Court: "Serious Crime, But Young and First-Time Offender"
A (15), who was charged with repeatedly hitting People Power Party lawmaker Baek Hyun-jin with a rock, was sentenced to a suspended prison term in the first trial.
A scene showing Bae Hyunjin, a member of the People Power Party, being attacked by an assailant. Photo by Yonhap News
The Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 26 (Presiding Judge Lee Hyun-kyung) on the 13th sentenced A to one year in prison with a two-year suspension on charges including special injury. Probation was imposed, and an order for mental illness treatment was also issued. The prosecution's request for treatment custody to have him confined in a facility was dismissed.
The court explained the sentencing by saying, "Considering the method of the crime and the injury location and severity, the nature of the crime is serious, the victim suffered significant mental and physical harm, and forgiveness was not granted," but added, "However, he generally acknowledged the facts, committed the crime in a state of diminished mental capacity, is young, and is a first-time offender."
The court judged that A is currently in a relatively stable mental state and dismissed the prosecution's request for treatment custody. The court stated, "After the crime, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia and through hospitalization and outpatient treatment, serious aggression and auditory hallucinations appear to have significantly decreased," and explained, "His family is showing efforts to prevent reoffending, and he is currently receiving appropriate treatment."
Earlier, the prosecution sought a prison sentence of four years as the long term and two years as the short term for A and requested treatment custody. Treatment custody is a security measure that confines mentally ill offenders who pose a risk of reoffending in a treatment facility to provide necessary treatment.
The defense argued during the trial that A was in a state of mental incapacity at the time of the crime. However, the court judged that this could not be accepted when considering the circumstances of going to the crime scene and the statements made on the day of the incident.
A was brought to trial on charges of hitting lawmaker Bae 15 times with a rock in a building in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, in January last year, causing injuries requiring three weeks of medical treatment. At the time, lawmaker Bae suffered a scalp laceration and facial wounds and was hospitalized for three days.
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