By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
A trial with a jury was held at a local court in Daegu Tuesday for the first time in Korea's legal history.
Although their verdict was not binding, the 12-member jury took part in the trial procedure ―the nation's first citizens to do so.
Daegu District Court selected 12 jury members ― nine regular and three stand-bys ― for the trial of a 27-year-old Lee charged with assault and battery of an elderly woman while robbing her home.
The court earlier sent a notice to 230 people aged over 20 on random basis. Of them, 86, or 37 percent of the candidates, appeared at the court to become jurors Tuesday. The figure was twice as many the court expected, reflecting the high interest in the nation's first U.S-style trial.
The prosecutor and lawyer asked questions of the juror candidates to see whether they were related to the defendant, and selected 12 members, six male and six female.
At 2 p.m., the first citizen-participating trial was held.
After taking an oath, the jury studied the evidence, closely examining pictures and presentations prepared by the prosecution and the defense lawyer. Some of them questioned the defendant and witnesses through the judge. The prosecutor and defense lawyer tried to simplify legal terminology for the non-expert jurors.
After listening to forensic testimony, the jury moved to a separate room to deliberate the case and make suggestion, should they find Lee guilty, as to his appropriate punishment.
The three stand-by jurors were excluded from the procedure, as they were selected in the event that some of the regular jury members were not able to take part. As the 12 jurors themselves were not aware of who would be on stand-by, the three selected were a little discouraged when they learned they would be excluded.
They are to submit their findings to the judge as an advisory statement.
With Japan planning to adopt the jury system in May next year, dozens of Japanese media outlets covered the trial, while a prosecutor from Japan's Justice Ministry also came to observe it.