30-04-2024 

Austrian J Fritzl remains in a psychiatric hospital  
He raped his daughter for 24 years and had seven children by her
     
An Austrian court has postponed a decision on whether the 89 year old Josef
Fritzl who raped his daughter for 24 years can be transferred to a regular
prison from the psychiatric unit where he is until now. His transfer would pave
the way for him to be released on parole and lawyer Astrid Wagner has said she
plans to make that request soon after Frizzle who has now changed his name raped
his daughter and held her captive in a basement for 24 years. He had seven
children with her. 

The jury decided to issue a written decision Wagner told reporters after the
hearing held at the prison where Frizzle is being held Judges were presented
with new evidence about his mental and physical condition. The lawyer said it is
possible the court will approve his transfer but the decision will be issued in
the coming days. Frizzles case shocked the world when his actions were revealed
in 2008. 

The 89 year old has been held in a prison for the mentally disturbed after being
convicted in 2009 of incest, rape, enslavement, coercion and the manslaughter of
his newborn son in a dungeon he secretly built under his house. A court
in the same city Kremsan der Donau near Vienna ruled in January in favour of
transferring him to a regular prison, but a higher court overturned the decision
in March ruling that it had not been clearly established that he met the
conditions for a conditional release. He ordered the first court to gain a more
complete picture of Frizzles condition and the appropriateness of his transfer. 

This evidence was due to be presented today, Frizzle was sentenced to life in a
mental institution in March 2009. Based on that decision his condition had to be
reassessed after 15 years. His lawyer said that given his frailty and the fact
that he is suffering from the beginnings of dementia he is no longer a threat. He
has also expressed his deepest regret for what he has done, she added.