Wife Kills Spouse with Axe Blows to Groin

Reuters ^ | November 15, 2002

[Willie Green]

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.

PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - A Cambodian woman who murdered her husband by axing him repeatedly in the groin before running off with her son-in-law has been sentenced to 15 years in jail, officials said Friday.

But 35-year-old Chhoeun Sovann, from Kompong Thom province 100 km (60 miles) northeast of Phnom Penh, is not yet behind bars.

Six years after the murder, prosecutors say they cannot find her. The verdict was handed down in absentia.

In a case shocking even by Cambodian standards, Chhoeun Sovann set about battering her husband to death with the blunt end of an axe, the blows falling mainly on his groin.

"She fell in love with her son-in-law, which was against her husband's wishes. Finally, she had to kill her husband so she could escape with her lover," female presiding judge Sim Samoeu told Reuters.

"It is totally unacceptable in Cambodia that a wife should kill her husband by smashing his genitals," the judge said. "After hours of deliberation, I decided to punish her with 15 years in jail."

She also awarded the victim's family compensation of two million riels ($500) -- nearly double the average Cambodian annual wage.

Under Cambodia's notoriously erratic and ineffective judicial system, trials in absentia are relatively common as are cases of convicted criminals enjoying their freedom for years after receiving hefty jail sentences.

[Focault's Pendulum]

Well, of course it is. Anywhere else it would OK, and in Cambodia it'd be acceptible if she just hit him on the head, but smashing the genitals in Cambodia is right out!

I see you've recovered from the birthday bash I had for you last night. No need to thank me. I used your credit card.

[MadIvan]

Some couples live together merely because they don't want to give up the house and live in an apartment.

I think in Cambodia, they'd be lucky to be living in a lean-to.

In any event, I am not really certain if arranged marriages are the norm in Cambodia. I haven't tried to get married in Cambodia (thank God) ;)

Regards, Ivan

[VRWC_minion]

Only 15 years?

[ApesForEvolution]

I hate it when that happens...

[mdmathis6]

Apparently the son-in-law didn't like his dad either!

[BlackVeil]

So its you again FP ... I knew I should never have lent you that axe.

[Focault's Pendulum]

So its you again FP ... I knew I should never have lent you that axe.

Six, or twelve string........Wait!!!

....I still got my sitar in the basement somewhere.....I'm pretty sure I got it next to my Yoko Ono blowup doll!

[ApesForEvolution]

Sounds to me like a couple get screwed and one gets axed...anyone keeping score?

[DainBramage]

She loved the boy

And her husband knew

So off the handle

Momma flew

She grabbed a tool

and took a swing

and took a chop

at Hop Sings's Ding

He hopped and screamed

and yelled "please stop"

And that just made her take

another chop

When Sing was still

and ALL was done

She took of with

Hop Sing's son.......in law

[El Gato]

"It is totally unacceptable in Cambodia that a wife should kill her husband by smashing his genitals,"

Does that mean it would have been OK if she'd just sliced his throat or smashed in his cranium with that axe? Or that a lover or stranger could smash the genitals, but not a wife?

[ApesForEvolution]

If only she had known that it is perfectly legal in Cambodia to jam a stick of TNT up your husband's rear and light it!

[Jagdgewehr]

"It is totally unacceptable in Cambodia that a wife should kill her husband by smashing his genitals," the judge said.

Not to mention that death would be slow in coming...er...strike that.

Not to mention that killing her husband by using the axe on his head...er...

Ah, forget it!

[mdmathis6]

You wrote:"Sounds to me like a couple get screwed and one gets axed...anyone keeping score?"

The son-in-law scored and she got hammered; the Cambodian version of "Tool-Time"!

[ApesForEvolution]

LOL!!

[Flashman_at_the_charge]

In a case shocking even by Cambodian standards, Chhoeun Sovann set about battering her husband to death with the blunt end of an axe, the blows falling mainly on his groin.

The blunt end? Maybe he was grateful for small mercies.

[mseltzer]

Does anyone have the autopsy pictures?

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

Let's hook her up with Clintoon. Then when she kills him, we can ask GW to pardon her, just for kix. Nah. He would be a martyr.

[dfwgator]

Man I hate when that happens.

[Plutarch]

Excellent, but needs better formatting. "Line Break" is < br >

She loved the boy
And her husband knew
So off the handle
Momma flew

She grabbed a tool
and took a swing
and took a chop
at Hop Sings's Ding

He hopped and screamed
and yelled "please stop"
And that just made her take
another chop

When Sing was still
and ALL was done
She took of with
Hop Sing's son.......in law