Supreme Court upholds 35-year sentence for man who killed taxi driver in Hwaseong
In short
South Korea's Supreme Court has upheld a 35-year prison sentence and a 20-year electronic monitoring order for a 22-year-old man convicted of murder, attempted murder and theft. He stabbed a taxi driver to death in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, on June 26 last year, then drove the taxi into two men who came to the scene. The courts rejected his claim of diminished capacity, while prosecutors had sought the death penalty.
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The Supreme Court's 2nd division, with Justice Oh Kyung-mi (오경미) presiding, has upheld a 35-year prison sentence for a 22-year-old man, identified as A, convicted of murder, attempted murder and theft. It also upheld an order for him to wear an electronic location-tracking device for 20 years. Yonhap, Korea Economic Daily and Seoul Shinmun reported that the ruling was made last month; Newsis said the court ruled recently and announced it on October 9. Newsis added that an order barring A from approaching the victims' bereaved families was also upheld. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
According to the reports, A stabbed taxi driver B dozens of times in the early hours of June 26 last year in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. Newsis put the time at about 3:27 a.m. in Bibong-myeon and the driver's age at 68; Yonhap and Seoul Shinmun said he was in his 60s. Following A's directions, the driver could not find the destination and the taxi hit an object. Seoul Shinmun said this happened after the taxi entered a farm road. The driver then told A he could not go further and asked to be paid, and A took a knife from his bag and attacked him. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Two men who heard the driver's screams came to the scene and tried to call the police. A got into the driver's seat and drove the taxi into them, leading to the attempted murder charge. The theft charge relates to driving off in the taxi. Newsis said the two men were in their 50s and were left with injuries needing eight and two weeks to heal, and that A was arrested at about 4:40 a.m. in Bangbae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Newsis reported that A had received an abusive message from an acquaintance met through social media at about 12:15 a.m. and took three kitchen knives from his home in Jongno-gu, Seoul, before getting into the taxi. According to Newsis, A said he attacked because the driver looked at him unpleasantly in the rearview mirror, and he claimed another personality, 'Hanul' (한울), had ordered the crime. Seoul Shinmun reported that the first-instance court said A may have killed to avoid paying a fare of over 100,000 won, having already spent 50,000 won his father gave him for the fare. [ 2 , 5 ]
Prosecutors sought the death penalty. The first-instance court rejected A's claim of diminished capacity, saying that even if he had unspecified schizophrenia, it was hard to see it affecting his judgment at the time. It said a severe punishment was unavoidable given the cruelty, circumstances, means and results of the crime. However, it said a death sentence was not clearly justified because his illness appeared to have affected part of the crime and he showed minimal family ties. Seoul Shinmun said his mother had submitted petitions several times. The appeals court and then the Supreme Court found no error in the ruling. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Why it matters
The ruling makes the sentence final. The first-instance court imposed 35 years, and both the appeals court and the Supreme Court upheld it. The first-instance court said a death sentence was not clearly justified, citing the defendant's illness and family ties, but it did not accept that he had diminished capacity.
Key facts
- The Supreme Court's 2nd division upheld a 35-year prison sentence for a 22-year-old man identified as A, convicted of murder, attempted murder and theft. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- The court also upheld an order for him to wear an electronic location-tracking device for 20 years. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- A stabbed taxi driver B dozens of times on June 26 last year in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, after the driver said he could not go further and asked to be paid. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- A then drove the taxi into two men who had come to the scene, leaving them with injuries needing eight and two weeks to heal, according to Newsis. [ 2 ]
- Prosecutors sought the death penalty, but the first-instance court gave a 35-year sentence. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- The courts rejected the defence's claim of diminished capacity due to delusional disorder and other conditions. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Supreme Court's 2nd division, with Justice Oh Kyung-mi presiding, upheld the 35-year sentence. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The 20-year electronic monitoring order was upheld. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- The killing took place on June 26 last year in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The defendant's claim of diminished capacity was rejected. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Prosecutors sought the death penalty. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- When the Supreme Court issued its ruling. Yonhap, Korea Economic Daily and Seoul Shinmun say it was last month; Newsis says the court ruled recently and announced it on October 9.
- The defendant's stated motive. Newsis reports he said the driver looked at him unpleasantly in the rearview mirror and claimed another personality had ordered the crime; Seoul Shinmun reports the court said he may have killed to avoid paying a fare of over 100,000 won.
- The driver's age. Newsis gives it as 68 at the time; Yonhap and Seoul Shinmun say he was in his 60s.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- On June 26 last year, A receives an abusive message from an acquaintance via social media and later sets out with kitchen knives, according to Newsis. [ 2 ]
- A stabs taxi driver B in Bibong-myeon, Hwaseong, according to Newsis. [ 2 ]
- A is arrested in Bangbae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, according to Newsis. [ 2 ]
- On October 9, Newsis and Yonhap report that the Supreme Court has upheld the 35-year sentence. [ 2 , 3 ]