Laboratory information management system for COVID-19 non-clinical efficacy trial data
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{{short description|Swedish case of murder}} |
{{short description|Swedish case of murder}} |
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{{Use dmy dates|date=July |
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}} |
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{{Infobox person |
{{Infobox person |
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| name = Catrine da Costa |
| name = Catrine da Costa |
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| birth_place = [[Luleå]], Sweden |
| birth_place = [[Luleå]], Sweden |
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| death_date = c. July 1984 (aged 28) |
| death_date = c. July 1984 (aged 28) |
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| disappeared_date= {{disappeared date and age|1984| |
| disappeared_date= {{disappeared date and age|1984|6|10|1956|6|19|df=yes}} |
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| death_place = [[Solna Municipality|Solna]], Sweden |
| death_place = [[Solna Municipality|Solna]], Sweden |
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| death_cause = Undetermined, considered homicide |
| death_cause = Undetermined, considered homicide |
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| body_discovered = 18 July and |
| body_discovered = 18 July and 7 August 1984 |
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| height = |
| height = |
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| weight = |
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| title = |
| title = |
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| nationality = |
| nationality = |
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| children = 2 |
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| education = |
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| occupation = |
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| children = 1 |
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'''Catrine da Costa''' (19{{nbs}}June 1956{{nbs}}– {{nowrap|''ca''.{{tsp}}July}} 1984) is a Swedish murder victim whose remains were found in [[Solna Municipality|Solna]], north of [[Stockholm]], in 1984. Da Costa had been [[dismemberment|dismembered]], and parts of her body were found in plastic bags on 18{{nbs}}July and 7{{nbs}}August. The case is known as '''''styckmordsrättegången''''' ('the dismemberment murder trial'). How da Costa died has not been established as her vital organs and head have never been found. |
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== Background == |
== Background == |
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Da Costa, |
Da Costa, a sex worker in Stockholm in early 1984,<ref name="metro.se">{{cite news |url=http://www.metro.se/nyheter/30-ar-senare-har-de-inte-fatt-upprattelse/EVHnez!Gx9trOIo1b2ZI/ |newspaper=[[Metro International|Metro]] |title=30 år senare har de inte fått upprättelse |trans-title=30 years later, they have not had redress |first=Stefan |last=Wahlberg |date=27 May 2014 |access-date=19 June 2015 |language=Swedish |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713110336/http://www.metro.se/nyheter/30-ar-senare-har-de-inte-fatt-upprattelse/EVHnez!Gx9trOIo1b2ZI/ |archive-date=13 July 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=telegraph>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/8157585/The-real-life-Swedish-murder-that-inspired-Stieg-Larsson.html |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |title=The real-life Swedish murder that inspired Stieg Larsson |first=Julie |last=Bindel |date=30 November 2010 |accessdate=27 September 2014 |issn=0307-1235 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006115950/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/8157585/The-real-life-Swedish-murder-that-inspired-Stieg-Larsson.html |archive-date=6 October 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Burstein 2011">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uaQXvZG4P5cC&q=catrine+da+costa+license&pg=PA152 |title=The Tattooed Girl: The Enigma of Stieg Larsson and the Secrets Behind the Most Compelling Thrillers of Our Time |first1=Dan |last1=Burstein |first2=Arne |last2=de Keijzer |first3=John-Henri |last3=Holmberg |publisher=St. Martin's Griffin |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-312-61056-2 |page=152 |accessdate=27 September 2014}}</ref> disappeared during [[Pentecost]] on 10 June, or soon thereafter.<ref name="Burstein 2011" /> On 18 July, parts of her dismembered body were discovered under a highway overpass in [[Solna Municipality|Solna]], just outside Stockholm; additional body parts were discovered elsewhere on 7 August.<ref name=telegraph /><ref name=local2009>{{cite news |title=Da Costa murder probe officially laid to rest |url=https://www.thelocal.se/20090711/20596 |accessdate=17 July 2020 |work=The Local |date=11 July 2009}}</ref> Da Costa's body was identified by her fingerprints.<ref name="Burstein 2011" /> Her head, internal organs, one breast and genitalia have never been found,<ref name="Burstein 2011" /><ref name=telegraph /> and no cause of death could be determined.<ref name=telegraph /> |
