Lawyers who were indicted for receiving legal fees worth around 200 million won by flaunting their acquaintance with the prosecutor in charge of the case to clients under prosecution have been acquitted again in the appellate court.
On the 24th, the 5-3 Criminal Appeals Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judges Kim Ji-sun, So Byung-jin, Kim Yong-jung) acquitted lawyers Kim and Lee, who were indicted for violating the Attorney-at-Law Act, as in the first trial.
The court stated, "Even after reviewing the reasons for the first trial's judgment, it cannot be said that the charges against the defendants were proven beyond a reasonable doubt," and dismissed the prosecutor's appeal.
Kim, a former prosecutor, was indicted on charges of receiving 250 million won from Jang Byung-kwon, former vice chairman of Korea Radio Base Station, who was under investigation for loan fraud and stock manipulation in 2014, under the pretext of halting the investigation. Lawyer Lee was also prosecuted for receiving 270 million won from the same client.
Previously, the first trial court ruled, "It is not clear that Lawyer Kim promised the client leniency, and it seems he said he would try his best rather than guaranteeing a non-custodial investigation," and "It was judged that he did not say he would halt the investigation by using his acquaintance with the prosecutor," thus acquitting Lawyer Kim.
Regarding Lawyer Lee, the court also judged him not guilty, stating, "Although it can be seen as inappropriate conduct to have arranged an opportunity to explain and persuade the client's claims by using his acquaintance with a public official, it is difficult to view the money received as unrelated to the scope of his duties as a lawyer."
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