A man in his 20s who caused the death of a classmate by 'Baekchoke'... Avoided detention through psychiatric treatment

A man in his 20s who was tried on charges of repeatedly bullying a middle school classmate to death was sentenced to prison.

On the 26th, the 15th Criminal Division of the Incheon District Court (Presiding Judge Ryu Hojung) announced that it sentenced A, a man in his 20s, to five years in prison on charges including assault resulting in death and special injury.

A man in his 20s was sentenced to prison for strangling a middle school classmate to death after bullying him for a long time.

The court stated, "The defendant claimed that he only performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) after finding the victim collapsed in front of the cold bath and denied strangling him. However, based on the related evidence, it is recognized that the defendant did strangle the victim."

It added, "The defendant inflicted severe abuse on the victim, who was his friend, under the pretext of a joke, including causing burns. The victim suffered extreme pain and died. Despite objective evidence proving that the victim died due to the defendant’s assault, the defendant vehemently denied the charges," explaining the sentencing rationale.

However, the court did not order immediate detention, stating, "The defendant, who was detained and prosecuted, was released in December last year to receive treatment for a mental illness and is still undergoing treatment. Responsibility will be determined based on the appeal trial’s judgment and treatment results."

Prosecutors had requested a 15-year prison sentence for A during the sentencing hearing held on July 19.

Earlier, A was indicted on charges of strangling B, a middle school classmate, to death at a jjimjilbang in Gyeongbuk on August 31, 2022. B was taken to the hospital but eventually died.

Investigations revealed that A used the jiu-jitsu technique called 'back choke' to strongly press the victim’s neck. A was also charged with long-term abuse, including taking money and valuables from B, burning the victim’s hair with a lighter, and scorching the soles of his feet.

It was confirmed that in August 2022, A assaulted B’s face at a motel in Incheon, causing injury, and falsely reported to the police that "a friend was beaten by his father."

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