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Da Costa's body was identified by her fingerprints.<ref name="Burstein 2011" /> Her head, internal organs, one breast and genitalia have never been found,<ref name="Burstein 2011" /><ref name=telegraph /> and no cause of death could be determined from what was found.<ref name=telegraph /> |
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Shortly thereafter,<ref name=telegraph /> Teet Härm, a [[Pathology|pathologist]] in a |
Shortly thereafter,<ref name=telegraph /> Teet Härm, a forensic [[Pathology|pathologist]] in a laboratory at [[Karolinska Institutet]], was suspected of the crime.<ref name="metro.se" /> He was known to have met sex workers in the past, and his workplace was located between the two places where the victim's body was found.<ref name=telegraph /> He was arrested and released.<ref name="metro.se" /> |
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At this time, the wife of Thomas |
At this time, the wife of Thomas Allgén,<ref name=telegraph /> a [[general practitioner]], alerted the police that their 17-month-old daughter might be an incest victim.<ref name="google.com">{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2507&dat=19880309&id=_DhAAAAAIBAJ&pg=3776,2290863 |newspaper=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Glasgow Herald]] |title=Baby's testimony convicts doctors of murder |first=Lars |last=Foyen |location=Stockholm |agency=Reuters |page=4 |date=9 March 1988 |accessdate=14 July 2015}}</ref> Pediatric examinations found no evidence of abuse,<ref name="google.com" /> and the doctor and his wife separated in late 1984.<ref name="metro.se" /> Later in 1985, the wife told police that her 27 month old daughter had begun talking about witnessing a dismemberment.<ref name="google.com" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.daddys-sverige.com/daddys-blogg/thomas-har-inte-sett-sin-dotter-p-25-r|title=Daddys blogg – Daddys|work=Daddys|accessdate=19 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618235928/http://www.daddys-sverige.com/daddys-blogg/thomas-har-inte-sett-sin-dotter-p-25-r|archive-date=18 June 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> Since the pathologist and the general practitioner knew each other superficially, the police connected the cases.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2013/nov/01/inside-job-10-crime-writers-turned-detective-pd-james |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |title=Inside job: 10 crime writers turned detective |first=John |last=Dugdale |date=1 November 2013 |accessdate=14 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715022924/http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2013/nov/01/inside-job-10-crime-writers-turned-detective-pd-james |archive-date=15 July 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> The following trials also contained testimonies from the 2½-year-old child's stories, interpreted by her mother and evaluated by a child psychologist and child psychiatrist.<ref name=telegraph /> |
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In 1986, police resources were stretched thin after [[Assassination of Olof Palme|the murder]] of Swedish Prime Minister [[Olof Palme]], |
In 1986, police resources were stretched thin after [[Assassination of Olof Palme|the murder]] of Swedish Prime Minister [[Olof Palme]], so the dismemberment case was shelved until the following year. Härm and Allgén were arrested in late 1987 and brought to trial in January 1988.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.mediemordet.com/Agell-DN-031123.html |newspaper=[[Dagens Nyheter]] |title=Läkarna utsatta för rent justitiemord |trans-title=The doctors exposed to pure miscarriage of justice |first=Anders |last=Agell |date=24 November 2003 |accessdate=19 June 2015 |language=Swedish |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618214516/http://www.mediemordet.com/Agell-DN-031123.html |archive-date=18 June 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> |
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== {{anchor|The trials}}Trials == |
== {{anchor|The trials}}Trials == |
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The first trial ended in a [[mistrial (law)|mistrial]] after the [[lay judge]]s were interviewed for the newspaper ''[[Aftonbladet]]'' on 9 March 1988 and commented on the court's justification for its judicial decision.<ref name="svd.se">{{cite news|url=http://www.svd.se/styckmordet-har-etsat-sig-fast-i-folksjalen |newspaper=[[Svenska Dagbladet]] |title=Styckmordet har etsat sig fast i folksjälen |trans-title=The murder has been etched in the soul of the people |first=Anneli |last=Rogeman |date=10 January 2004 |accessdate=19 June 2015 |language=Swedish |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618235630/http://www.svd.se/styckmordet-har-etsat-sig-fast-i-folksjalen |archivedate=18 June 2015 }}</ref> In a second trial, the lower court asked the [[Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare]] to investigate the circumstances of the case<ref name="metro.se" /> and found that da Costa's cause of death was unknown. As a result, the two defendants were acquitted, since it could not be established that da Costa died under suspicious circumstances. Although in its verdict the court found that the defendants had dismembered the victim's body,<ref name="svd.se" /> the [[statute of limitations]] for that crime had expired.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/styckmordet-blev-en-rattegang-mot-svenska-rattvisan/ |newspaper=[[Expressen]] |title=Styckmordet blev en rättegång mot svenska rättvisan |trans-title=The murder became a trial against Swedish justice |first=Lars |last=Lindström |date=4 December 2009 |accessdate=19 June 2015 |language=Swedish |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618214722/http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/styckmordet-blev-en-rattegang-mot-svenska-rattvisan/ |archive-date=18 June 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> |
