A man in his 30s sentenced to seven years in prison for breaking into the home of actress Nana (Im Jin-ah), a former member of the girl group After School, and threatening her with a weapon while demanding money has appealed the first-instance ruling.
According to the Namyangju Branch of the Uijeongbu District Court, the defendant, identified by his surname Kim, 34, submitted an appeal to the first-instance court Monday. The reason for the appeal has not been confirmed, but as Kim had denied the robbery charge throughout the proceedings, the appeal is expected to be based on misjudgment of facts and inappropriate sentencing.
Earlier, Criminal Division 1 of the Namyangju Branch of the Uijeongbu District Court sentenced Kim to seven years in prison Sunday on charges of robbery resulting in injury. Kim, who had consistently denied the charge of breaking in while carrying a weapon during the trial, reportedly submitted the appeal citing misjudgment of facts and inappropriate sentencing. Prosecutors plan to decide whether to appeal after reviewing the ruling.
Kim was brought to trial on charges that he broke into Nana's home in Guri, Gyeonggi Province, at around 5:38 a.m. on Nov. 15 last year and demanded money, only to be subdued by Nana and her mother, leaving the crime unfinished. Nana and her mother submitted medical certificates stating that they suffered injuries requiring 33 days and 31 days of treatment, respectively, as a result of Kim's crime.
Kim also filed a complaint with police against Nana on charges of attempted murder and aggravated injury, claiming that "during the process of being subdued at the time of the break-in, I was nearly killed when Nana stabbed me in the neck with a weapon." However, a decision was made not to refer the case, as the act was recognized as self-defense.
The first-instance court, which sentenced Kim to seven years in prison, did not accept Kim's claim that "the weapon used in the crime was a weapon that was in Nana's home," and ruled that the injuries Kim sustained from Nana during the crime constituted self-defense.
During the trial, Kim's side denied the robbery charge. His lawyer argued, "He only broke into the residence at night for the purpose of theft, with no intent to rob," adding, "There is no evidence that the defendant entered while carrying a weapon." The lawyer also reportedly said, "The defendant committed the crime impulsively because he was in difficult circumstances and needed money for his mother's hospital bills," and requested leniency "in consideration of the fact that he deeply regrets the unauthorized intrusion and attempted theft."
