Prosecutors: "Lee Eunhae Did Not Help Husband"... Added 'Indirect Murder Charge'

Lee Eun-hae (31, left) and Jo Hyun-soo (30), who are on trial for the 'Valley Murder' case [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] The prosecution has added charges of indirect murder following the direct murder charges against Lee Eunhae (31) and Jo Hyunsoo (30), who were brought to trial for the 'Valley Murder' case.

On the 1st, the 15th Criminal Division of the Incheon District Court (Chief Judge Lee Gyuhun) approved the amendment of the indictment during the 13th trial of Lee Eunhae and others. The day before, the prosecution requested an amendment to the indictment to include charges of murder by omission in addition to murder by commission.

When a prohibited act is directly executed, it is called 'commission' (jakwi), and when a necessary act is not performed, it is called 'omission' (bujakwi). Generally, if murder by commission is recognized as guilty, the sentence is much heavier than for murder by omission.

In court that day, the prosecution explained, "(The defendants) caused the victim to jump into the water through 'gaslighting' (psychological control) and then failed to provide rescue measures," adding, "We amended the indictment to clarify the intent to kill and the method of killing." "Although this case involves a combination of murder by commission and omission, it is reasonable to view it overall as murder by commission."

The court had requested the prosecution on the 30th of last month during the 12th trial, "We respect the prosecution's opinion to charge murder by commission, but please also consider amending the indictment."

Earlier, Lee Eunhae was arrested and indicted on charges including the murder of her husband Mr. Yoon on June 30, 2019, at around 8:24 p.m. in Yongsogyeok Valley, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province, along with her lover Jo Hyunsoo. The prosecution's judgment was that they forced Mr. Yoon, who could not swim, to jump from a 4-meter-high rock into a 3-meter-deep valley pool without rescue equipment, resulting in his death. They also viewed the crime as premeditated, motivated by the 800 million KRW life insurance money taken out in Mr. Yoon's name.

They disappeared before the prosecution's second investigation on December 14 last year but were caught by police in an officetel near Samsong Station in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province, in April, four months later.

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