Teen Stabs Grandmother 60 Times For Nagging Him, Court Rules Killing As 'Accidental'

A South Korean teenager, who stabbed his grandmother 60 times for nagging him, was found guilty but given a lenient sentence as the court ruled the killing as "accidental."

The incident was reported in the city of Daegu on Aug. 30, 2021. The 77-year-old victim allegedly yelled at the accused and his 17-year-old younger brother following which the accused decided to kill her. The boy picked up a kitchen knife and stabbed his elderly grandmother 60 times. He also attempted to kill his grandfather but was stopped by his brother, Asia One reported.

During the trial, prosecutors claimed the killing was "carefully planned" and asked for life imprisonment, which is the maximum sentence for murder in South Korea. The accused was found guilty of murder last week. The court, however, ruled the killing to be an "accident" and sentenced him to seven to 12 years in prison, Next Shark reported.

Meanwhile, the 17-year-old sibling told the court during the trial, "Although I hated my grandmother’s nagging so much when I was a child and I dreamed of killing her, I never actually did it." He, too, was handed a two-and-a-half-year prison term for assisting the accused in the murder.

The 17-year-old reportedly closed the windows at the residence so that people couldn’t hear the woman’s screams.

The court reportedly took into account their poverty-stricken childhood and the elder brother’s tendency for "explosive emotional expressions," which was determined in the psychological tests. The siblings were living with their grandparents since 2012 after their parents got separated. The court also determined that the murder was not committed "out of malice."

"He is well aware of his wrongdoing and seems to have sufficient room for reformation," the judge said during the elder sibling’s sentencing.

The court’s ruling has caused an outrage on social media with people criticizing the country’s judicial system. While some called the sentencing a "joke," others called the judge "crazy."

The juvenile justice system in South Korea reportedly aims at rehabilitating offenders as opposed to giving them strict punishment. Courts in the country encourage offenders to take part in recreational programs instead of handing over a longer jail term.