On the evening of April 30 last year, the usual peaceful atmosphere on the outskirts of Croydon North in Melbourne, Australia, was broken by a woman's screams and cries for help. That night, Chen Cheng, a 35-year-old Chinese woman, was found lying in a pool of blood with her 2-year-old son at the scene. After the police arrived, Adam Brown, the husband of the murdered woman, was arrested on the spot.

On May 30, 2023, Adam Brown, who killed his wife, was finally punished a year later and sentenced to 24 years in prison. Judge John Champion rejected Adam Brown's plea under the pretext of mental disorder, saying he deserved "conscientious condemnation" and "fair punishment".

"victim Chen Cheng

The tragedy happened:

The husband stabbed his wife to death, and the 2-year-old son was at the scene

According to court records, Chen Cheng, a Chinese woman, emigrated to Australia and received a master's degree in building management. She and Brown married in 2017 and welcomed their son Luke three years later.

Brown used to teach at the university.

Around 10:00 on the evening of April 30th, 2022, neighbors heard a female voice screaming and crying, which was unusual in the normally quiet suburbs. A neighbor confirmed to the court that he heard a woman screaming and shouting "help, please stop, I'm sorry." Another man told the police that he heard a woman shouting "help me, help me, he wants to kill me". Some neighbors followed the sound to Brown's house and knocked on the door, including an Australian registered nurse.

It took a few minutes for Brown to open the garage door and put the neighbor in. The neighbors were stunned by the sight as soon as they entered the door. they saw Chen Cheng lying on the grass and did not respond. Someone immediately performed CPR and called the police and an ambulance. While waiting for the ambulance, Brown told his neighbor that he "never thought this would happen."

At 10:24 that evening, the police arrived and arrested Brown immediately. Brown told police that Chen Cheng took the lead in picking up a knife to attack himself after the two men quarreled over parenting, accidentally stabbing Chen Cheng during a fight.

The scene of the crime

The scene of the crime

Judge Champion rejected Brown's claim at the trial. The judge held that Chen Cheng was petite and had multiple defensive knife wounds, while Brown suffered very minor injuries. "I admit that you two had an argument, but I don't think your (Brown) life is threatened and you are not in a position of self-defense, only Chen Cheng is struggling to survive."

Brown is a senior lecturer in media and gender studies at Deakin University. His students generally think that he is gentle and often posts pictures of "show affection" and does not look like a murderer. But according to several people close to him, Brown's behavior was abnormal and "creepy" before the incident. For example, four days before the murder, Brown wrote on social media: "I kidnapped my partner and put her on the cliff to blow."

Judge:

Mental disorder is not an excuse.

The killer committed "disgusting behavior"

The killer committed "disgusting behavior"

Judge Champion acknowledged at the trial that Brown had a mental disorder, but did not think that this could be used as a reason for exoneration. Adaptive disorder is a very common phenomenon, but not everyone with adaptive disorder will stab another person to death. In my opinion, this kind of mental injury is not the direct cause of you (Brown) to commit such atrocities. " The judge held that even if Brown picked up the knife on impulse in a rage, he could have stopped at any time to defuse the situation during the continuous stabbing.

Judge Champion acknowledged at the trial that Brown had a mental disorder, but did not think that this could be used as a reason for exoneration. Adaptive disorder is a very common phenomenon, but not everyone with adaptive disorder will stab another person to death. In my opinion, this kind of mental injury is not the direct cause of you (Brown) to commit such atrocities. " The judge held that even if Brown picked up the knife on impulse in a rage, he could have stopped at any time to defuse the situation during the continuous stabbing.

"obviously, you have a chance to stop, put down the knife, and leave the scene of the argument. On the contrary, you have done something morally disgusting and deserve to be condemned by your conscience. Chen Cheng fought for her life, and there was no doubt that she was frightened by what happened. There is no excuse for what you did. You must be justly punished for your crimes. Your behavior caused your wife's family to lose their beloved daughter and niece. You have permanently affected the lives of so many people, especially your own children. "

As painful as a sword through the heart

My daughter's marriage is not happy.

Judge Champion also read out the statement and testimony of the deceased's mother Liu Min in court. In the document, Liu Min said her daughter's death made her "like a sword piercing the heart". "I was afraid to go out to see my relatives and friends. I couldn't believe that my beautiful daughter was murdered in her home, where she was supposed to be the safest place."

In 2017, the couple held a Chinese wedding in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province.

In 2017, the couple held a Chinese wedding in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province. The scene was very warm. But in the years after their marriage, they went through a turbulent period, including emotional stress on Chen Cheng when the baby was born, Brown's often unstable job, the death of Brown's closest brother, and frequent quarrels between the couple. Liu Min said he had witnessed these arguments during family visits in Australia and began to believe that her daughter's marriage was not happy. Out of concern, she kept daily contact with her daughter after she returned home. Mother and daughter also talked on the night of Chen Cheng's murder, but there seemed to be nothing unusual in that conversation.

Liu Min said she had thought that if her daughter and Brown no longer had a relationship, it would be a peaceful divorce and her daughter moved out to live on her own. But she had no idea that her daughter had unfortunately withered in the "most beautiful blooming season".

Red Star News reporter Zheng Zhi

Zhang Li, editor of Ren Zhijiang