”Smoking room murder” - Defendant Choi Seong-woo: ”I had no intention of killing” = South Korea

Defendant Choi Sung-woo (28), who is suspected of murdering a man in his 70s who lived in the same apartment building and whom he met in the building's smoking area, denied the charges at his first trial.
On the 22nd, the Seoul Northern District Court held the first hearing for defendant Choi, who was indicted on charges of murder.
According to the prosecution's indictment, the defendant Choi was arrested in August this year at a smoking area in an apartment building in Jungnang-gu, Seoul.
In the smoking area, a man in his 70s who lives in the same apartment building was questioned about the man's actions. When the man said, "I don't know who you are," defendant Choi choked the man and hit him in the face with his fist.
He is accused of assaulting the victim dozens of times and slamming her head into a flower bed multiple times, killing her. The lawyer for the defendant, Choi, said, "I am truly sorry and remorseful to the victim and her family."
However, he maintained, "I did not intend to kill anyone, and I deny the murder charges. I admit to causing death by injury."
Choi responded simply, "No." The lawyer for Choi also said, "It is true that Choi was subjected to severe violence and sexual assault in the detention center. This is not a case of sexual assault in everyday life.
"He has proved that he had no sexual relations with his wife and that the most severe assault occurred the day before the psychological examination, so we would like to determine whether the assault influenced the psychological examination," the court said, requesting a leniency in the sentence.
The victim was rushed to the hospital after the incident, but died an hour later. At the time, Choi was arrested on suspicion of assault, but the charge was changed to murder after the victim died.
During the investigation, Choi reportedly said he thought the victim would harm him and his mother. Prosecutors filed charges last month, stating that the case constitutes a specific serious crime under the law.
The court held a public review committee and resolved to release information about the identity of the defendant Choi. In a statement released through his lawyer on the 14th of this month, the victim's son said, "We believe that the defendant Choi Sung-woo committed the murder due to delusions.
"I feel angry that they might claim he was mentally impaired, and I have mixed emotions. I strongly hope that this heinous murderer will be given the death penalty, which is the maximum sentence under the law," he emphasized.
The court set the next trial date for Choi for November 11.