Prosecution Seeks 5-Year Prison Sentence in Amy's Third Drug Appeal Trial... Double the Initial Sentence Request

"One year served, but ten years lost"
Second trial verdict on the 7th of next month

On the morning of July 22, 2014, broadcaster Amy, who was indicted without detention on charges of administering zolpidem, a psychotropic drug (violation of the Narcotics Control Act), is leaving the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, after attending her first trial.

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Seok-jin, Legal Affairs Specialist] In the third trial for drug use charges, broadcaster Amy (40, real name Lee Yoon-ji) faced an appeal hearing where the prosecution demanded a prison sentence of 5 years, double the initial sentence sought in the first trial.

On the 17th, during the appeal sentencing hearing of Lee's violation of the Narcotics Control Act at the Seoul High Court Chuncheon Division Criminal 1 Department (Presiding Judge Hwang Seung-tae), the prosecution made this demand.

Previously, the prosecution had sought a 2 years and 6 months prison sentence during Lee's first trial. However, on this day, the prosecution stated, "In cases involving synthetic marijuana, the statutory penalty is imprisonment of 5 years or more, but there was an error during the consolidation of cases in the first trial," and thus doubled the sentence sought.

Similarly, the prosecution also demanded a 5-year prison sentence for accomplice Mr. Oh, who had previously been sentenced to 3 years.

Lee was prosecuted for using methamphetamine six times from late April to late August last year.

Lee's defense argued in the first trial that the drug use occurred while being involuntarily confined by accomplice Mr. Oh, but this was not accepted.

The Chuncheon District Court Wonju Branch, which handled the first trial, sentenced Lee to 3 years in prison and accomplice Mr. Oh to 3 years and 6 months. The court also ordered completion of a 40-hour drug addiction treatment program.

Lee's defense repeated the same claims in the second trial, denying the charges.

Lee, a U.S. national, had been punished twice before for propofol use in 2012 and zolpidem use in 2014 and was deported forcibly, yet after entering Korea again in January last year, was caught by police for drug use once more.

In her final statement on this day, Lee said, "I stand here again due to wrong choices and judgments," adding, "After returning to the country with difficulty after 5 years, I think I trusted and expected people too easily with an excited heart and anticipation."

She continued, "I thought even a small problem would make living in Korea difficult, so I tried to solve it alone without asking for help from those around me," and said, "Although I have already served 1 year in prison, the time I lost myself is 10 years."

Lee also requested leniency from the court, saying, "From now on, I will be careful and act prudently in everything."

Lee's sentencing hearing is scheduled for the 7th of next month.