Defendant Appeals 30-Year Sentence in 'Bucheon Ringer Death Case'... Denies 'Murder Charges'

Prosecution That Sought Life Imprisonment Also Appeals, Claiming "Unfair Sentencing"

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] A former nursing assistant who was sentenced to 30 years in prison for administering anesthetics that caused the death of her boyfriend in the so-called 'Bucheon IV Drip Death Incident' has appealed the first trial verdict.

According to the Bucheon Branch of the Incheon District Court on the 4th, A (32, female), who was arrested and indicted on charges including murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison in the first trial, recently submitted an appeal to the court.

A is known to have appealed claiming innocence, arguing that she only intended to commit joint suicide with her boyfriend and that it was definitely not murder.

The prosecution also appealed to the court, arguing that the sentencing in the first trial was unfair. In the sentencing hearing last month, the prosecution stated, "This is a case where the defendant harbored resentment and killed the victim with drugs, and she should be permanently isolated from society," requesting a life sentence for A.

A’s appeal trial is expected to be held at the Seoul High Court. Once the first trial court organizes the case records and forwards them to the Seoul High Court, the appellate panel will be determined.

This case involved intense courtroom disputes over whether it was a planned murder or an extreme choice (joint suicide), but the first trial verdict on the 24th of last month recognized A’s guilt for murder and sentenced her to 30 years in prison.

At that time, the first trial court stated, "The only evidence that the victim agreed to joint suicide is the defendant’s statement, which is not only weak but also highly unreliable," adding, "The victim, who was undergoing personal rehabilitation procedures, had been steadily paying the rehabilitation fees and receiving a salary from his father, making it difficult to see that he was experiencing mental or financial difficulties severe enough to commit suicide."

Furthermore, the court judged, "It appears the defendant killed the victim after suspecting him of engaging in prostitution," and "Before the crime, she searched whether injection shock could be detected through an autopsy and used medical knowledge to administer stored drugs to the victim, disguising it as joint suicide by sucking the drugs herself."

The court explained the sentencing rationale, saying, "The defendant denies the murder without any sign of remorse and has made no effort to console the bereaved family," and "It is appropriate for her to be isolated from society for a long time to repent and atone to the bereaved family."

A was indicted on charges including causing the death of her boyfriend B (30 at the time of death) by administering anesthetics via IV drip at a motel in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, around 11:30 a.m. on October 21, 2018.

According to the autopsy by the National Forensic Service, B was administered a lethal dose of propofol, an anesthetic, and diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory analgesic. The cause of death was cardiac arrest due to diclofenac.

At the time of the incident, A, who was with B at the motel, was also found to have taken drugs, but at levels below therapeutic doses according to test results.

The police judged that A administered a lethal dose of drugs to B while taking drugs herself at below therapeutic levels, and applied charges including 'murder by deception with consent,' releasing her without detention and transferring the case to the prosecution. The charge of murder by deception with consent applies when one deceives the other into believing they will make an extreme choice together and kills them with their consent.

However, after conducting supplementary investigations, the prosecution analyzed text messages exchanged between A and B before the incident and A’s internet search history, concluding there was no evidence that they attempted extreme choice simultaneously, and indicted A on murder charges.

A has consistently denied the murder charges throughout the investigation and trial, claiming she intended to make an extreme choice together with her boyfriend.