Kraków court discontinues murder case of prison guard who killed doctor; psychiatric detention ordered
A Kraków court has discontinued criminal proceedings against Jarosław W., the prison guard who fatally stabbed orthopedic surgeon Tomasz Solecki in April 2025, accepting psychiatric opinions that he was legally insane. The victim’s family expressed outrage, calling the opinion baseless.
The decision
On Monday, the Kraków District Court discontinued the criminal case against Jarosław W., the 35-year-old prison guard who killed Dr. Tomasz Solecki in his office at the University Hospital in Kraków. The court, sitting in a non-public session, accepted the prosecution’s motion, which was based on psychiatric evaluations finding the suspect not criminally responsible. Instead of a prison sentence, Jarosław W. will be placed in a closed psychiatric facility under a security measure.
The court found that the several expert opinions are consistent, complete, and exhaustive; there is no need to supplement them.
How the crime unfolded
On April 29, 2025, Jarosław W. stormed into the examination room where Dr. Solecki, 47, was seeing a patient. Armed with a knife, he inflicted dozens of stab wounds. Despite immediate resuscitation efforts and a two-hour emergency operation, the doctor died from his injuries. The assailant also attempted to attack a nurse and threatened two other physicians. Jarosław W. confessed to the murder but denied the other charges.
My husband died, the father of a six-year-old boy died, and no one is guilty. This is a profound injustice.
Psychiatric evaluation and court process
Psychiatric evaluations conducted over several months concluded that at the time of the attack, Jarosław W. was unable to understand the significance of his actions or control his behaviour. The results, delivered to prosecutors in December 2025, prompted the prosecution in late March 2026 to ask the court to discontinue the criminal proceedings and order psychiatric confinement. The court heard testimony from three experts, two psychiatrists and a psychologist, before issuing its decision.
- Jarosław W. attacks and kills Dr. Tomasz Solecki in his clinic at the University Hospital in Kraków
- Psychiatric evaluation delivered to prosecutors, finding him unable to comprehend or control his actions
- Prosecution files motion to discontinue proceedings and order psychiatric confinement
- Kraków District Court grants motion, orders placement in a psychiatric hospital
Family’s outrage and criticism
The victim’s family, led by his wife Iwona Solecka, reacted with anger and disbelief. She described the psychiatric opinion as “deeply unsubstantiated” and argued that the case, given its national resonance, had not been properly investigated. She also pointed to what she called “terrible negligence in the Prison Service,” saying the state shares blame for the tragedy.
I feel terribly cheated. I believe that because of the social significance of this murder, which shook not only Kraków but the whole of Poland, this case should be clarified to the end.
The family had requested that a different team of experts be appointed, but the court and prosecution refused.
What happens next
Jarosław W. remains in pre-trial detention until the ruling becomes final and a suitable psychiatric hospital, meeting safety and therapeutic criteria, is identified. His condition will be reviewed every six months by court-appointed psychiatrists. If he is deemed no longer a threat, he could eventually be released. The decision has prompted broader criticism of the legal framework for handling crimes committed by the mentally ill, particularly after disclosures that the suspect had a history within the prison service that may have raised warning signs.
