Norway's Supreme Court has dismissed Arne Bye's appeal regarding the number of charges to be heard in the appeals court. This means only 18 indictment points will proceed in the Frostating Court of Appeal. These cases involve 13 female victims total.
Bye's defense lawyer Frode Wisth stated they acknowledge the Supreme Court's ruling but declined further comment. The former municipal chief physician was sentenced to 21 years in prison in June for 70 rapes and 82 counts of position abuse.
The Court of Appeal decided on October 6 that Bye's appeal regarding evidence evaluation for 18 charges would be heard starting in November. Simultaneously, they rejected 80 other indictment points from proceeding, which Bye then appealed to the Supreme Court.
In a unanimous decision, Supreme Court justices found this appeal could not succeed. This legal setback comes as Bye faces overwhelming evidence across numerous violent crimes. The ruling demonstrates how Norway's judicial system maintains careful control over appeal scope in complex criminal cases.
This decision doesn't affect 33 new rape charges filed against the former doctor in October. Norwegian courts appear determined to handle this massive case methodically rather than rushing all allegations through simultaneously.