A third teenager convicted of murder by the Helsinki District Court last week has expressed dissatisfaction with the court’s ruling, which is a first step towards changing the verdict.
Earlier this week, two other convicted teenagers said they were dissatisfied with the verdict.
The court had sentenced three to ten years and one month in prison, nine years and two months, and eight years and two months.
Expressing dissatisfaction does not automatically mean that convicted teenagers will complain, but dissatisfaction must be reported within 7 days of the verdict and an appeal must be made within 30 days.
If they had not expressed their dissatisfaction, the right of appeal would lapse. Instead, they now have until October 4 to decide whether to file a complaint.
The victim’s relatives and the prosecutor have both expressed their approval of the district court’s decision.
"We do not express our dissatisfaction [with the verdict]. If defendants appeal against the judgment, we will consider filing a cross-appeal," district prosecutor Satu Pomoell told Yle.
Last week, the district court prosecutor said the court duly reasoned its decision, but noted that the prison sentences could have been longer. The prosecutor demanded longer sentences of 12, 9 and a half and 11 years.
The court found that three teenagers were criminally liable for their acts, but were not given the full sentences required by the prosecutor because they were 16 years old at the time of the murder.
Source: The Nordic Page