A 38-year-old man convicted of murdering his pregnant ex-girlfriend is now appealing his life sentence. Terno Alkki Rikhard Hedman appeared before the Turku Court of Appeal on Friday, demanding his murder conviction be overturned and replaced with a manslaughter charge with a fixed prison term.
The case centers on a shocking daytime shooting that occurred on Hämeenkatu street in Tampere last September. Hedman had arranged to meet his 35-year-old former partner under the pretense of delivering baby clothes. Instead, he arrived with a loaded weapon.
Court documents reveal the victim had recently fled to a women's shelter after experiencing domestic violence from Hedman. She agreed to meet him in public, likely believing the busy city center location would provide safety.
The encounter turned deadly when Hedman pressed the pregnant woman against a building and shot her three times. The final shot struck her in the neck in what prosecutors described as execution-style. The attack unfolded in front of her four-year-old son, who witnessed his mother's killing.
A bystander also sustained gunshot injuries during the incident, highlighting the public danger of the daytime shooting in central Tampere. Hedman then fled the scene in the same taxi that had brought him to the meeting.
What makes this appeal particularly striking is Hedman's earlier courtroom behavior. After his conviction in the Pirkanmaa District Court last February, he expressed remorse to the victim's family and claimed he would accept whatever sentence the court imposed.
"There are no right words," Hedman told the family during his initial trial. "I want you to know that I am deeply sorry."
He specifically stated then that he wouldn't appeal, telling the court, "Whatever comes, we don't need to take this to the Court of Appeal. Whatever the court gives, we will accept. We won't appeal that."
Yet within days, Hedman filed his appeal. He now argues the shooting wasn't premeditated and claims he brought the weapon only for self-protection. He also contests that the public shooting created serious danger for bystanders, despite one person being struck by gunfire.
The victim's four-year-old son has also filed an appeal through his representative, demanding the Court of Appeal recognize the killing as particularly brutal and cruel. The appeal states the victim was defenseless and knew she was dying during the attack.
This case highlights serious concerns about domestic violence protection in Finland. Despite obtaining shelter placement, the victim remained vulnerable to her former partner's violence. The public nature of the crime has sparked discussions about safety in urban centers and the effectiveness of current protective measures.
Legal experts note that appeals in murder convictions face high hurdles in Finland's judicial system. The Court of Appeal will examine whether the district court properly evaluated evidence of premeditation and the crime's brutal nature.
The Turun hovioikeus will deliver its ruling in the coming weeks. The decision could either uphold Finland's tough stance on domestic violence murders or potentially reduce the sentence for a crime that shocked the Tampere community and raised questions about public safety.
Finland has been working to strengthen its response to domestic violence in recent years, but cases like this demonstrate the challenges in protecting vulnerable individuals from determined perpetrators. The outcome will be closely watched by victim advocacy groups and legal observers across the Nordic region.