"‘Controlling My Body...’ Delusional Village Chief Murder: 60s Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison Confirmed"

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[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] A man in his 60s who killed a village chief while suffering from delusions and auditory hallucinations has been sentenced to 13 years in prison by the Supreme Court.

On the 9th, the Supreme Court's First Division (Presiding Justice Oh Kyungmi) announced that it upheld the previous sentence of 13 years imprisonment in the appeal trial of Mr. A, who was charged with murder.

Earlier, Mr. A was prosecuted for repeatedly striking village chief Mr. B (68) with a blunt weapon on a road in Nonsan-si, Chungnam Province on June 12 last year, saying, "Why do you control my body?" Mr. A was found to have been experiencing mental health difficulties and committed the crime in a state of diminished mental capacity.

In court, Mr. A's side argued that there was no intent to murder and claimed self-defense, stating that he swung the blunt weapon to defend himself against Mr. B, who had grabbed a shovel at the time. They argued that Mr. B raised the shovel to hit him, so he used the blunt weapon in defense.

The first and second trials sentenced Mr. A to 13 years in prison and ordered treatment and custody. The first trial court stated, "The defendant, who harbored hostility toward the victim, attacked vital areas such as the neck," and "It has not been confirmed that the defendant suffered any harm from the victim's aggressive actions."

The second trial court also dismissed the appeal, stating, "Considering that the defendant continued to strike the fallen victim and then left the scene leaving the victim unattended, and that the victim died shortly thereafter, it is sufficient to conclude that the defendant accepted the fatal outcome."

The Supreme Court also agreed with this judgment. The court stated, "The lower courts did not err in their understanding of the law regarding intent to murder, self-defense, excessive defense, and mental incapacity."