Son Who Killed 80-Year-Old Father with Dementia Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison by Supreme Court

A man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for assaulting and killing his 80-year-old father, who suffered from dementia, because he felt his father had treated him poorly.
The First Division of the Supreme Court (Justice Seo Gyeong-hwan presiding) recently upheld the lower court's ruling, which sentenced the defendant, identified as A, to 15 years in prison on charges of parricide.
A was indicted for assaulting his father, B, in their home in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, in August of last year, causing his death by striking him in the head and face.
According to the investigation, A had been caring for his father, who had difficulty communicating due to dementia and hearing loss, on his own. The crime occurred when A flew into a sudden rage, claiming that his father had made him feel slighted.
The first trial court sentenced A to 20 years in prison, stating, "The victim was a direct lineal ascendant, and the method of the crime was brutal, making the culpability very heavy. The victim must have died in extreme agony after being attacked by his own son, whom he would never have expected to harm him."
However, the appellate court reduced the sentence to 15 years, noting, "The defendant had been receiving psychiatric treatment for severe depression for several years. It appears the crime was committed somewhat impulsively while he was exhausted from the burden of caring for his elderly father and the fatigue of long-term caregiving."
A appealed the decision, but the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, finding no errors in the lower court's judgment.
(Photo: Yonhap News TV, Yonhap News)
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