Henryk Moruś
Henryk Moruś (born 1943 in Sulejów - died August 18, 2013 in Czarne) was a Polish serial killer who was convicted in 1993 for committing seven murders in the territory of Piotrków Voivodeship. He was the last prisoner to be sentenced to death in Poland in accordance with the European Convention of Human Rights.[1][2]
Henryk Moruś | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1943 |
| Died | August 18, 2013 (aged 69–70) |
| Cause of death | Heart failure |
| Conviction(s) | Murder |
| Criminal penalty | Death, commuted to life imprisonment |
| Details | |
| Victims | 7 |
Span of crimes | 1986–1992 |
| Country | Poland |
| State(s) | Piotrków Voivodeship |
Investigation
Henryk Moruś was arrested in 1992. Initially he confessed to all seven murders that were attributed to him, citing that material problems with his family was his motive. However, he declared he was innocent at the pre-trial investigation.
The prosecutor accused him of shooting seven people for robbery with his carbine. The first murder was to carried out in 1986, and the next in the first half of 1992.[1][3] Henryk Moruś' victims were:
- Teresa Grabowska (in 1986)
- A 60-year old saleswoman from Piotrków Trybunalski, murdered in her own store
- Zdzisława and Mieczysław Beśkowie (married couple from Sulejów), killed in their own home's bedroom, with the woman being pregnant in the third month[4]
- Józef Jęcek, a pensioner from Ciechomin
- Jarosław Kszczot, a cement trader from Czarnocin
- Andrzej Kłosiński, owner of an office in Koluszki.
During the long-lasting court proceedings, the accused did not speak, did not show remorse and made offensive gestures, which suggested a lack of senses (which, however, did not confirm anything). Expert psychiatrists recognized him as sane and completely accountable for his actions - they did not see him as having the capacity for higher feelings though. According to his family, he was a good husband and caring father of three children. In 1993, the Provincial Court of Piotrków Trybunalski sentenced Henryk Moruś for four murders to the death penalty with indefinite deprivation of public rights, and for three other murders and three offenses (theft, illegal alcohol and illegal possession of a firearm without a permit) to 25 years imprisonment.[5]
Appeals
On December 3, 1993, in the proceedings before the second instance at the Łódź Court of Appeal, the sentence was lifted, returning the case for re-examination, stating that the ruling of the Piotrków court was affected by significant deficiencies. The court came to the decision that only Andrzej Kłosiński's murder could be proven at first, which was helped by admission of Moruś, who initially denied any involvement before the court. It has also not been determined whether one or more people participated in the murder, as three witnesses gave different stories. The court re-imposed the same penalty in 1995.
Two separate appeals lodged by the defenders accused the court of many contradictions contained in the court's assessment and questioned the death penalty in the current moratorium on its execution. The court of appeal, which considered defense applications, supplemented (as a rarity) evidence of new expert opinions. Ultimately, however, the lower sentence was upheld. The accused's last words were that he had not killed anyone, and that the sentence was given coldly.
In the justification, the court stressed the causal relationship between the evidence and the assessment of the first sentence. The court also issued a verdict that the death penalty does not contradict Art. 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, because (according to the law), it allows for it under Polish law, and the moratorium only concerns the periodic execution of the death penalty. Defending attorney Wiktor Celler announced that he would appeal for cassation. Finally, after the abolition of the death penalty in Poland with the enforcing of the Penal Code in 1998, it was turned into a life sentence for Henryk Moruś.[6]
Punishment and application for pardon
He was detained in a prison for recidivists in a seven-person cell in the Wołów Prison. His behaviour in penitentiary services was so good that he used the right to work, sewing leather balls in the sewing room.[7] In 2008, he applied for a pardon to president Lech Kaczyński. He emphasized that the punishment changed his life a lot, he regrets what he did, he became a Jehovah's witness in prison and would like to spend the rest of his life there.[8] The Łódź Court of Appeal issued a negative opinion on the pardon application, just the like the District Court in Piotrków - it was decided to leave the request without further progress. In November 2009, Moruś was moved due to health complications from Wołów to Wrocław.[9]
Death
Moruś died on August 18, 2013 in the prison hospital of Czarne. He was 70 years old. The most probable cause of death was atherosclerosis, ischemic cardiomyopathy or heart failure. The family did not pick up his corpse, so his burial was organised by the prison. Henryk Moruś was buried in the municipal cemetery at Sienkiewicz Street in Człuchów.[10][8]
See also
References
- tygodnik Rzeczpospolita, wydanie 980425, 2001 r.
- "Morderca z Sulejowa bez łaski". "Dziennik Łódzki", przedruk portal wp.pl. 19 June 2008. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
- Magazyn Kryminalny 997, odcinek nr. 205, 9 grudnia 1999 r.
- Karolina Wojna (6 June 2008). "Tu nikt go nie ułaskawi..." (PDF). tygodnik "7 Dni". Retrieved 19 January 2010.
- Marian Strzelecki (17 September 1994). "Sprawa Morusia znów na wokandzie". tygodnik "Rzeczpospolita". Retrieved 19 January 2010.
- Mariusz Jakubek (18 June 2008). "Moruś will be behind bars". "Ziemia Piotrkowska" Weekly. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
- Marek Okolny (30 May 2008). "The aristocrat asks Lech Kaczyński for grace". "Dziennik Łódzki". Retrieved 19 January 2010.
- Marek Okolny (16 September 2013). "The ruthless murderer from Sulejów is dead. Henryk Moruś died in prison". dzienniklodzki.pl. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
- Marek Okolny (23 November 2003). "A Murderer from Sulejów transported to Wrocław". E.Piotrków.pl. Retrieved 19 January 2010.
- Marek Obszarny: Henryk Moruś, the murderer of seven people, has died in prison. "Dziennik Łódzki", 7–8 September 2013