The first trial ended in a [[mistrial (law)|mistrial]] after the [[lay judge]]s were interviewed for the newspaper ''[[Aftonbladet]]'' on 9 March 1988 and commented on the court's justification for its judicial decision.<ref name="svd.se">{{cite news|url=http://www.svd.se/styckmordet-har-etsat-sig-fast-i-folksjalen |newspaper=[[Svenska Dagbladet]] |title=Styckmordet har etsat sig fast i folksjälen |trans-title=The murder has been etched in the soul of the people |first=Anneli |last=Rogeman |date=10 January 2004 |accessdate=19 June 2015 |language=Swedish |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618235630/http://www.svd.se/styckmordet-har-etsat-sig-fast-i-folksjalen |archivedate=18 June 2015 }}</ref> In a second trial, the lower court asked the [[Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare]] to investigate the circumstances of the case<ref name="metro.se" /> and found that da Costa's cause of death was unknown. As a result, the two defendants were acquitted, since it could not be established that da Costa died under suspicious circumstances. Although in its verdict the court found that the defendants had in fact dismembered the victim's body,<ref name="svd.se" /> the [[statute of limitations]] for that crime had expired.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/styckmordet-blev-en-rattegang-mot-svenska-rattvisan/ |newspaper=[[Expressen]] |title=Styckmordet blev en rättegång mot svenska rättvisan |trans-title=The murder became a trial against Swedish justice |first=Lars |last=Lindström |date=4 December 2009 |accessdate=19 June 2015 |language=Swedish |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618214722/http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/styckmordet-blev-en-rattegang-mot-svenska-rattvisan/ |archive-date=18 June 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> |
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On 23 May 1989, the Swedish authority for medical-negligence assessment rescinded the doctors' right to work, and its ruling was upheld in a 1991 appeal.<ref name="metro.se" /> The doctors have appealed to several courts, including the [[Supreme Court of Sweden]], the [[Supreme Administrative Court of Sweden]] (''Regeringsrätten'') and the [[European Court of Human Rights]], none of which |
On 23 May 1989, the Swedish authority for medical-negligence assessment rescinded the doctors' right to work, and its ruling was upheld in a 1991 appeal.<ref name="metro.se" /> The doctors have appealed to several courts, including the [[Supreme Court of Sweden]], the [[Supreme Administrative Court of Sweden]] (''Regeringsrätten'') and the [[European Court of Human Rights]], none of which has overturned the ruling.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nyhetsverket.se/nyhet/4249/Patrik-Nybergs-intervju-med-obducenten |publisher=Nyhetsverket.se |title=Patrik Nybergs intervju med obducenten |trans-title=Patrik Nyberg interview with the pathologist |first=Patrik |last=Nyberg |date=30 January 2010 |accessdate=27 September 2014 |language=Swedish |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618214424/http://www.nyhetsverket.se/nyhet/4249/Patrik-Nybergs-intervju-med-obducenten |archivedate=18 June 2015 }}</ref> |
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== Aftermath == |
== Aftermath == |
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The case has been the focus of several books, investigative articles and television documentaries. Journalist Per Lindeberg published ''Döden är en man'' (''Death is a Man'') in 1999, questioning the police investigation and contending that the men were victims of a miscarriage of justice caused partially by extensive media coverage. In 2003 journalist Lars Borgnäs published ''Sanningen är en sällsynt gäst'' (''Truth is a Rare Guest''), opposing Lindeberg's position and theorizing that da Costa was murdered by a serial killer.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=147&a=450938 |newspaper=[[Dagens Nyheter]] |title=Mordet på Catrine |trans-title=The murder of Catrine |date= |
The case has been the focus of several books, investigative articles and television documentaries. Author Hanna Olsson published the book ''Cathrine och rättvisan'' (''Cathrine and the Justice'') in 1990, highlighting the patriarchal nature of the justice system and how women in prostitution were not seen as reliable witnesses. Journalist Per Lindeberg published ''Döden är en man'' (''Death is a Man'') in 1999, questioning the police investigation and contending that the men were victims of a miscarriage of justice caused partially by extensive media coverage. In 2003 journalist Lars Borgnäs published ''Sanningen är en sällsynt gäst'' (''Truth is a Rare Guest''), opposing Lindeberg's position and theorizing that da Costa was murdered by a serial killer.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=147&a=450938 |newspaper=[[Dagens Nyheter]] |title=Mordet på Catrine |trans-title=The murder of Catrine |date=16 August 2005 |language=Swedish |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070407010237/http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=147 |archivedate=7 April 2007}}</ref> |
