Lee Jihyun's Side Claims "Impaired Judgment at the Time"
Ji Hyun Lee (34), who murdered a woman he had never met in Seocheon, Chungnam Province, admitted to the charges at his first trial but requested a psychiatric evaluation, claiming he was in a diminished mental state at the time of the crime.
According to a Yonhap News report on May 13, during the first hearing of the 'Seocheon Random Murder' case, presided over by Chief Judge Na Sunghoon of the 1st Criminal Division of the Hongseong Branch of Daejeon District Court, Lee's legal representative acknowledged all the facts of the crime committed by the defendant.
However, the defense attorney requested a psychiatric evaluation from the court, stating that "at the time of the crime, Lee's ability to control his actions and make judgments was significantly impaired."
Ji Hyun Lee was indicted on charges of murdering a woman in her 40s whom he had never met on a sidewalk in Sagok-ri, Seocheon County, Chungnam Province, at around 9:45 p.m. on March 2.
In the initial police investigation, Lee claimed the crime was impulsive. However, prosecutors believe that after failing in cryptocurrency investments, he fell into severe despair and developed a vague anger toward society, which led him to plan the crime. This conclusion is based on circumstances such as his prior preparation of a weapon and his repeated scouting of the crime scene.
While Lee's side has acknowledged all these charges, they still intend to request a psychiatric evaluation on the grounds of diminished mental capacity.
Meanwhile, in March, the Chungnam Provincial Police Agency convened a personal information disclosure review committee regarding Ji Hyun Lee and released specific personal information such as his name, age, and face. The committee members reportedly decided to disclose this information after comprehensively considering the brutality of the crime, the seriousness of the harm, and the opinions of the victim's family.
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