Mother sentenced to 25 years for the murder of her four year old son

A mother found guilty of the brutal murder of her four year old son was yesterday sent to prison for 25 years. Also sentenced to a 25-year jail term was the woman's partner. Barbara Sural was found guilty of masterminding the murder of her son, Michal, in January last year, and Robert Kwasniewski of drowning the boy in the Wisla river. A friend of the couple, Daniel Saletra, will spend 15 years behind bars for his part in the murder. Commenting on the case, Justice Minister Barbara Piwnik described the 25-year jail term as the "the only right sentence" possible. However, her predecessor, Lech Kaczynski, said it was drastically less than what was appropriate. He claimed that such a crime should be punishable with the death sentence, although he admitted this is not possible under existing Polish law. (Zycie, p. 1; Rzeczpospolita, p. A1) P.J.