A 50-something son who, while caring for his father in his 80s with dementia, lost his temper and caused his death has received a finalized sentence of 15 years in prison.
The Supreme Court's First Division (presiding Justice Seo Kyung-hwan) said on the 17th that it finalized the lower court ruling that sentenced a person identified as A to 15 years in prison on May 29 on a charge of parricide.
A lived with the victim, father B (87 at the time of death), in an apartment in Bundang-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi. B suffered from dementia and hearing loss, making communication difficult, and A usually took care of his father's meals alone. At the same time, A continually hurled insults and committed assaults against his father for making him feel slighted.
While intoxicated on Aug. 20 last year in the afternoon, A momentarily flew into a rage and decided to kill B. A climbed onto B, who was lying in the apartment living room, assaulted him, and caused his death.
In the first trial, A was sentenced to 20 years in prison. The first trial court said, "The victim appears to have died in extreme pain after an entirely unexpected attack by his biological son."
In the second trial, A was sentenced to 15 years in prison. The second trial court said, "A appears to have committed the crime somewhat impulsively while exhausted from the burden of having to care for an elderly victim and from the fatigue of long-term caregiving."
The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, saying it could not be deemed seriously unjust that the lower court sentenced A to 15 years in prison.