BanguDae Hospital 'patient killing' suspect gets suspended sentence again; court cites 'complications'

A patient accused of beating another patient to death at BanguDae Hospital's locked ward has received a suspended sentence in his second trial, mirroring the first. The appellate court upheld the original ruling, stating that holding the defendant entirely responsible for the death would be excessive.

The court acknowledged that complications arising from the victim's hospital treatment, in addition to the defendant's assault, appeared to be the primary cause of death. This finding influenced the decision to grant a suspended sentence of two years for a crime that could have led to a one-and-a-half-year prison term.

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Considering the victim's autopsy results, complications from hospital treatment appear to be the main cause of death, alongside the defendant's assault. It is harsh to place the entire responsibility for the victim's death on the defendant.

The defendant, identified as Mr. Kim, 33, was accused of punching another patient in a lounge area of the hospital's third ward following an argument. The incident occurred on July 17, 2024. The court also considered Kim's difficult financial situation, which prevented him from reaching a settlement with the victim's family, and his continued need for inpatient treatment at the same hospital due to severe schizophrenia.

BanguDae Hospital, operated by the social welfare corporation Donghyangwon, is a psychiatric facility with approximately 220 beds. This case is not isolated; a state human rights commission investigation revealed that five patients have died at the hospital in the past five years. These deaths include a 2022 incident where a patient with an intellectual disability was beaten to death by two other patients. Police are currently investigating the hospital's director and others on charges of professional negligence resulting in death.

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You must exercise self-restraint while at the hospital to prevent violence.