Attack On Titan Editor Sentenced To 11 Years In Prison For Wife’s Death; More To Know

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As a devoted fan and follower of Park Jung-hyun’s impressive career in the manga industry, I was deeply saddened to learn about the tragic events that transpired in his personal life. The news of his conviction for murdering his wife came as a shock, leaving me feeling betrayed and dismayed.

Trigger warning: This article contains reference to a tragic death.

In July 2024, after a retrial, the Tokyo High Court convicted former Kodansha editor Park Jung-hyun of murdering his 38-year-old wife in their Bunkyo City home in Japan. The court sentenced him to serve eleven years in prison.

Shifting stories and evidence

The situation grew more intricate as Mr. Park provided contrasting accounts of that evening’s events. At first, he claimed she had tripped down the stairs, but later revealed it might have been a suicide – a detail he failed to share with paramedics. Her lifeless body was found at the bottom of the staircase, and her death was determined to be due to asphyxiation.

In an alternate account at the trial, he asserted that his wife brandished a knife and became aggressive. He justified the bloodstains in the bedroom, distant from where the body was discovered, by stating that he had to defend himself as she intended to harm him as well. Subsequently, he claimed to have heard a noise outside before learning that his wife had taken her own life.

Court’s decision and family reaction

The court found Park’s account hard to believe, as the judge commented that it was highly unlikely for the wife to have regained consciousness, moved around enough to make noise, and then taken her own life.

Despite the ruling against him, Park continues to assert his innocence and intends to file an appeal. His lawyer spoke on his behalf, pointing out that while there wasn’t enough proof for a murder charge, the case relied heavily on potentially unreliable testimony.

Park’s mother expressed her sorrow in these words: “My son had a good relationship with his wife, and he was devoted to his children. They thought he would return home today, but I’m struggling to tell them about the verdict. It’s just so unfair.”

Career and legal battles

Since 1999, Mr. Park had collaborated with Kodansha on successful series like Attack on Titan and The Seven Deadly Sins. In the month of June 2016, he assumed the role of editor for Weekly Morning.

The Supreme Court directed a new trial for Park, making it the third one, as they believed some crucial pieces of evidence had been overlooked in the previous two.

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2024-07-22 12:37