"Because of Juvenile Law, It's Okay"...The Fate of a Middle School Student Who Killed Mother with a Weapon

"Consider Others" Scolding Leads to Mother Stabbed 28 Times and Murdered
Citizen Jury Trial Held...All Jurors Deliver Guilty Verdict
Appeal and Final Appeal Dismissed...20-Year Prison Sentence Confirmed

Supreme Court. [Source=Law Times]

A male middle school student was sentenced to 20 years in prison for brutally killing his biological mother with a weapon after being scolded.

According to the legal community on the 4th, the Supreme Court's Third Division (Presiding Justice Eom Sang-pil) finalized the original court ruling on the 31st of last month, sentencing A (15) to 20 years in prison on charges including killing a direct ascendant. The Supreme Court explained, "There was no error in the legal interpretation regarding mental disability that affected the judgment."

A was tried on charges of stabbing and killing his biological mother B (47) at an apartment in Sangdang-gu, Cheongju, Chungbuk Province, around 5:34 p.m. on October 1, during last year's Chuseok holiday. At the time, A became irritated by the noise of children playing in the apartment complex playground, and B said, "It's because relatives came to visit for Chuseok. Please understand."

However, A went to the Cheongju Sangdang Police Station to report the noise. Upon being informed of this, B scolded her son, saying, "Why do you only assert your rights without consideration for others?" This caused A, who had long harbored feelings of victimization and hostility toward B, to take a weapon from the kitchen and stab B 28 times, killing her. A fled the scene immediately after the crime, and B's husband discovered the situation after returning home from an outing and called 119. B was taken to the hospital but ultimately died, and A was arrested by police near the apartment.

During the trial, A's defense claimed that he was in a state of mental incapacity or diminished capacity due to mental illness at the time of the crime. It was also reported that while hospitalized for psychiatric evaluation, A told other family members that, as a minor offender, he would not have a criminal record marked in red. However, the first trial court rejected this, stating, "According to inquiries made to the director of the National Forensic Hospital, there was no evidence to recognize A's mental incapacity or diminished capacity." Furthermore, the court pointed out, "The defendant has continuously submitted statements favorable to himself or blaming the victim regarding the crime," and sentenced him to 20 years in prison, the same as the prosecution's recommendation, along with 15 years of electronic monitoring with a location tracking device.

At A's request, the case was tried by a jury trial, where all nine jurors unanimously found A guilty. Eight jurors recommended a 20-year sentence, while one suggested 15 years as the maximum term and 7 years as the minimum. A appealed the decision but was rejected, and the Supreme Court also dismissed the appeal, finalizing the 20-year prison sentence.