Middle School Student Who Threw Stone at Bae Hyunjin Gives Up Appeal... Suspended Prison Sentence Confirmed

Claim of "mental incapacity" not accepted
1 year in prison, 2 years suspended... Probation also ordered

A middle school student who was indicted for repeatedly hitting People Power Party lawmaker Baehyun-jin with a rock and was sentenced to a suspended prison term in the first trial did not appeal, confirming the sentence.

According to the legal community on the 3rd, A (15), who was indicted on charges including special injury, did not submit an appeal within 7 days from the date of the verdict, finalizing the judgment. Earlier, on the 13th of last month, the Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 26 (Presiding Judge Lee Hyun-kyung) sentenced A to one year in prison with a two-year suspension. The court also imposed probation and ordered psychiatric treatment for A. However, the prosecution's request for treatment custody to have him confined in a facility was dismissed.

CCTV footage showing People Power Party lawmaker Bae Hyun-jin (Songpa-eul, Seoul) being attacked by an assailant on the afternoon of January 25 last year at a building in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Provided by Bae Hyun-jin's office

A’s lawyer argued that "A was in a state of mental incapacity with impaired judgment and decision-making ability at the time of the crime," but the court did not accept this after considering the circumstances of A’s presence at the crime scene and his statements on the day of the incident. The court explained the sentencing by stating, "Considering the method of the crime and the injury location and severity, the nature of the crime is serious, and the victim suffered significant mental and physical harm and has not forgiven the offender," but also noted, "However, A generally acknowledged the facts, committed the crime in a state of diminished mental capacity, is young, and is a first-time offender."

Previously, the prosecution sought a prison sentence of 4 years as the upper limit and 2 years as the lower limit 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 medical care. The court dismissed the prosecution’s request for treatment custody, judging that A is currently in a relatively stable mental state. The court explained, "After the crime, A was diagnosed with schizophrenia and has shown a significant reduction in severe aggression and auditory hallucinations through inpatient and outpatient treatment," and added, "The family is showing efforts to prevent reoffending, and A is currently receiving appropriate treatment."

A was tried on charges of hitting lawmaker Bae 15 times with a rock at a building in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, in January last year, causing injuries requiring three weeks of medical treatment. At that time, lawmaker Bae suffered a scalp laceration and facial wounds and was hospitalized for three days.