because he was afraid of you and wanted to keep you at a distance? After all, you had two weapons in your hand." The victim is also said to have held the mattress in front of him to defend himself from further stabs. "That's the only reason why there were no further injuries," the public prosecutor is convinced. The defendant counters this and criticizes the prison guards: "They did nothing, although they could have prevented everything!" he says angrily. Now the presiding judge Andreas Rom puts his foot down: "What nonsense! There are just three prison guards responsible for 100 prisoners. They can't always be on hand!" Public prosecutor Winklhofer agrees: "I've never heard anything like that, that it's the prison guards' fault when offenders stab people! If only you hadn't stabbed them!"

Incidentally, the victim and the second inmate preferred to stay away from court.

The sentence: six years and six months imprisonment for intentional grievous bodily harm, not final.