Teenage Siblings Sentenced to Heavy Prison Term for Killing Nagging Grandmother... Court Says "Very Bad Nature of Crime"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyung-min] A severe sentence was handed down to teenage brothers who killed their grandmother who scolded them.

The Criminal Division 1 of Daegu District Court Seobu Branch (Chief Judge Kim Jeong-il) sentenced A (19) to 12 years in prison with a minimum of 7 years for the charge of killing his grandmother (parricide, etc.) on the 20th. He was also ordered to wear an electronic tracking device for 10 years. B (17), the younger brother who was indicted for assisting in the crime (aiding parricide), was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison with a 3-year probation.

A was charged with stabbing his grandmother dozens of times with a weapon in their home in Seo-gu, Daegu, on the morning of August 30 last year after becoming enraged by her nagging and scolding. He also attempted to kill his grandfather who was present at the scene but was stopped by B, resulting in an attempted murder charge.

B was accused of assisting the crime by closing windows in advance to prevent the grandmother’s screams from being heard outside. The brothers had been living with their physically disabled grandparents since 2012, according to investigations.

The court pointed out, "This crime infringes on the highest value of life that the nation and society must protect, and considering the seriousness of the crime and its consequences, the nature of the offense is very bad." However, it explained the sentencing by saying, "Considering the unfortunate upbringing and that this is their first offense, it does not appear that innate antisocial tendencies or malice have manifested, and there seems to be potential for rehabilitation."

Regarding B, the court stated, "He does not appear to have played a decisive role in the crime, and considering that he stopped the crime by crying and pleading when A tried to kill their grandfather, this was taken into account."