Josef Fritzl found fit to stand trial

Published: Nov. 4, 2008 at 12:40 PM

AMSTETTEN , Austria, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Austrian authorities say Josef Fritzl has been found fit to stand trial for allegedly imprisoning his daughter and his incestuous children locked in a cellar.

Fritzl, 73, of Armsetten, is to be formally charged Friday now that psychiatrists have ruled he is mentally stable, The Daily Telegraph reported Tuesday.

Fritzl allegedly has confessed to imprisoning Elisabeth, 42, in the cellar of their home or 24 years and fathering her seven children, the Telegraph reported. The crimes Fritzl is to be charged with will not be made public until Nov. 14.

Prosecutors have said Fritzl is certain to charged with incarceration for having kept his daughter and their children locked in the cellar, the Telegraph reported, noting that offense carries up to 10 years in prison.

Austrian law prohibits consecutive sentences, which means he would serve time for only the offense that carries the longest sentence, the Telegraph reported.

© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Order reprints



Additional News Stories
Report: Iverson announces NBA retirement (11 min)
Obama's use of 'unprecedented' chided (44 min)
Soderling first through to ATP semifinals
UPI NewsTrack Health and Science News
U.S., Japan to sign 'open skies' agreement
UPI NewsTrack Business
Crude oil prices rebound slightly
fark
Photoshop this guy in reflective shades
Suing Activision over World of Warcraft? Don't forget to subpoena Depeche Mode and Winona Rider,...
Hannity: This is one of the coldest years on record, so global warming is a hoax. Science: This...
Spotted cow removed from Mad River in NY. The image in your mind's eye is wrong
This is why you can't have nice things, America: "rather than a retelling of the Nativity story...
Canadian judge rules that the Happy Gilmore golf swing is wrong, biatch