ㅣEx-Husband Who Killed Pregnant Ex-Wife Sentenced to 40 Years Upheld

ㅣEx-Husband Who Killed Pregnant Ex-Wife Sentenced to 40 Years Upheld

A man in his 40s who brutally killed his pregnant ex-wife with a weapon was sentenced to 40 years in prison in the appellate court as well.

On the 23rd, the Jeonju Branch of the Gwangju High Court’s 1st Criminal Division (Chief Judge Yang Jin-soo) dismissed appeals from both the prosecutor and the defendant, upholding the original ruling of 40 years in prison for A, who was charged with murder and attempted murder.

The appellate court stated, "The fetus in the victim's womb faced a dreadful reality of losing its mother and passed away after just 19 days without ever being held properly in the family's arms," and added, "Although the defendant submitted several letters of remorse during the original trial and appellate trial, it is significantly insufficient to alleviate the pain of the bereaved family and seek forgiveness."

On March 28 of last year, A was indicted for murdering his ex-wife in her 30s, identified as B, by wielding a weapon at a beauty salon in Hyoja-dong, Wansan-gu, Jeonju.

He also attacked B's common-law partner, who tried to stop the crime, injuring him with the same weapon.

At the time of the incident, B was seven months pregnant, and she was transferred to the hospital in cardiac arrest, ultimately dying during treatment. The baby, delivered via cesarean section, also passed away after 19 days.

During the trial, when asked by the judge, "Did you not know that the victim was pregnant?" A replied, "I did not know," implying that the death of the newborn was unrelated to him.

In response, B's lawyer said, "The victim often expressed concern to her sister that she felt she might be killed by the defendant," and argued, "The defendant brutally stabbed the victim eight times; it was evident to anyone that she was a pregnant woman nearing term."

Additionally, he stated, "Before this incident, the defendant frequently visited the victim, who operated a beauty salon, and took money from the cash box without permission. The victim even gave him 10 million won to try to escape from his stalking despite her financial struggles."

The prosecution sought a life sentence for A, but the initial trial court sentenced him to 40 years.

The initial trial court claimed, "The deceased had divorced the victim and even wrote a letter stating, 'I will never visit again,' yet continued to threaten and torment her," and emphasized that "the defendant snatched the weapon back despite being disarmed in a scuffle and killed the victim."

A's claim of 'diminished responsibility' was also rejected.

The court noted, "According to a psychiatric evaluation by the National Forensic Hospital, the defendant exhibited anxiety and anger as primary symptoms at the time of the crime but did not suffer from depression." It added, "The defendant had wrapped the handle of the weapon with a bandage beforehand to avoid slipping and had prepared flammable materials, indicating that his mental state was intact at that time."

Both the prosecution and A submitted appeals to the court citing reasons such as inappropriate sentencing.

During the appellate trial, B's lawyer commented, "The defendant only submitted letters of remorse in the first trial and recently delivered a letter of apology to the family," and expressed concern that "a meager letter of only a page or two might lead to a reduced sentence."

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