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In 2006, the doctors demanded 40 million [[Swedish krona|kronor]] (about US$4.8 |
In 2006, the doctors demanded 40 million [[Swedish krona|kronor]] (about US$4.8 million) in damages for loss of income during the years they could not practice and for defamation.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article10917433.ab |title=Friades för styckmord – kräver miljonskadestånd |trans-title=Cleared of murder charges – calls for million crowns of damages |newspaper=[[Aftonbladet]] |first=Johanna |last=Melén |date=3 April 2007 |accessdate=19 June 2015 |language=Swedish |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150620022227/http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article10917433.ab |archive-date=20 June 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.svt.se/kultur/ett-rattsfall-som-uppror-styckmordet-pa-catrine-da-costa |publisher=[[Sveriges Television]] |title=Ett rättsfall som upprör – Styckmordet på Catrine da Costa |trans-title=A court case that upsets – The murder of Catrine da Costa |date=11 May 2005 |accessdate=19 June 2015 |language=Swedish |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150620003055/http://www.svt.se/kultur/ett-rattsfall-som-uppror-styckmordet-pa-catrine-da-costa |archive-date=20 June 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> Their demand was refused when the Chancellor of Justice, who handles questions of voluntary damages, ruled that such a large claim should be handled by the courts.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.svd.se/nyheter/inrikes/inget-skadestand-for-lakare_4285469.svd |newspaper=[[Svenska Dagbladet]] |title=Inget skadestånd för läkare |trans-title=No damages for doctors |author=TT |date=18 February 2010 |accessdate=27 September 2014 |language=Swedish |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130621125521/http://www.svd.se/nyheter/inrikes/inget-skadestand-for-lakare_4285469.svd |archivedate=21 June 2013 |author-link=Tidningarnas Telegrambyrå }}</ref> |
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On 3 April |
On 3 April 2007, the two men's attorney registered their claim for 35 million kronor in damages at the Attunda lower court.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=147&a=635570 |newspaper=[[Dagens Nyheter]] |title=Läkare friade för styckmord kräver skadestånd |trans-title=Doctor acquitted of murder claims damages |date=3 April 2007 |language=Swedish |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070407010237/http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=147 |archivedate=7 April 2007 }}</ref> On 30 November 2009, the trial of the Swedish state began, ending shortly before Christmas.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.svd.se/inget-skadestand-for-lakare |newspaper=[[Svenska Dagbladet]] |title=Inget skadestånd för läkare |trans-title=No damages for doctor |author=TT |date=18 February 2010 |accessdate=19 June 2015 |language=Swedish |author-link=Tidningarnas Telegrambyrå |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150620021829/http://www.svd.se/inget-skadestand-for-lakare |archive-date=20 June 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=local>{{cite news|url=http://www.thelocal.se/page/view/tag/Catrine%20da%20Costa |newspaper=[[The Local]] |title=The Local – Sweden's News in English |accessdate=27 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006151725/http://www.thelocal.se/page/view/tag/Catrine%20da%20Costa |archivedate=6 October 2014 }}</ref> In an 18 February 2010 judgement, the court ruled that the doctors were not entitled to damages.<ref name=local /><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thelocal.se/25068/20100218/ |newspaper=[[The Local]] |title=No damages for docs in Da Costa murder case |date=10 June 1984 |accessdate=8 August 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005090138/http://www.thelocal.se/25068/20100218/ |archivedate=5 October 2012}}</ref> |
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Da Costa's murder inspired [[Stieg Larsson]] |
Da Costa's murder has inspired multiple works of fiction, such as [[Stieg Larsson]]'s internationally successful crime novel ''[[The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo]]''<ref name=telegraph /> and works by [[Katarina Frostenson]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Witt-Brattström |first1=Ebba |title=Katarina Frostenson |url=https://litteraturbanken.se/f%C3%B6rfattare/FrostensonK/presentation |website=Litteraturbanken |accessdate=27 September 2020}}</ref> and [[Sara Stridsberg]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rabe |first1=Annina |title=Vackert, vackert om styckmord och kvinnohat |url=https://www.expressen.se/kultur/vackert-vackert-om-styckmord-och-kvinnohat/ |website=Expressen |date=14 September 2018 |accessdate=27 September 2020}}</ref> The [[statute of limitations]] for the killing expired in 2009 and prosecutors suspended their investigations on 1 July that year.<ref name=local2009/> |
