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Ex-owner of Korean paper found guilty of punching another man
Byung Ill Sin, the former owner and publisher of Saipan Times, a Korean newspaper on Saipan, was found guilty yesterday of assault and battery for punching Korean Association of Saipan vice president Jun Soo Park at a restaurant. The 60-year-old Sin was, however, found not guilty of disturbing the peace.
At a bench trial, Superior Court Associate Judge David A. Wiseman, imposed a 30-day prison term on Sin, all suspended.
Sin was placed on six months probation and was ordered to pay a $500 fine, and $25 court costs. He was also required to write a letter of apology to Park, who was given 30 days to submit his claim for restitution.
Wiseman noted that Sin, who has no criminal history, has expressed remorse for what he did, which the judge said was not an extremely egregious event.
Before the sentence was handed, Sin apologized to Park.
In convicting Sin guilty of assault and battery, Wiseman said he finds based on evidence and testimony of Park and other witnesses that Park was indeed assaulted. Wiseman said there was no self-defense.
Wiseman said there was a back and forth argument between Sin and Park during the association’s meeting at a restaurant. The argument escalated to a level where Sin got upset and hit Park.
Assistant attorney general Emily Cohen, counsel for the government, recommended a sentence of one year imprisonment, all suspended except six months. Sin’s lawyer, attorney Stephen Nutting, recommend no jail time and a $500 fine.
Nutting said Sin is already 60 years old and has no criminal history. He pointed out that Park provoked Sin several times using disrespectful and bad words.
Both Sin and Park took the witness stand and narrated to the court their versions of the incident.
Sin testified that he thought Park would assault him so he pushed him with a closed fist.
Sin denied there was an argument and stated that Park was very drunk.
