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Controversy continues over the police action that ended the “taxi driver murder” case of Deputy Justice Minister Lee Yong-gu.
Given that the precedents of similar cases in the past are contradictory, opinions are divided as to whether it is a simple assault and that an aggravated punishment is necessary.
I am also interested in the possibility of a new investigation.
Let’s find out more from the reporter. Reporter Ahn Yoon-hak!
First of all, let’s get back to the situation at the time of the assault!
[기자]It was on the 6th of last month, when he was a lawyer, that the Vice Minister of Justice, Lee Yong-gu, assaulted a taxi driver.
Around 11:30 pm, police report 112 was presented.
In front of an apartment in Seocho-gu, Seoul, a drunk passenger was awakened, but a taxi driver reported the assault damage, claiming that he had caught his destination.
Two policemen were dispatched.
At the time, Vice Minister Lee denied the crime.
There was no black box to illuminate the interior of the taxi.
The victim presented a photo of her neck area, but the wound was unclear.
The evidence for the crime was unclear.
Police confirmed the identity of the deputy minister and did not arrest the current offender as they determined that further investigation was necessary.
[앵커]The question is whether the police did not investigate properly and shut down internal affairs and did a ‘surveillance’.
[기자]On the 8th, two days after the incident, before the police launched a full-scale investigation.
The taxi driver calls the investigator in charge and agrees with the vice minister, saying that he does not want punishment.
In fact, I even filed a request for no punishment.
Consequently, the assault was minor, there was no evidence, and the assault occurred while stopped, so it is not a ‘driver assault’, but a simple assault.
However, simple assault is a crime against intent, that is, if the victim does not want to be punished, there is no right to prosecute, so let’s close internal affairs.
This is where the controversy begins.
According to the Revised Specific Crimes Weighted Penalty Act of 2015, which considers assault on drivers a felony, even when stopping to board and alight, it is considered an extension of the operation and assault offenses are subject to a greater punishment.
Whether the victim wants to be punished or not, it is indicated both within the police and in the legal community that they must file a lawsuit, investigate and hand over to the prosecution.
Journalists called front-line police officers and between 8% and 90% responded that they were not convinced that the Special Law was not being applied.
[앵커]That is why the suspicion of insolvency arises.
In the midst of this, media reports came out yesterday that the taxi driver annulled the initial statement. It is confirmed?
[기자]The gist of the taxi driver’s initial statement was that when he was almost at the destination, Lee swears, grabs him by the neck and hits him.
If this is true, this loan was in service and is subject to the sanction of the Special Law.
However, after the taxi driver said that he had agreed with Vice Minister Lee, he changed his statement expressing his intention to reject the punishment.
While waiting for the signal at the intersection, Vice Minister Lee misunderstood that he had reached his destination and opened the door.
It was not when the car was moving, but when it came and stopped.
There were no black boxes and the nearby CCTV did not clearly illuminate the interior of the taxi.
After all, only two people know the truth.
In response, the police said that the statements from both sides were mixed in the first place, and the victim’s statement was reversed, so there would be no real benefit to further investigation.
[앵커]At least, isn’t it a fact that a gripping assault occurred in a stopped car?
Is it not possible to punish only with this confirmed fact?
[기자]First of all, the reporters thought that if the provisions of the Special Law are observed, this loan is definitely subject to sanction.
But in the royal trial, it was not.
In 2015, after the Special Law to increase the punishment for assault in detention was revised, the police and prosecutors applied the Special Law to bring similar cases to trial.
The court, however, also had a different idea.
Since the car has stopped, it cannot be considered to be driving, there is no threat to the surrounding safety
Therefore, it is a simple assault, and it is innocent if there is no intention to punish the victim.
Yesterday, the police organized five such precedent cases and distributed them as explanatory material to journalists.
Of course, there are cases where the special pricing law was applied.
Last year and this year, the courts sentenced to prison terms for assault cases that occurred due to rate disputes while in detention.
On a large scale, immediately after the revision of the Special Prices Law in 2015, prosecutors and investigators were willing to punish severely to reflect the change in social atmosphere, but the court appears to have been conservative.
However, with the recent conviction, the atmosphere in court also wants to change.
Some point out that the fact that the police ended internal affairs without a dry mouth is a measure that reflects the trend of severe punishment for assault on the driver.
However, there is also an objection that Vice Minister Lee’s assault was milder than other convicted cases, and it was okay to end internal affairs.
[앵커]Is there a possibility to re-investigate this case?
[기자]Closing the police investigation does not legally mean that the case is over.
Since the prosecution still has the power to investigate, the possibility of a new investigation is always open unless the prosecution concludes that she is not charged.
Once a case has been solved, the principle of absurdity does not apply.
In fact, civic groups recently charged the loan and the prosecution assigned the case to the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office.
Some reviews say if new research is inevitable.
Although there were only a few, there were voices within the police who had to initiate their own investigation.
However, officially, we are watching the trend while maintaining the position that there is no problem with closing internal affairs.
YTN Yoonhak Ahn at the National Police Agency[[email protected]]is.
※ ‘Your report becomes news’ YTN awaits your valuable report.
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