▲ Busan High Court Changwon Branch
A man in his 20s who attempted to murder his mother because she did not sympathize with his breakup and brandished a weapon at random individuals has been sentenced to prison and ordered into medical treatment custody in his appeal.
The 1st Criminal Division of the Busan High Court Changwon Branch (Presiding Judge Park Kwang-seo) announced yesterday (July 22) that in the appeal trial for the man in his 20s, identified as A, who was indicted on charges including attempted patricide and matricide, it overturned the lower court's ruling while maintaining the same sentence of 10 years in prison, and ordered five years of probation.
The court also accepted the prosecution's request to add an order for medical treatment custody.
Medical treatment custody is a measure that places offenders with recognized mental disorders in a facility to receive treatment.
It was confirmed that A was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia as a result of a psychiatric evaluation at a hospital and was found to be in need of treatment.
A was indicted for stabbing his mother in her 60s, identified as B, multiple times with a weapon at a hair salon in a commercial building in Changwon, Gyeongsangnam-do, in July of last year, and committing the same crime against two customers who tried to stop him.
After the crime, he also wandered around the commercial area holding the weapon, instilling fear in people.
A decided to commit the crime because he believed his mother usually ignored him and, after recently breaking up with his girlfriend, expressed his sense of loss, but B failed to sympathize with him.
While detained and living in custody during the investigation by authorities, he continued to use force and verbal abuse, resulting in disciplinary action in prison.
The appellate court stated, "Considering the circumstances of this crime and the attitude A displayed in the courtroom, it appears he was in a state of diminished mental capacity at the time; however, given the severity of the harm and the extent of recovery, we will not grant a legal reduction of sentence due to diminished mental capacity."
It added, explaining the reasons for the sentencing, "We took into account that although it ended in an attempt, a weapon was used, the crime was committed while in a state of diminished mental capacity, and the mother does not wish for punishment."
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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