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== See also == |
== See also == |
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*[[List of solved missing |
*[[List of solved missing person cases]] |
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*[[List of unsolved murders]] |
*[[List of unsolved murders]] |
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*{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ru1wNAAACAAJ|title=Döden är en man|last=Lindeberg|first=Per|date=1999|publisher=Fischer & Company|isbn=9789170548888|language=sv}} |
*{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ru1wNAAACAAJ|title=Döden är en man|last=Lindeberg|first=Per|date=1999|publisher=Fischer & Company|isbn=9789170548888|language=sv}} |
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*{{Cite book|title=Catrine och rättvisan|last=Olsson|first=Hanna|date=2005|publisher=Pocky|isbn=9789185011209|location=Stockholm|language=Swedish|oclc=666273396}} |
*{{Cite book|title=Catrine och rättvisan|last=Olsson|first=Hanna|date=2005|publisher=Pocky|isbn=9789185011209|location=Stockholm|language=Swedish|oclc=666273396}} |
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*{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iXU0AwEACAAJ|title=Ombud för de tystade| |
*{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iXU0AwEACAAJ|title=Ombud för de tystade|last1=Rajs|first1=Jovan|last2=Hjertén|first2=Kristina|date=2001|publisher=Norstedts|isbn=9789113009094|language=sv}} |
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== External links == |
== External links == |
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|pages=37–62 |
|pages=37–62 |
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|publisher=Department of Psychology of Boise State University |
|publisher=Department of Psychology of Boise State University |
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|date=2003 |
|date=9 November 2003 |
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|url=http://truth.boisestate.edu/jcaawp/2003_37-62/2003_37-62.htm |
|url=http://truth.boisestate.edu/jcaawp/2003_37-62/2003_37-62.htm |
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|issn=1088-0755 |
|issn=1088-0755 |
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|accessdate=2007 |
|accessdate=4 April 2007 |
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|url-status=dead |
|url-status=dead |
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|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070824050405/http://truth.boisestate.edu/jcaawp/2003_37-62/2003_37-62.htm |
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070824050405/http://truth.boisestate.edu/jcaawp/2003_37-62/2003_37-62.htm |
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|archivedate= |
|archivedate=24 August 2007 |
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}} |
}} |
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*[http://www.mediemordet.com/eng.html Per Lindeberg's web site Mediemordet.com] |
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20170705060426/http://www.mediemordet.com/eng.html Per Lindeberg's web site Mediemordet.com] |
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{{Solna Municipality}} |
{{Solna Municipality}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Da Costa, Catrine}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Da Costa, Catrine}} |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:1984 murders in Sweden]] |
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⚫ | |||
[[Category:1984 murders in Europe]] |
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⚫ | |||
[[Category:Crimes against sex workers]] |
[[Category:Crimes against sex workers]] |
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⚫ | |||
[[Category:Incidents of violence against women]] |
[[Category:Incidents of violence against women]] |
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[[Category:July 1984 events in Europe]] |
[[Category:July 1984 events in Europe]] |
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[[Category:Missing person cases in Sweden]] |
[[Category:Missing person cases in Sweden]] |
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[[Category:Murder in Sweden]] |
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[[Category:Unsolved murders in Sweden]] |
[[Category:Unsolved murders in Sweden]] |
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⚫ |
Latest revision as of 13:30, 25 April 2024
Catrine da Costa | |
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![]() | |
Born | Catrine Beatrice Bäckström 19 June 1956 Luleå, Sweden |
Disappeared | 10 June 1984 (aged 27) |
Died | c. July 1984 (aged 28) Solna, Sweden |
Cause of death | Undetermined, considered homicide |
Body discovered | 18 July and 7 August 1984 |
Children | 2 |
Catrine da Costa (19 June 1956 – ca. July 1984) is a Swedish murder victim whose remains were found in Solna, north of Stockholm, in 1984. Da Costa had been dismembered, and parts of her body were found in plastic bags on 18 July and 7 August. The case is known as styckmordsrättegången ('the dismemberment murder trial'). How da Costa died has not been established as her vital organs and head have never been found.
