Czech man admits to fatally throwing blind man in river while high, faces 18 years behind bars
As per the prosecution, the event occurred on March 11 of this year on the bridge on Nádražní Street in Mlada Boleslav. Kubát reportedly attacked a blind man who was moving with the help of a cane, pinned him against the railing, and threw him over it after a minute-long struggle. The victim plummeted into the river from a height of roughly 13 feet, with the water temperature being 41 degrees Fahrenheit.
12:54 PM EST, December 22, 2023
The man's body was discovered by police a month after he drowned. Kubát could potentially be sentenced to up to 18 years in prison. However, his defense attorney is suggesting that Kubát may have been mentally unsound during the time of the crime.
"I have no idea, I don't know what happened. I don't recall encountering the victim, I can't explain it," said Kubát in court on Thursday. He stated that he had been drinking all morning. In the afternoon, he joined his colleagues where they continued drinking and also smoked marijuana. Kubát asserts that he doesn't remember how he got back home.
Expressing deep regret over the tragic incident, Kubát called the scene of the attack "cursed," claiming his sister died there many years back.
Kubát's counsel emphasized that while he agrees with the prosecution's description of events, he categorically denies acting with premeditation. According to his attorney, Kubát, due to his altered mental state at the time, failed to notice the victim's blindness, the high water level, or the temperature of the water.
The main proceedings of the trial are slated to resume on January 24.
