Lam, 23, from Lien Huong commune (Tuy Phong district, Binh Thuan) was convicted of attempted murder by the Lam Dong Provincial People's Court on 8/8.

The jury stated that the defendant's actions were thuggish and disrupted order at the rehabilitation center, warranting a strict sentence.

Defendant Phan Van Lam at the trial. Photo: Nguyen Tu

According to the indictment, on the afternoon of 5/3, during a break at the Binh Thuan Drug Rehabilitation Center, Lam was smoking a cigarette when Nguyen Minh Thai, 32, the resident leader, asked for one. Thai swore while taking the cigarette, angering Lam.

Having been bullied by Thai in the past, Lam sought revenge. Later that night, after the other residents had fallen asleep, Lam retrieved a sharpened chopstick he had hidden in the restroom and stabbed Thai in the chest.

Hearing Thai’s cry, the other residents woke up, restrained Lam, and alerted the center's staff. The victim was taken to Binh Thuan General Hospital and survived, sustaining injuries assessed at 16%.

The People’s Procuracy argued that Lam's premeditation in preparing the weapon and choosing a time when the victim was defenseless demonstrated his intent to kill. The victim's survival was beyond the defendant's control.

Tu Huynh