Prosecution Appeals Against First Trial Life Sentence Verdict for Go Yu-jeong

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] The prosecution has appealed the first trial verdict of Go Yu-jeong, who was detained and indicted on charges of murdering her ex-husband and stepson.

Jeju District Prosecutors' Office announced on the 25th that it submitted an appeal to the Jeju District Court the day before. The prosecution explained that it appealed on the grounds of inappropriate sentencing for the ex-husband murder case and factual and legal errors for the stepson murder case.

Earlier, the first trial court sentenced Go Yu-jeong, who was detained and indicted on charges of murder, corpse mutilation, and concealment on the 20th, to life imprisonment.

The court stated the sentencing reasons, saying, "The defendant lured the victim, her ex-husband, under the pretext of visitation rights, administered zolpidem to kill him, and then mutilated and concealed the body, committing the crime in a planned manner. The defendant shows no remorse or guilt toward the victim, making a heavy sentence inevitable."

While the court acknowledged the charges of murder and corpse mutilation and concealment of the ex-husband presented by the prosecution, it acquitted Go Yu-jeong of the charge of murdering her 5-year-old stepson. The cause of death of Go Yu-jeong’s stepson was presumed to be non-traumatic asphyxia, but the court stated it was difficult to exclude the possibility that he died from being pressed by the current husband’s leg.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The court ruled, "The victim’s physique is relatively small compared to peers. Even if the cold medicine the victim took was within the usual therapeutic range, considering its side effect of inducing sleep, it is difficult to completely exclude the possibility that the victim died from having his head or chest pressed by his father’s leg or torso."

Furthermore, the court said, "Although sleeping pill components were detected in the current husband’s hair, it cannot be confirmed that Go Yu-jeong diluted and administered it in the car," and did not accept most of the prosecution’s evidence related to the stepson case.

Go Yu-jeong was tried on charges of stabbing and killing her ex-husband Kang Mo (37) with a weapon at a pension in Jocheon-eup, Jeju City, on May 25 last year, mutilating the body, and disposing of it (murder, corpse mutilation, and concealment). She was also additionally indicted on charges of murdering her stepson. The prosecution sought the death penalty for Go Yu-jeong at the sentencing hearing on the 20th of last month.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.