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Prosecutors seek harsher sentence for man who gave meth overdose to girlfriend

Published: 23 Apr. 2025, 19:26

The Daejeon High Court in Daejeon [JOONGANG ILBO]

Prosecutors have requested a 15-year prison sentence for a man in his 20s who was previously sentenced to nine years in prison for causing the death of his ex-girlfriend by giving her a drink containing methamphetamine.

During the appeals hearing held Wednesday at the Daejeon High Court, prosecutors asked the court to impose a 15-year sentence on the suspect, who was convicted in the first trial on charges including bodily injury resulting in death.

The suspect was indicted for an incident in May last year in Asan, South Chungcheong, where he gave his ex-girlfriend, a woman in her 20s, a beverage containing 3 grams of methamphetamine. She later died of acute methamphetamine poisoning. A typical dosage for a single use is around 0.03 grams.

The suspect claimed that the victim had voluntarily mixed and consumed the methamphetamine herself. However, the district court ruled that he had administered the drug and sentenced him to nine years in prison.

In the appeals trial, which was initiated by both the prosecution and the defense, the suspect's attorney reiterated that he had not forced the victim to consume the drink and argued that even if he had, he could not have foreseen the possibility of her death.

The suspect did admit to possessing the drug. According to the investigation, he had purchased approximately 7 grams of methamphetamine with an acquaintance and stored it at his residence and in his vehicle.

Prosecutors criticized the first trial's sentence as too lenient, citing the severity of the crime and the suspect’s actions after the incident. They argued that he attempted to destroy evidence by discarding his phone and influencing other witnesses’ testimony.

The appeals court is scheduled to deliver its verdict on June 30.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY KIM JI-HYE [[email protected]]