Lithuania's appeal court acquits police officer accused of murdering aggressive woman

VILNIUS - The Lithuanian Court of Appeal has rejected the appeals of the prosecution service and family members and upheld Vilnius Regional Court's verdict, acquitting police officer Darius Serpytis who was accused of murdering an aggressive woman, Judge Linas Siuksta announced on Tuesday.

"The use of a firearm to defend against a woman who, in a state of mental illness flare-up, attacked Serpytis with a large knife and when other measures used against her had been ineffective was commensurate with the nature and danger of the attack against the person who was defending himself. Therefore, by firing five shots at the woman and thus taking her life, Serpytis acted in a situation of necessary self-defense and did not exceed the limits of necessary self-defense," the Court of Appeal stated.

Dozens of police officer attended the court's verdict, including Commissioner General Arunas Paulauskas and his deputy Renaldas Zekonis.

Serpytis was charged with murder and having exceeded his powers and abuse of office, but Vilnius Regional Court deemed his actions to be necessary self-defense. He was acquitted of abuse of office because he did not commit an act that constituted a crime or a criminal offense.

The ruling of the Lithuanian Court of Appeal takes effect immediately upon its announcement. It can still be appealed to the Supreme Court.

After the ruling, Serpytis told reporters that he had expected such a verdict. He's very grateful to his colleagues for their constant support. If the other side decides to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court, the police officer vows continue fighting.

The prosecutor and the lawyer representing the killed woman's two sons, who were deemed victims in this case, filed appeals against Vilnius Regional Court's decision to acquit Serpytis. The prosecutor requested that the police officer be given a two-year restriction of liberty and be prohibited from working in a job involving firearms.

Serpytis was on trial for events that took place on December 12, 2023, in the village of Baraskos in Vilnius District. On that day, the police were called by an ambulance crew who had arrived to help an aggressive 51-year-old mentally ill woman. The woman attacked the medics and the ambulance with a shovel. She then armed herself with a knife and attacked the officers, threatening to stab them.

The police officers used tear gas on the woman and Tasered her. When that failed to stop her, Serpytis fired several shots at the woman's hands and feet, but even that did not stop her and she continued to attack, still holding the knife. The police officer then fired the fatal shot.