Background
Da Costa, a sex worker in Stockholm in early 1984,[1][2][3] disappeared during Pentecost on 10 June, or soon thereafter.[3] On 18 July, parts of her dismembered body were discovered under a highway overpass in Solna, just outside Stockholm; additional body parts were discovered elsewhere on 7 August.[2][4] Da Costa's body was identified by her fingerprints.[3] Her head, internal organs, one breast and genitalia have never been found,[3][2] and no cause of death could be determined.[2]
Shortly thereafter,[2] Teet Härm, a forensic pathologist in a laboratory at Karolinska Institutet, was suspected of the crime.[1] He was known to have met sex workers in the past, and his workplace was located between the two places where the victim's body was found.[2] He was arrested and released.[1]
At this time, the wife of Thomas Allgén,[2] a general practitioner, alerted the police that their 17-month-old daughter might be an incest victim.[5] Pediatric examinations found no evidence of abuse,[5] and the doctor and his wife separated in late 1984.[1] Later in 1985, the wife told police that her 27 month old daughter had begun talking about witnessing a dismemberment.[5][6] Since the pathologist and the general practitioner knew each other superficially, the police connected the cases.[7] The following trials also contained testimonies from the 2½-year-old child's stories, interpreted by her mother and evaluated by a child psychologist and child psychiatrist.[2]
In 1986, police resources were stretched thin after the murder of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme, so the dismemberment case was shelved until the following year. Härm and Allgén were arrested in late 1987 and brought to trial in January 1988.[8]
Trials
The first trial ended in a mistrial after the lay judges were interviewed for the newspaper Aftonbladet on 9 March 1988 and commented on the court's justification for its judicial decision.[9] In a second trial, the lower court asked the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare to investigate the circumstances of the case[1] and found that da Costa's cause of death was unknown. As a result, the two defendants were acquitted, since it could not be established that da Costa died under suspicious circumstances. Although in its verdict the court found that the defendants had in fact dismembered the victim's body,[9] the statute of limitations for that crime had expired.[10]
On 23 May 1989, the Swedish authority for medical-negligence assessment rescinded the doctors' right to work, and its ruling was upheld in a 1991 appeal.[1] The doctors have appealed to several courts, including the Supreme Court of Sweden, the Supreme Administrative Court of Sweden (Regeringsrätten) and the European Court of Human Rights, none of which has overturned the ruling.[11]
Aftermath
The case has been the focus of several books, investigative articles and television documentaries. Author Hanna Olsson published the book Cathrine och rättvisan (Cathrine and the Justice) in 1990, highlighting the patriarchal nature of the justice system and how women in prostitution were not seen as reliable witnesses. Journalist Per Lindeberg published Döden är en man (Death is a Man) in 1999, questioning the police investigation and contending that the men were victims of a miscarriage of justice caused partially by extensive media coverage. In 2003 journalist Lars Borgnäs published Sanningen är en sällsynt gäst (Truth is a Rare Guest), opposing Lindeberg's position and theorizing that da Costa was murdered by a serial killer.[12]
In 2006, the doctors demanded 40 million kronor (about US$4.8 million) in damages for loss of income during the years they could not practice and for defamation.[13][14] Their demand was refused when the Chancellor of Justice, who handles questions of voluntary damages, ruled that such a large claim should be handled by the courts.[15]
On 3 April 2007, the two men's attorney registered their claim for 35 million kronor in damages at the Attunda lower court.[16] On 30 November 2009, the trial of the Swedish state began, ending shortly before Christmas.[17][18] In an 18 February 2010 judgement, the court ruled that the doctors were not entitled to damages.[18][19]
Da Costa's murder has inspired multiple works of fiction, such as Stieg Larsson's internationally successful crime novel The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo[2] and works by Katarina Frostenson[20] and Sara Stridsberg.[21] The statute of limitations for the killing expired in 2009 and prosecutors suspended their investigations on 1 July that year.[4]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f Wahlberg, Stefan (27 May 2014). "30 år senare har de inte fått upprättelse" [30 years later, they have not had redress]. Metro (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Bindel, Julie (30 November 2010). "The real-life Swedish murder that inspired Stieg Larsson". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
