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American gets 20-year sentence in S. Korea for 1997 ‘Itaewon murder’

January 29, 2016
Arthur John Patterson, left, was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison for stabbing to death Korean student Cho Joong-pil at a Burger King restaurant in 1997. Lee Bok-su, the mother of Cho, a victim of the "Itaewon murder," speaks at the Seoul Central District Court after it found Patterson guilty of the crime. (Yonhap)

Arthur John Patterson, left, was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison for stabbing to death Korean student Cho Joong-pil at a Burger King restaurant in 1997. Lee Bok-su, the mother of Cho, a victim of the “Itaewon murder,” speaks at the Seoul Central District Court after it found Patterson guilty of the crime. (Yonhap)

The Seoul Central District Court sentenced Arthur John Patterson, a U.S. citizen, to 20 years in prison Friday after finding him guilty of the stabbing death of Korean student Cho Joong-pil at a Burger King restaurant 19 years ago.

The case, widely known as the “Itaewon murder” in South Korea, took place in 1997, and a Korean American Edward Kun Lee was originally found guilty and sentenced to life in prison back in 1998. But the Supreme Court overturned the case the following year citing lack of evidence.

While Patterson and Lee continue to point finger at each other over the stabbing since the initial investigation, the court determined that Lee’s testimony was more credible than that of Patterson this time.

Lee was acknowledged as the accomplice, but he will not face any punishment due to double jeopardy. The victim, Patterson and Lee were the only three people present at the murder scene.

“Given the small size of the bathroom, it is highly unlikely that the two could have switched sides to take turns stabbing. With the two constantly accusing each other, it is obvious that one of the two is lying,” presiding Judge Shim Gyu-hong said.

“While Lee only had a small amount of blood on his head and shirt, Patterson’s head and clothes were covered with a large amount of blood that he was unlikely to have gotten elsewhere,” the judge said.

Given that the attacker stabbed the victim nine times in less than 10 seconds, it would have been impossible for that attacker not to be covered with a large amount of blood, according to the ruling.

Immediately after the incident, while Lee left without washing his hands, Patterson, who was covered with a lot of blood, changed his clothes first before leaving the restaurant, it said.

Patterson’s lawyer said he will appeal.

Judge Shim also accepted statements provided by Lee as well as their friends who were present at the day of the murder, while dismissing those by Patterson.

“The witnesses’ testimonies we have heard all consistently point to Patterson as the one who stabbed the victim,” he said.

The judge said harsh punishment was inevitable considering the brutal nature of his crime as well as Patterson’s failure to show remorse.

“Patterson killed the victim who was a complete stranger for fun. Such an act had resulted in irrevocable suffering for the victim’s family,” Shim said. ”The then 22-year-old college student Cho was deprived of happiness and all positive aspects of life that he was entitled to enjoy as a human.”

The judge added that Patterson made no effort to provide any compensation or restitution, and had accused Lee since the day of the murder.

After the ruling, the victim’s mother Lee Bok-su, whose name happens to be pronounced the same as  a Korean word for “revenge,” heaved a heavy sigh. “I think my son will rest better in the ground now,” she told reporters in front of the courthouse.

The court said his indictment has relevant legal standing, because the 15-year statute of limitations on murder has not expired, and the rule of double jeopardy does not apply in the case. The court also dismissed Patterson’s claim that the prosecution was abusing its authority in bringing the indictment, saying although it failed to seek additional written testimony from Patterson, it succeeded in collecting fresh evidence before the indictment.

The prosecution indicted Patterson on Dec. 22, 2011, less than 15 years after the day of the incident on April 3 1997.

Earlier, Patterson had received an 18-month term on charges of destroying evidence and possessing a dangerous weapon.

Lee was found guilty but later freed in a special amnesty, and left the country when the prosecution failed to extend his travel ban.

In 2011, prosecutors charged Patterson with murder, citing fresh evidence, after the release of 2009 film titled “The Case of Itaewon Homicide” reawakened public anger.

His trial started in September last year following his extradition from the U.S. to S. Korea.

 

 

4 Comments

  1. ElNora

    January 29, 2016 at 3:03 PM

    I, as an American, am glad to see him punished. I don’t care who you are, or where you are, if you commit a crime, then do the time. South Korea has EVERY right to punish this man. He deserves much worse than twenty years. He deprived this man of his life, his mother of grandchildren, and his family of his presence. As an American, I bow to the ground in apology to his family. God has blessed you today with vengeance. Amen.

    Reply

  2. jmandoki

    January 29, 2016 at 4:58 PM

    I am so so sorry no matter where he was s korea usa anywhere if he was killed by the hands of another that person needs to be punished. I too am sad for his mother especially .

    Reply

  3. Jay Kim

    January 29, 2016 at 5:04 PM

    I am half korean and born in the United States and I’m deeply saddened by this case. Korea and America are family. I’m proud of the Korean justice system and thankful this conviction even though it took a long time. Let this case be remembered for a greater peace in both Korea and the United States.

    Reply

  4. gojin

    January 30, 2016 at 2:00 PM

    man fuck korea, all the horrible shit they did to people in the past fuck em and their wanting ‘justice’

    Reply