South Korea Finds American Guilty in 1997 Murder, Sentences him to 20 Years

An American man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by a South Korean court in relation to a murder that was committed in 1997.

Arthur John Patterson, 36, from California, was found guilty on Friday for killing university student, Cho Joong-pil, inside of a bathroom at a Burger King restaurant in Itaweon, Seoul. Patterson, who was the son of a U.S. military contractor, was 17 at the time.

"The court decided on a life sentence, but in view of the defendant's age, of being under 18 at the time, the sentence will be 20 years in prison," Judge Shim Kyu-hong said, according to Reuters via the Washington Post.

Patterson was extradited to Seoul from the U.S.

Yonhap news agency reported that Patterson claimed his accomplice Korean-American Edward Lee was responsible for the murder. Lee had blamed Patterson. Both teenagers were the only people inside of the bathroom during the time of the murder.

The Seoul Central District Court concluded, "There is credibility in statements made by Edward Lee, an accomplice, that (he) witnessed Patterson stabbing the victim. (Lee) incited Patterson to murder (Cho) and led the way into the bathroom (where the incident took place)."

According to the report, Cho, who did not know Patterson and Lee, had sustained multiple knife wounds to his neck. He died on his way to the hospital. Lee was initially convicted of murder and was sentenced to life in prison. Patterson was found guilty of possessing an illegal weapon and tampering with evidence for burning his blood stained clothing. He was sentenced to 18 months but was pardoned.

In 1998, the South Korean Supreme Court exonerated Lee after it decided that the evidence used to prosecute him was not sufficient. The case then focused back on Patterson, who had already left the country by 1999. The case then went unresolved until a 2009 movie titled "The Case of the Itaewon Homicide" pressured prosecutors to reopen the case.

In 2011, Patterson was indicted for murder. Throughout his trial, he had continued to maintain his innocence in the homicide.

"Joong-pil can now rest," the mother of the victim, Ms. Lee, said after the verdict was announced, reported by the New York Times.

She did not forgive either men, stating this month, "I want them both dead. They killed my beloved son just for fun and destroyed my family. And look, they are still shifting the blame to each other."

The murder, which was highly sensational during that time, led to an increase in the disapproval of the U.S. military's presence in South Korea.