'Disabled Father Beaten to Death' Former Boxer Son Sentenced to 10 Years in Second Trial

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] The son, a former youth national boxing representative, who was tried on charges of beating and killing his disabled father, was sentenced to 10 years in prison again in the appellate court.

On the afternoon of the 26th, the 13th Criminal Division of the Seoul High Court (Presiding Judge Choi Suhwan) delivered this sentence in the appeal trial of Mr. A (21, male), who was indicted for killing a direct ascendant.

The appellate court did not accept Mr. A's claim of 'accidental death.' The court stated, "The injuries sustained by the victim were caused by blunt force and occurred close to the time of death," "It is reasonable to conclude that the injuries were not caused by falling down stairs or a fall, but by assault by another person. At the time, the victim only had contact with the defendant."

Furthermore, "Although it appears to be an impulsive assault, the victim's death resulted from the defendant's assault and other harmful acts, and the original court's judgment that the defendant had indirect intent regarding the death seems justified," and dismissed both Mr. A's and the prosecution's appeals.

Earlier, Mr. A was tried on charges of killing his father, Mr. B, by hitting him dozens of times with fists and feet in a short period starting at 9:28 p.m. on January 3 last year, when he came home drunk to a house in Michuhol-gu, Incheon. The prosecution viewed that he harbored dissatisfaction living only with his father and had been abusing him regularly, intensifying the beating on the day of the incident.

When the 119 emergency medical team arrived at 10:38 a.m. the next day after Mr. A's report, Mr. B was already deceased. The police, finding bruises all over his body, requested an autopsy, which revealed broken ribs and chest bones and multiple ruptured organs.

It was investigated that Mr. A had been living alone with his father since September 2020 at the request of his mother, who left the house after divorce. Mr. B suffered from alcohol dependence syndrome and hemiplegia due to brain lesions. It was found that Mr. A had inserted a metal chopstick into the door latch to prevent Mr. B from going outside when he went out.

The first trial, conducted as a citizen's jury trial, sentenced him to 10 years in prison. The first trial court stated, "Considering the opinions of the medical examiner and three forensic experts on the autopsy results, the injuries in this case were caused by assault and harmful acts by another person," and "The only person who entered the residence at the time was the defendant." However, the court took into account that he lived together to care for his father, who could not receive help from other family members.

Mr. A's side has consistently denied the charges, claiming that his father died from an 'accidental death' after falling alone. During the appellate trial, they pleaded not guilty, arguing that "important injuries to the chest and abdomen may not have been caused by the defendant's actions."

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