Defense attorney seeks jury trial amid allegations of judicial favoritism

A defense attorney has requested a jury trial in a civil lawsuit involving Hyun Ji-suk, arguing that the presence of a judge and a prosecutor as husbands to the opposing parties creates internal court pressure and risks favoritism. The request follows an acquittal for Hyun on attempted murder charges based on "socially acceptable reasonableness."

A defense attorney is attempting to break through a legal deadlock by requesting a jury trial in a case where allegations of "protecting one's own" have surfaced due to the fact that the defendant's husband is a judge.

Connections and suspicions of favoritism behind acquittal

The acquittal of the defendant, Hyun Ji-suk, on attempted murder charges was influenced by the specific circumstance that her husband is a judge. During the criminal trial, the court determined that her actions were driven by a will to defend rather than an intent to harm the other party, granting an acquittal based on "socially acceptable reasonableness," ruling that the situation was urgent enough to threaten her life.

However, suspicions surrounding this verdict surfaced during the civil litigation stage. The defense attorney requested a jury trial, emphasizing that a fair trial would be difficult to achieve. The attorney pointed out that the husbands of the parties involved are a prosecutor and a judge, respectively, and raised the possibility of internal court pressure, noting that the results of the previous criminal trial had not been disclosed to the media. The attorney argued that if a judge rules in favor of the defendant, it could be perceived as protecting one's own, whereas ruling in favor of the plaintiff could cause a judge to lose conviction due to public opinion.

Furthermore, the attorney pointed out that an unfair situation is being created through media play, with certain daily newspapers leaking details of the case. The attorney criticized this behavior as "cheap," claiming that the information was obtained from reporters with personal ties to the parties. Regarding these circumstances, the attorney questioned the possibility of a fair trial between a judge and a prosecutor, explicitly stating that internal court pressure exists due to the criminal trial results that revealed favoritism.

Defense facing reality and the start of a new strategy

The attorney noted that the opponent in this lawsuit is attorney Gong Chang-min, a former presiding judge who was recently scouted by South Korea's largest law firm. This suggests that the case has moved beyond a simple legal dispute into a confrontation against the rigid networks and power structures within the legal profession. Expressing the pressure exerted by the opponent's background, the attorney remarked that the "wall of reality" is much harder to penetrate than a concrete wall poured by 3,450 ready-mixed concrete trucks.

The court expressed caution regarding the request for a jury trial, questioning whether it is possible in a civil lawsuit. However, the attorney argued that the law must also consider the "standard of the people." After determining that the grounds for the application presented by the attorney were substantial, the court decided to notify the parties of the result after careful deliberation.

Clues in robbery case and witness testimony

Meanwhile, Jae-in, the victim of a robbery, provided an important clue regarding the perpetrator's appearance. Jae-in testified that the perpetrator had a scroll pier tattoo on his neck. There are suggestions that this incident may be linked to a part-time worker's murder case and the perpetrator captured on nearby CCTV. Jae-in is digging into the case to uncover why the perpetrator targeted both the human body and themselves.

Following the robbery, Jae-in remained in the hospital and experienced the situation, during which the perpetrator made threats such as choking them. Jae-in testified that after the perpetrator assaulted them with a fist, they simply fled. Jae-in recounted the situation, stating that amidst the threats of being choked, the perpetrator punched them, causing them to run away.

Deepening conflict over legal industry connections

The conflict is intensifying due to the professional backgrounds of the parties involved. It has been confirmed that the husband of the plaintiff, Lee Jong-mi, is a prosecutor, while the husband of the defendant, Hyun Ji-suk, is a judge. These relationships, combined with the fact that the previous criminal trial results were not made known to the media, are increasing the controversy over fairness.

As allegations arise that Judge Kang acts arrogantly in court despite being currently in office, and claims are made that certain factions are conducting media play by leaking case details, the legal battle shows signs of expanding into a social debate beyond a simple civil lawsuit. In particular, criticisms continue that Judge Kang acts as if he is still in office and is being "marked" because of this behavior. To overcome this situation, the attorney has signaled a shift in the conflict by announcing a new legal representation.

Source: DRAMA Voyage (YouTube)