NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- A man who pleaded guilty to an attempted second-degree murder charge for setting fire to his wife last year was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years in prison.
Hien Dinhgenschor was set on fire on Feb. 3, 2003, and was burned over 80 percent of her body. She survived but was disfigured and lost one arm.
She told police she was asleep in a bedroom that morning when she was awakened by sounds of her husband, Dung Vu, smashing things in their home. She told police she came out of the bedroom to find her husband with a blanket and a can of gasoline. He accused her of having an affair.
He dragged her into the garage, where he tied her to a chair, threw a gasoline soaked blanket on her, and set her on fire.
The woman relived the attack in court Wednesday, testifying about it in excruciating detail. She also talked about spending 130 days in a coma and having to re-learn how to speak and feed herself.
Vu, fighting back tears, apologized to Dinh and her family and offered to take care of her for the rest of her life if she would allow it. She refused.
``I try not only for Vietnamese women, but I want to fight for all women in the world to be strong, whatever happens,'' she said.
