Yonhap News
Prosecutors have sought a 14-year prison sentence for a man in his 60s charged with assaulting his 97-year-old mother and causing her death.
The Busan District Court’s Criminal Division 5 (presiding judge Kim Hyun-soon) held the final hearing Monday for the defendant, identified as A, who faces charges of inflicting bodily harm resulting in the death of a lineal ascendant. At the hearing, prosecutors requested a heavy sentence, calling it “an unconscionable crime in which the defendant beat an elderly victim, who could not even move, across her entire body, leading to her death.”
A is charged with assaulting his 97-year-old mother, identified as B, at an apartment in Busan’s Yeongdo District on Jan. 9 this year, causing her death. According to the investigation, A, who had lived with and cared for B since 2016, flew into a rage while cleaning up after B defecated in bed and committed the crime. When B did not respond to instructions and could not get up, A repeatedly struck her across her body, including her chest, side, shoulders and arms, with his fists, investigators found.
The assault left B with multiple fractures of the ribs on both sides as well as bleeding in the skin and muscles. Even though B complained immediately afterward that “the areas where she was hit hurt,” A took no follow-up measures such as taking her to a hospital. B died on Jan. 14 of multiple muscle injuries and resulting complications, and A left her body unattended for four days after confirming her death before belatedly reporting it, investigators revealed.
A’s defense counsel, however, denied both criminal intent and causation. “The defendant only made light contact with the intention of bringing the victim back to her senses,” the counsel argued, adding that “the cause of death was old age, not the defendant’s actions.” The counsel also stressed that “A faithfully supported the victim for years and is well regarded by those around him.” In his final statement, A himself said, “The investigation was conducted unreasonably. I am innocent.”
A’s sentencing hearing will be held on the 15th of next month.