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AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Mar 7, 2006 (UPI via COMTEX) -- A Netherlands appeals court Tuesday upheld the murder conviction of a Bosnian man found to have killed science fiction author Paul Harland.
Bosnian architect and publicist Tarik D., 38, was sentenced in 2004 to 12 years in prison for the June 17, 2003, killing of Harland who was force fed sleeping pills and suffocated with a plastic bag.
Prosecutors said the two men were in a relationship and D. killed his partner because Harland wanted to end their relationship, which would have resulted in the loss of his residence permit and any inheritance if the author died, Expatica reported.
The appeals panel rejected defense attorney Gerard Spong's theory that Harland recreated the plot of his latest book in which a man committed suicide then set up his partner.
URL: www.upi.com Copyright 2006 by United Press International
