"Brutal Crime Method, Antisocial Behavior" Sentenced to 15 Years Imprisonment
A man in his 60s who pushed an acquaintance in his 80s out of a window to death during a financial dispute in the living room on the 17th floor of an apartment building was sentenced to a heavy prison term four years after the incident.
The 13th Criminal Division of the Incheon District Court (Presiding Judge Ho Seong-ho) sentenced Mr. A (67), who was charged with murder, to 15 years in prison, according to a report by Yonhap News on the 16th.
Mr. A was indicted on charges of pushing his acquaintance Mr. B (81) out of the balcony window of the living room on the 17th floor of an apartment in Michuhol-gu, Incheon, at around 8 a.m. on October 12, 2019.
Mr. B, who fell from Mr. A’s home to the ground, was found dead next to the apartment wall about 30 hours later the following afternoon. Mr. A said he committed the crime after getting angry when Mr. B, who had asked him to "take me to the hospital quickly because my back hurts," was told to "hold on until Monday" and then demanded "return the money I gave you."
Investigations revealed that Mr. B had met Mr. A by chance in 2014, five years before the incident, at a hospital where Mr. B’s family was admitted and Mr. A was taking care of his disabled younger brother. Afterwards, Mr. B also developed a friendship with Mr. A’s wife.
After Mr. B’s wife passed away in 2016, he transferred land ownership to Mr. A’s wife, who had been visiting his home and preparing meals for him, and the following year, he moved to the apartment next door to Mr. and Mrs. A.
Mr. B, who personally cared for Mr. A’s younger brother who suffered from severe cerebral palsy, endured financial hardship after transferring his assets to Mrs. A. While Mrs. A purchased expensive items such as golf apparel and furniture using Mr. B’s credit card, Mr. B had to ask his son for living expenses or borrow money from a caregiver.
Mr. A Denied All Charges... Murder Conviction Based on Wife’s Testimony and Autopsy Results
Mr. A, whose arrest warrant was dismissed during the police investigation, completely denied the charges in court when the prosecution indicted him for murder one year and six months after the incident.
He claimed, "I visited Mr. B’s house around 7:31 a.m. on the day of the incident and talked with him, and when I went back 40 minutes later, he was gone." Mrs. A, who was at the scene, initially told the police, "I did not see Mr. B fall," but later changed her statement to say, "I directly witnessed my husband pushing him off."
However, in court, she reverted to her initial claim that she did not see Mr. B fall.
Nonetheless, the court found Mr. A guilty of murder based on Mrs. A’s testimony and the autopsy results from the National Forensic Service.
The court explained, "Although the statements changed from the investigation to the courtroom, Mrs. A’s testimony that she saw the defendant push the victim off is firmly credible," adding, "She described the process of the conversation escalating into a fight and the specific details of the physical struggle very realistically."
It continued, "Regarding the subcutaneous hemorrhage found on the victim’s neck, the expert opinion was that it was more reasonable to consider it caused by pressing with a hand rather than by the fall," adding, "This also supports Mrs. A’s testimony."
The court also ruled out the possibility of suicide, noting that despite his advanced age, Mr. B exercised daily and took health supplements, and his personal records contained no indications of despair.
The court concluded, "The defendant killed the victim by pushing him off the balcony on the 17th floor of the apartment during a dispute over hospital and financial issues," and judged, "The method of the crime was brutal and the outcome tragic."
It further stated, "Considering that the victim had gifted his property to the defendant and his wife, and that he had devotedly cared for the defendant’s disabled younger brother, this crime shows a high degree of antisocial behavior," and explained the sentencing by noting, "The defendant made no minimal effort to seek forgiveness from the bereaved family."
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