Turkey’s Court issues 15-year sentence for bishop's killer

(Jan. 23, 2013) A Turkish court has issued a 15-year prison sentence to the man who admitted to the June 2010 murder of Bishop Luigi Padovese. Murat Altun had claimed that he was not in control of himself at the time of the killing, and his lawyers had entered an insanity plea But a medical commission found Altun competent to stand trial. During the trial. Altun, who had been the bishop’s chaffeur, gave several conflicting explanations for his sudden decision to slash Bishop Padovese’s throat. Catholic Church leaders in Turkey have pressed the government for a more thorough investigation of the crime.