73-Year-Old Woman Gets 3 Years, 4 Months For Electrocuting Thief

[Lite Beer]

73-year-old woman gets 3 years, 4 months for electrocuting thief

BANGKOK:-- A 73-year-old woman was Tuesday sentenced to three years and four months in jail for putting up a live wire fencing around her house to protect her kratom, causing a thief to be killed early last year.

The court ruled that Thongdee Jaemsri was guilty in premeditated murder and having 41 kilograms of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa. Korth) in possession with intent to sell.

The court ruled that Thongdee used too excessive measure to protect her house by putting up 220 volt live wire fencing around her house in Bangkok's Bang Kapi district. The fence killed Maropi Lungmae in February 2010.

The court said the electricity would take three to six minutes to kill a man and the power breaker, which the electric fence was wired to, should warn the woman to cut the power supply but she did nothing until the man was electrocuted.

The court believed that the man sneaked into the house to steal the kratom the woman grew inside her house compound and his leg accidentally touched the wire when he was leaving.

The court initially sentenced Thongdee to three years for causing death to the man and two more years for having kratom in possession. The court commuted the sentence by one third because she confessed, leaving the jail term of 3 years and four months.

-- The Nation 2012-03-27

[TAWP]

This is outrages.

So we are not allowed to protect our houses, are we?

[dean999]

Your home is your castle and you should be allowed to protect it. I can't see what she done wrong. What if she had a gun and shot him, would that be premeditated murder as well?

Karma's a bitch. He done wrong and got punished. I hate people that steel. Get a bloody job like the rest of us.

Sorry, having a bad day.

[canopus1969]

Ridiculous sentence - well done to the old girl, fry the buggers if they try to steal from you !

[thequietman]

Ridiculous sentence - well done to the old girl, fry the buggers if they try to steal from you !

she had kratom. the sentence is mostly for that I would suspect. frying the guy was just a plus.

[dean999]

Ridiculous sentence - well done to the old girl, fry the buggers if they try to steal from you !

she had kratom. the sentence is mostly for that I would suspect. frying the guy was just a plus.

Thailand

The Thai government passed the Kratom Act 2486 which went into effect on August 3, 1943. This law makes planting the tree illegal and requires existing trees to be cut down. This law was not found effective, since the tree is indigenous to the country. Today, kratom is scheduled in category 5 of the Narcotics Acts (1979), in the same category as cannabis and magic mushrooms (the least punitive category). A related species, Mitragyna javanica, is often used as a substitute to get around the law, but it is not considered as effective.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kratom

[DP25]

I didn't think you normally got in trouble if a thief was killed while robbing you in Thailand. Wonder what would have happened if the drugs weren't involved.

[Misterwhisper]

It certainly is a harsh sentence, but as other posters I, too, suspect that it was mainly imposed because of the kratom cultivation and possession.

Then again, erecting a 220V electrical fence is a rather excessive measure to protect yourself from potential thieves. Even an innocent passer-by, say a child, could have accidentially touched it.

She probably had been repeatedly robbed of her kratom in the past and, while being stoned out of her wits on her own produce, thought it was a terrific idea to put up the fence.

[mowgus]

What is kratom exactly? Like, weed?

"The court said the electricity would take three to six minutes to kill a man..." Uh, no...if there's enough current and the guy is (luckily?) standing in water...you can stop that heart pretty much instantaneously. Maybe they meant to BBQ a man.

[Mario2008]

In any country I know this would be a crime.

This was a thief, but what if it there was a fire and a fireman broke into the house to rescue any inhabitants. He would have been killed the same way as this burgular.

[dean999]

In any country I know this would be a crime.

This was a thief, but what if it there was a fire and a fireman broke into the house to rescue any inhabitants. He would have been killed the same way as this burgular.

He would have rubber boots on.

[Pib]

Then again, erecting a 220V electrical fence is a rather excessive measure to protect yourself from potential thieves. Even an innocent passer-by, say a child, could have accidentially touched it.

Couldn't agree more.

[dean999]

What is kratom exactly? Like, weed?

"The court said the electricity would take three to six minutes to kill a man..." Uh, no...if there's enough current and the guy is (luckily?) standing in water...you can stop that heart pretty much instantaneously. Maybe they meant to BBQ a man.

There is a link in post #6. Why don't people read or open their eyes.

[chrisinth]

What is kratom exactly? Like, weed?

"The court said the electricity would take three to six minutes to kill a man..." Uh, no...if there's enough current and the guy is (luckily?) standing in water...you can stop that heart pretty much instantaneously. Maybe they meant to BBQ a man.

There is a link in post #6. Why don't people read or open their eyes.

Or try it? Only joking!

As stated by earlier posters, the only thing I could think wrong was if the wrong person touched it. Another possible thing wrong could be replacing the fuse in the breaker for a six inch nail; you would likely need that for up to six minutes zapability without tripping it.

[ratcatcher]

In any country I know this would be a crime.

This was a thief, but what if it there was a fire and a fireman broke into the house to rescue any inhabitants. He would have been killed the same way as this burgular.

He would have rubber boots on.

