Robbery-murder convict released from prison caught wandering with a weapon; court imposes prison term, saying “public danger must be eliminated” [True Crime]

[Financial News] A man who served a 15-year prison sentence for robbery-murder and damage to a corpse was sentenced to prison again after his release, on charges of carrying a weapon in a public place. The court found that although his weapon possession did not result in any actual additional harm, he posed a high risk of reoffending and that probation and a treatment order alone would not adequately control the danger.
According to legal sources on the 19th, the Seoul Northern District Court’s Criminal Division 8, sitting as a single-judge panel (Judge Kim Cheon-su), sentenced A (58) to one year and six months in prison on the 30th of last month for theft and possessing a weapon in a public place, and ordered the confiscation of one seized weapon.
A was indicted on charges of carrying a weapon without legitimate reason and wandering around areas of Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, from around 4:09 a.m. to around 4:18 a.m. on April 27, causing anxiety or fear among the public. He was also accused of stealing five bottles of soju that had been left in front of a shop in Dongdaemun-gu at around 11:47 p.m. on March 19.
The court found that A committed the offenses while his ability to discern right from wrong or make decisions was diminished due to mental illness. A was found to have been diagnosed with undifferentiated schizophrenia and treated for it for a long time. His diminished mental capacity due to mental illness had also been recognized when he was previously sentenced to 15 years in prison for robbery-murder and damage to a corpse.
The court noted that the amount stolen was small and that no additional harm resulted from his carrying a weapon in a public place, but also pointed to his high risk of reoffending. It considered imposing a suspended sentence along with probation and a treatment order, but focused on the fact that A appeared to have unstable housing, living in a goshiwon, and no family members to encourage him to seek treatment. The court also took into account his history of refusing to take medication for mental illness on his own initiative despite having been prescribed it while serving his previous sentence.
Considering these circumstances together, the court found that a prison sentence was necessary. Judge Kim ruled, “If a treatment order is not carried out, the suspended sentence can be revoked, but the public could be exposed to danger for a considerable period before that happens,” adding, “It is advisable to impose a prison sentence to eliminate the danger to the public and ensure that at least some further treatment for mental illness is provided during incarceration.”


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