The prosecution also requested the death penalty for Kim Tae-hyeon (25), who was handed over to trial for the brutal murder of three mothers and daughters in an apartment in Nowon-gu, Seoul.
Today (15th), the prosecution said at the first trial of Kim Tae-hyeon’s appeal, which was held at the hearing of the Seoul High Court’s Criminal Division 6-3 (Chief Judges Jo Eun-rae, Kim Yong-ha, and Jeong Chan-yeol), “The method was cruel, and the victim’s family died as a result of this crime.” I asked the court to sentence him to the death penalty, which is the maximum punishment in court.”
In his final statement, Kim Tae-hyun said, “Criminals should be punished for their sins.”
Kim’s lawyer appealed for leniency, saying that Kim Tae-hyun planned to kill A, the victim, whom he had known, but said that A’s crimes against his brother and mother were accidental.
In the courtroom that day, the victim’s family requested the death sentence, saying, “I know that the death penalty will not be executed, but I am afraid that Kim Tae-hyun (on parole) will come out (on parole) and do not know what to do next.”
Kim Tae-hyun was stalked by Mr. A, whom he met in an online game in November 2020, for refusing to contact him.
In the first trial, Kim Tae-hyun has been insisting that all the victims except A were ‘accidental killing’.
However, the prosecution requested the death penalty, considering it a planned crime, saying, “If the murder was unplanned, you should show hesitation in carrying out the next crime, but you carried on the action confidently.”
The trial court also rejected the claim that it was accidental. However, he has been sentenced to life in prison, saying that strict conditions are necessary to proceed to the death sentence.
Kim Tae-hyun’s sentencing hearing is scheduled to be held on January 19, next year.
