'School Violence Controversy' Doosan's Lee Young-ha Acquitted in Appeal Trial

Lee Young-ha "Feeling Relieved by Not Guilty Verdict"

Professional baseball player Lee Young-ha (27, Doosan Bears), who was prosecuted for assaulting a junior during high school, was acquitted again in the second trial.

Lee Young-ha of the Doosan Bears, a professional baseball player who was charged with assaulting a junior member of his high school baseball team, was acquitted at the appellate court hearing held on the 13th at the Western District Court in Mapo-gu, Seoul. He is seen responding to questions from the press after the verdict.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 13th, the 2-2 Division of the Criminal Appeals Court at the Seoul Western District Court (Chief Judges Lee Joo-hyun, Lee Hyun-woo, Lim Ki-hwan) dismissed the prosecution's appeal and acquitted Lee, who was charged with special assault, coercion, and extortion.

The court stated regarding the prosecution's alteration of the time and place of some coercion charges in the indictment, "Even considering the victim's testimony, it is difficult to see that such a crime occurred at that time," and added, "Since there is no proof of the crime in the indictment, it appears that an acquittal should be pronounced."

After the trial, Lee said, "I was relieved when I was acquitted in the first trial, but I feel even more free now that I have been acquitted in the second trial as well," and added, "I hope this becomes an opportunity for such (violent) culture to disappear from sports teams in our country."

Previously, the first trial court acquitted Lee in May last year, stating, "It is difficult to consider that the facts of the case were proven beyond a reasonable doubt." The prosecution appealed, citing factual errors and legal misunderstandings.

Lee was indicted without detention in August 2022 on charges of harsh treatment, including hitting a junior member of the high school baseball team and forcing him to sing songs that caused humiliation.