'Karaoke Assistant Murder' 30s Reduced Sentence on Appeal... 20 Years Imprisonment

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] A man in his 30s who killed a karaoke hostess for refusing physical contact received a reduced sentence in the second trial.

On the 12th, according to the legal community, the Seoul High Court Criminal Division 5 (Presiding Judges Kim Hyung-doo, Kim Seung-joo, Park Sung-yoon) overturned the original sentence of 25 years imprisonment and sentenced A, who was charged with murder, to 20 years imprisonment in the appeal trial.

A was charged with stabbing and killing B (36), who was working as a hostess, with a weapon after visiting a karaoke room in Namyangju city, Gyeonggi Province, at around 10:25 p.m. on April 13 last year and drinking together. During this process, A attempted physical contact with B but was rejected.

The appellate court stated, "In the first trial, it was viewed that the defendant committed a random murder against an unspecified number of people or killed B to satisfy the desire to kill in that way. However, our court judged that the defendant killed the victim because he felt ignored by her."

The court pointed out, "According to the sentencing guidelines, the second type, 'ordinary motive murder,' should have been applied, but the error was made by applying the third type, 'blameworthy motive murder.'"

It added, "Ordinary motive murder allows a sentence of up to 16 years imprisonment according to the sentencing guidelines, but since the victim was not at fault and the bereaved family petitioned for severe punishment of the defendant, the court sentenced 20 years imprisonment as requested by the prosecution."

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