- ^ a b c d Burstein, Dan; de Keijzer, Arne; Holmberg, John-Henri (2011). The Tattooed Girl: The Enigma of Stieg Larsson and the Secrets Behind the Most Compelling Thrillers of Our Time. St. Martin's Griffin. p. 152. ISBN 978-0-312-61056-2. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
- ^ a b "Da Costa murder probe officially laid to rest". The Local. 11 July 2009. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
- ^ a b c Foyen, Lars (9 March 1988). "Baby's testimony convicts doctors of murder". The Glasgow Herald. Stockholm. Reuters. p. 4. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
- ^ "Daddys blogg – Daddys". Daddys. Archived from the original on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ^ Dugdale, John (1 November 2013). "Inside job: 10 crime writers turned detective". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 15 July 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
- ^ Agell, Anders (24 November 2003). "Läkarna utsatta för rent justitiemord" [The doctors exposed to pure miscarriage of justice]. Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ^ a b Rogeman, Anneli (10 January 2004). "Styckmordet har etsat sig fast i folksjälen" [The murder has been etched in the soul of the people]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ^ Lindström, Lars (4 December 2009). "Styckmordet blev en rättegång mot svenska rättvisan" [The murder became a trial against Swedish justice]. Expressen (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ^ Nyberg, Patrik (30 January 2010). "Patrik Nybergs intervju med obducenten" [Patrik Nyberg interview with the pathologist] (in Swedish). Nyhetsverket.se. Archived from the original on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
- ^ "Mordet på Catrine" [The murder of Catrine]. Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 16 August 2005. Archived from the original on 7 April 2007.
- ^ Melén, Johanna (3 April 2007). "Friades för styckmord – kräver miljonskadestånd" [Cleared of murder charges – calls for million crowns of damages]. Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 20 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ^ "Ett rättsfall som upprör – Styckmordet på Catrine da Costa" [A court case that upsets – The murder of Catrine da Costa] (in Swedish). Sveriges Television. 11 May 2005. Archived from the original on 20 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ^ TT (18 February 2010). "Inget skadestånd för läkare" [No damages for doctors]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 21 June 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
- ^ "Läkare friade för styckmord kräver skadestånd" [Doctor acquitted of murder claims damages]. Dagens Nyheter (in Swedish). 3 April 2007. Archived from the original on 7 April 2007.
- ^ TT (18 February 2010). "Inget skadestånd för läkare" [No damages for doctor]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 20 June 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ^ a b "The Local – Sweden's News in English". The Local. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
- ^ "No damages for docs in Da Costa murder case". The Local. 10 June 1984. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 8 August 2012.
- ^ Witt-Brattström, Ebba. "Katarina Frostenson". Litteraturbanken. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
- ^ Rabe, Annina (14 September 2018). "Vackert, vackert om styckmord och kvinnohat". Expressen. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
Further reading
- Borgnäs, Lars (2003). Sanningen är en sällsynt gäst: sökandet efter Catrine da Costas mördare (in Swedish). Norstedt. ISBN 9789113011769.
- Lindeberg, Per (1999). Döden är en man (in Swedish). Fischer & Company. ISBN 9789170548888.
- Olsson, Hanna (2005). Catrine och rättvisan (in Swedish). Stockholm: Pocky. ISBN 9789185011209. OCLC 666273396.
- Rajs, Jovan; Hjertén, Kristina (2001). Ombud för de tystade (in Swedish). Norstedts. ISBN 9789113009094.
External links
- Sjöberg, Lennart (9 November 2003). "A Case Of Alleged Cutting-Up Murder In Sweden: Legal Consequences Of Public Outrage". The Journal of Credibility Assessment and Witness Psychology. 4 (1). Department of Psychology of Boise State University: 37–62. ISSN 1088-0755. Archived from the original on 24 August 2007. Retrieved 4 April 2007.
- Per Lindeberg's web site Mediemordet.com