There has been a new legal development in the case of the murder of Garifallia Psarakou, who was killed by her partner on Folegandros in 2021, as – according to the lawyer representing the family of the murdered woman – the perpetrator is expected to appeal to the Supreme Court, seeking to have the life sentences imposed on him in the first and second instances “overturned.”
“He has taken a divine being away from us; he has robbed her of her dreams, her youth, her vitality…,” her mother, Alexandra Makou, bursts out, speaking to ALPHA. “He is an unrepentant man. He’s a man who doesn’t apologize; he just wants to save his own skin. I was sure he’d appeal to the Supreme Court, because all he cares about is getting out of prison. He can’t grasp that he took a girl’s life. He’s proving once again that he just wants to save his own skin,” she says emphatically.
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She maintains that sincere remorse should be demonstrated through actions and not just through words. “He could have chosen not to proceed and shown remorse—a genuine apology expressed through actions, not just words. That would be a sign to us that he has truly regretted his actions,” she emphasizes.
For his part, the family’s attorney, Alexis Mavraidis, explained that the convicted man filed a petition for review with the Supreme Court, as he was dissatisfied with the Court of Appeals’ decision, seeking, as he puts it in layman’s terms, to “break” his life sentence.
As he noted, the Mixed Jury Court of Appeals of Syros sentenced him to life imprisonment, as did the trial court, unanimously rejecting his claims of diminished responsibility and a sudden outburst of passion, while noting “the decision is very well-reasoned from a legal standpoint and thoroughly substantiated, leaving no room for doubt.” However, as he notes, the Supreme Court is the competent authority to rule on the appeal.
“He filed an appeal with the Supreme Court; apparently, he was not satisfied with the initial decision of the Mixed Jury Court of Syros,” he notes, adding: “Clearly, he wants to avoid a life sentence. As we say more colloquially, he wants a more lenient sentence. He has even invoked Paulo Coelho, claiming that the universe conspired to bring about what happened.”
According to him, the convicted man has cited mitigating factors, including diminished responsibility, a sudden outburst of emotion, and remorse.
“The family can’t find peace either; here they are, six years later, back in court over the same case,” he points out.
Source: Proto Thema
