LYON, France (VINnews) — A French court on Thursday sentenced a 55-year-old man to 18 years in prison for the 2022 killing of his 89-year-old Jewish neighbor in Lyon, rejecting an antisemitic motive in the crime.

The Rhône Assize Court found Rachid Kheniche guilty of murder in the death of René Hadjadj, who was pushed from the 17th floor of his apartment building in Lyon’s 8th district in May 2022.

Prosecutors had sought a 20-year sentence. The court imposed a slightly lighter penalty while confirming the murder conviction.

A central issue during the trial was whether the killing was committed because of the victim’s religion. Jurors declined to apply the aggravating circumstance of antisemitism, determining that the evidence presented did not sufficiently establish that the act was motivated by religious hatred.

The court did, however, recognize that Kheniche’s judgment was impaired at the time of the crime due to psychiatric disorders, according to expert testimony presented during the proceedings. Under French law, diminished responsibility does not eliminate criminal liability but can lead to a reduced sentence.

The verdict prompted expressions of disappointment from the victim’s relatives and members of the Jewish community, who had argued that the religious dimension of the crime was evident.

Prosecutors and civil parties have the option to appeal the decision.

The case has renewed debate in France over how courts address antisemitic motives when mental health issues are involved, echoing previous high-profile cases that sparked national controversy.