Defendants Lee Gi-young and Go Yoo-jeong in the 'No Body Case' Were Similar Yet Different

Lee Gi-young and Go Yoo-jung share the commonality of standing trial as defendants in a "murder case without a body." Both killed their victims and disposed of the bodies, but the investigative authorities were never able to find the corpses and sought the court's judgment instead.

Typically, in cases where the direct evidence of murder?the body?is not found, the prosecution and the defense dispute the charges in court based on circumstantial evidence surrounding the crime.

In the first trial, the defense reveals whether they admit to the prosecution's charges. If denied, the court proceeds through evidentiary investigation, questioning, or hearings to reach a verdict of guilty or not guilty.

Lee Ki-young, who was arrested on charges of murdering a taxi driver and his cohabiting partner, is pointing with his hand to the area near Gongneung Stream in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, where he testified that he buried the bodies to prosecutors.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

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Lee Gi-young, who was tried on charges of murdering his cohabiting partner and a taxi driver, admitted to all the charges brought by the prosecution. At the first trial, he said, "I admit all without objection." By acknowledging all charges without denial, the trial swiftly proceeded to closing arguments and sentencing at the second hearing. At the sentencing hearing on the 12th, he stated, "There is no excuse for my crime," and requested, "I ask the court to impose a heavy sentence to prevent social unrest."

On the other hand, Go Yoo-jung, who was indicted on charges including the murder of her ex-husband, completely denied the prosecution's charges. From the first trial, she consistently claimed that the incident was triggered by her ex-husband's attempted sexual assault and denied the charges.

Go Yoo-jung maintained this position until the sentencing hearing, which concluded all evidentiary procedures. To put it in terms of the Supreme Court's final ruling recognizing guilt, she showed no remorse until the end. In her final statement at the first trial's sentencing hearing, she asserted her innocence, saying, "The contents of the prosecution's indictment are absurd beyond anything seen even in novels."

Ko Yu-jeong, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of her ex-husband
[Image source=Yonhap News]

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There was also a point both Lee Gi-young and Go Yoo-jung commonly claimed: that their crimes were not premeditated but impulsive. According to the Supreme Court's sentencing guidelines, the sentence for murder varies significantly depending on whether the crime was planned or impulsive. If concluded to be premeditated murder, the death penalty can be imposed. Both Lee Gi-young and Go Yoo-jung’s defense strategies were aimed at reducing their sentences by emphasizing impulsiveness.

The court rejected both Go Yoo-jung's claims of innocence and her strategy for sentence mitigation. She was sentenced to life imprisonment, as it was recognized that the crime was planned based on the weapon used and surrounding circumstances. This ruling was finalized by the Supreme Court in November 2020.

Lee Gi-young's sentencing hearing is scheduled for the 19th of next month. Unlike Go Yoo-jung, who denied the crime, the court will determine how Lee Gi-young’s admission affects his sentence. The truth of his claim that the murder was impulsive will also be primarily decided on that day.

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