American is extradited to South Korea for trial in 1997 murder

[webfact]

American Is Extradited to South Korea for Trial in 1997 Murder
By CHOE SANG-HUN
The New York Times

SEOUL, South Korea — An American man arrived here in handcuffs on Wednesday as South Korea prepared to revisit a notorious murder case from 1997.

The man, Arthur John Patterson, 35, of Sunnyvale, Calif., faces trial on charges that he murdered Jo Jung-pil, a South Korean college student, in Itaewon, an entertainment district frequented by expatriates living in Seoul. Mr. Jo, 22, was found dead on the restroom floor of a Burger King restaurant with multiple stab wounds to his neck.

Mr. Patterson, 17 when the killing occurred in April 1997, was the son of an American military contractor. In South Korea, where people are sensitive about crimes committed by foreigners, especially by those connected with the United States military, the case has drawn extensive media coverage. But who killed Mr. Jo has always remained a mystery.

Full story: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/23/world/asia/american-is-extradited-to-south-korea-for-trial-in-1997-murder.html

-- The New York Times 2015-09-23

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US man charged with killing S. Korean in 1997 extradited

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — An American charged with murdering a Seoul university student in 1997 has been extradited to South Korea to face a new trial.

The Justice Ministry says that Arthur Patterson arrived from Los Angles on Wednesday.

Patterson faces charges he fatally stabbed Cho Choong-pil at a Burger King restaurant near the U.S. military headquarters in Seoul.

Initially his friend, Edward Lee, was given 20 years in prison for killing Cho, while Patterson was handed an 18-month jail term for destroying evidence.

South Korea's Supreme Court later ordered a retrial and a lower-level court acquitted Lee of his murder conviction.

Seoul officials say he went to the U.S. in 1998, before he was charged with murder.

Patterson and Lee accuse each other of killing Cho.

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-09-23

[retarius]

Surprised the US let one of their citizens be extradited, especially as he was related to military. Good on them....hope justice os served after a long wait.

[godden]

don't give much for his chances