Fredrik Fasting Torgersen
Encyclopedia
Fredrik Ludvig Fasting Torgersen (born 1 October 1934) is a Norwegian convicted of murder
.
Torgersen's 1958 conviction to life imprisonment
for the 1957 murder of the 16 year-old girl Rigmor Johnsen in Oslo
marked the beginning of one of the most controversial cases in Norwegian criminal history. Serving 16 years in prison before being released, he has continuously claimed his innocence. His calls for resumption of proceedings were denied by the Supreme Court of Norway
in 1976 and 2001, and again by the independent Norwegian Criminal Cases Review Commission in 2006.
The case was the subject of a play by author Jens Bjørneboe
(Tilfellet Torgersen, 'The Torgersen Case'), and Torgersen himself has written several books. Several public figures in addition to Bjørneboe have claimed that Torgersen is innocent, notably the former chairwoman of the Norwegian Authors' Union
Ebba Haslund
, professor of jurisprudence Ståle Eskeland
and professor of medicine Per Brandtzæg
. The case was prominently visible in Norwegian public debate both in the 1950s, the 1970s and the 1990s and in recent years. In the spring of 2008, in a letter to Minister of Justice Knut Storberget, 279 experts within medicine, odontology, physics, chemistry and other sciences , questioned the evaluation of evidence in courts and requested a review of the use of science in courts to avoid miscarriage of justice, see http://www.peaceispossible.info/brevtiljustisministeren.html
On the basis of claims of grave errors in fact and judgment by the Norwegian Criminal Cases Review Commission, the conviction of Torgersen will be reviewed again in 2009-10, http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/ostlandssendingen/1.6342189.
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
.
Torgersen's 1958 conviction to life imprisonment
Life imprisonment (Norway)
There is no sentence of life imprisonment in Norwegian law. There is however an indeterminate penalty that could in principle result in life imprisonment, but there are no examples of such after the latest correctional law passed in 2002...
for the 1957 murder of the 16 year-old girl Rigmor Johnsen in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
marked the beginning of one of the most controversial cases in Norwegian criminal history. Serving 16 years in prison before being released, he has continuously claimed his innocence. His calls for resumption of proceedings were denied by the Supreme Court of Norway
Supreme Court of Norway
The Supreme Court of Norway was established in 1815 on the basis of the Constitution of Norway's §88, prescribing an independent judiciary. It is located in Oslo and is Norway's highest court...
in 1976 and 2001, and again by the independent Norwegian Criminal Cases Review Commission in 2006.
The case was the subject of a play by author Jens Bjørneboe
Jens Bjørneboe
Jens Ingvald Bjørneboe was a Norwegian writer whose work spanned a number of literary formats. He was also a painter and a waldorf school teacher. Bjørneboe was a harsh and eloquent critic of Norwegian society and Western civilization on the whole...
(Tilfellet Torgersen, 'The Torgersen Case'), and Torgersen himself has written several books. Several public figures in addition to Bjørneboe have claimed that Torgersen is innocent, notably the former chairwoman of the Norwegian Authors' Union
Norwegian Authors' Union
The Norwegian Authors' Union is an association of Norwegian authors. It was established in 1893 to promote Norwegian literature and protect Norwegian authors' professional and economic interests. DnF also works in solidarity with persecuted writers internationally.As of 2004 the association had...
Ebba Haslund
Ebba Haslund
Ebba Margareta Haslund Halvorsen was a Norwegian novelist, writer of short stories, playwright, essayist, children's writer, literary critic, radio speaker and politician.-Early and personal life:...
, professor of jurisprudence Ståle Eskeland
Ståle Eskeland
Ståle Eskeland is a Norwegian jurist.Born in Stavanger, he took the cand.jur. degree in 1970 and the dr.juris degree in 1988. He was an associate professor in the sociology of law for some time, and has also worked in the Norwegian Ministry of Justice, the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority and...
and professor of medicine Per Brandtzæg
Per Brandtzæg
Per Brandtzæg is a Norwegian physician.He is a professor of medicine at the University of Oslo. In November 2006 he was proclaimed Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in recognition of his work...
. The case was prominently visible in Norwegian public debate both in the 1950s, the 1970s and the 1990s and in recent years. In the spring of 2008, in a letter to Minister of Justice Knut Storberget, 279 experts within medicine, odontology, physics, chemistry and other sciences , questioned the evaluation of evidence in courts and requested a review of the use of science in courts to avoid miscarriage of justice, see http://www.peaceispossible.info/brevtiljustisministeren.html
On the basis of claims of grave errors in fact and judgment by the Norwegian Criminal Cases Review Commission, the conviction of Torgersen will be reviewed again in 2009-10, http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/ostlandssendingen/1.6342189.