Man accused of murder pleads insanity

A man accused of trying to kill a brother and sister who lived next door to him in Zejtun and actually succeeding in the case of the brother yesterday appeared before jurors elected to determine a plea of temporary insanity.

Silvio Mangion, 37, of Zejtun is pleading not guilty, by reason of insanity at the time of the commission of the crime, to the wilful homicide of Francesco Saverio Cassar, 75, and the attempted murder of his sister Giuseppa in Zejtun on August 16, 1998, at about 4 p.m.

He is also charged with trying to rob the Cassars of cash and valuables, and carrying a knife at the time of the commission of the crime and without a licence.

Mangion filed his plea before Mr Justice Joseph Galea Debono in the Criminal Court yesterday.

The bill of indictment drafted by the prosecution claims that Mangion had tried to burgle his neighbours' house but had been seen by Giuseppa Cassar although she had not realised that Mangion was meant to rob them.

Mangion, who was unemployed at the time, did not give up on his plan but decided he would have to kill the Cassars so that no one would recognise him.

On August 16, 1998, at about 4 p.m. Mangion swallowed pills and drank whisky to pluck up his courage, rang the Cassars' doorbell and surprised Giuseppa Cassar with the knife when she opened the door, stabbing her in the stomach and right arm.

But she fought back and called her brother for help. Mangion turned on him and stabbed him in the chest. Francesco Saverio Cassar did not survive.

When Mangion saw the Cassars bleeding on the ground and his T-shirt covered in blood he became frightened and ran away.

He threw his top and knife into a reservoir in President Anton Buttigieg Street.

After the bill of indictment was read out, the prosecution called psychiatrist John Mifsud to the witness stand.

Dr Mifsud explained he had been appointed by the court of inquiry to examine Mangion two days after the alleged commission of the crime and observed him for 10 days.

Consultant psychiatrists Dr Joseph Spiteri, Dr Joseph Vella Baldacchino and Dr David Cassar were appointed by the Magistrates' Court to decide on the issue of insanity and concluded there were no signs that Mangion was suffering from any form of mental illness at the time of the commission of the crime.

Silvio Mangion, who has been detained at Mount Carmel Hospital for more than four years, took the witness stand in the evening.

The trial continues this morning with legal submissions.

Assistant Attorney General Anthony Barbara and counsel to the republic Dr Michaela Spiteri are prosecuting.

Dr Jason Azzopardi is appearing for the defendant.