And of course, the thief didn't have robber boots on,right?

Still, a rather shocking thing to happen, maybe she should have had a flock of pitbulls?

[transam]

Seem to think the hot fence was to protect a business.

[Gone]

I agree that her meathod was a little harsh. Yes you are allowed to protect your property here and use deadly force if needed (guns, knifes etc.) however with a gun it is not pre-meditated and no innicent people could get killed unless they were ON her property. As with the 240v anyone innocent who touched it could die like this theif did.

I don't blame her for protecting herslef and her stash and do believe that killing a theif should be justifiable however I disagree with HER method.

As one poster said pitbulls would have been better.

Edited March 27, 2012 by Gone

[dhrobertson]

My god, there are some pretty awful people out there.

If you get to see electrocuted people regularly as I do, you would not wish that on anybody.

Protecting a business? Oh, well that's alright then.....guns? pitbulls? are you American or something?

You can errect and electric fence which will protect you well enough but will not deliver a fatal amount of current. It takes only 50mA since you ask.

Pity the courts don't hand down sentences like this to electricians and contractors who cause death by criminal negligence.

[endure]

Haven't any of you ever heard of proportionality?

[smedly]

excessive, you could install an electric fence that is none lethal as a deterent putting signs clearly stating that the house is protected with an electrified fence - simialr to what farmers use to keep cattle etc in a defined area, a fence connected to the 220v mains supply is potentially lethal and would not take 3-6mins to kill, the very nature of 220v mains is that it is AC and usually will tend to throw a person away from it if touched - my guess is that he fell on it and couldn't get off

She was growing drugs as already stated and is most likely the reason for the harsh prison sentence, it seems not only did she sell drugs as the supplier but was also the producer

[TAWP]

If I put up a electric grid on my yard, well within the boundaries of the land so no-one innocent could touch it, had a nice sign warning for it - why would I feel guilt if a burglar got fried from touching it?

I didn't force him to commit a crime and I didn't force him to touch the defense-grid.

[geriatrickid]

The law in many jurisdictions only allows for appropriate force to be used. Killing someone in respect to a small property crime is not usually considered appropriate, particularly when there is no imminent threat of bodily harm.

It is this attitude of willful killing that created the recent case where an innocent unarmed young afro american kid was shot on the sidewalk in Sanford, Florida, USA by a gun toting self appointed neighbourhood watch person, despite being told by the police dispatcher not to pursue the kid.

[ShodomonRules]

Wonder if they'll ever do anything about the electricians who refuse to ground water heaters, with a shrug and a mai pen lai....seems just as premeditated.

[Credo]

If I put up a electric grid on my yard, well within the boundaries of the land so no-one innocent could touch it, had a nice sign warning for it - why would I feel guilt if a burglar got fried from touching it?

I didn't force him to commit a crime and I didn't force him to touch the defense-grid.

So what language or languages would you post the sign in?

[Beetlejuice]

This is outrages.

So we are not allowed to protect our houses, are we?

And what if a child tried to climb over the fence to retrive a football accidentually kicked onto the woman`s property, or even a dog or a cat?

I believe in reasonably protecting our property, but this is way over the top.

No, sorry but that woman is insane.

[marquess]

If the thief wasn't trying to get in and out of her house, he wouldn't have been electrocuted, I have little sympathy for him he was committing a crime and paid the ultimate price for it.

[Ulysses G.]

Makes a lot of sense.

[phiphidon]

If I put up a electric grid on my yard, well within the boundaries of the land so no-one innocent could touch it, had a nice sign warning for it - why would I feel guilt if a burglar got fried from touching it?

I didn't force him to commit a crime and I didn't force him to touch the defense-grid.

So no one is innocent who is on your land? A child kicks a football into your garden, climbs over the fence to get it and.......Meanwhile you are safely tucked up with your paranoia and proud of the fact that you will defend your plot to the death, as long as it is someone elses.

[transam]

If I put up a electric grid on my yard, well within the boundaries of the land so no-one innocent could touch it, had a nice sign warning for it - why would I feel guilt if a burglar got fried from touching it?

I didn't force him to commit a crime and I didn't force him to touch the defense-grid.

So no one is innocent who is on your land? A child kicks a football into your garden, climbs over the fence to get it and.......Meanwhile you are safely tucked up with your paranoia and proud of the fact that you will defend your plot to the death, as long as it is someone elses.

, So your one of those religious green blokes that forgives the killers of your family eh. The criminals who have no scruples at all laugh at you folk.

[GentlemanJim]

Thailand does indeed have laws that stipulate appropriate force. If a robber comes in to your house and threatens you and your family you can shoot him. But as the police said to me, for Gods sake shoot to kill! If you shoot him running out your garden you are in big big trouble (so drag him back in said the police!!

It is unlikely a 73 year old woman knew of the lethality of the fence. I would think she was talking to one of her 'regulars' about protecting the drug and he said, I know someone that can put up electric fences....bingo. So something that done properly will set you back 80-100K for a 30m by 20m garden gets done for her for 3000 baht! It could be a tough old time in the clink for a 73 year old.