익산경찰서 강압수사...무고한 소년을 살인범으로

Published : Jun 16, 2013 - 20:31 Updated : Jun 16, 2013 - 21:44

15일 방송된 SBS '그것이 알고싶다 - 979 소년범과 약촌 오거리의 진실' 편에서 전북 익산경찰서가 강압수사로 무고한 10대 소년을 살인범으로 몰았다는 주장이 제기됐다.

이 사건은 지난 2000년 8월 전북 익산에서 40대 택시기사가 어깨와 가슴 등 12군데를 칼로 찔린 시신이 발견되면서 시작됐다.

당시 주변 다방에서 배달일을 하던 당시 15군 최모군은 자신이 범인을 목격했다며 나섰지만 경찰은 3일 뒤 최군을 유력 용의자로 지목했다.

경찰은 “조사결과, 오토바이를 타고 가던 최군이 앞서가던 택시기사와 시비가 벌어지자 갖고 있던 흉기로 찌르고 달아난 것으로 드러났다”고 밝혔으며 최군의 경찰의 협박과 폭력때문에 허위진술을 했다는 주장에도 불구하고 징역 10년을 받아 수감됐다.

그러나 최군이 수감 생활을 한지 3년이 지난 2003년 군산경찰서는 택시기사 살인사건의 진범을 검거했다고 발표했다. 최군은 출소 후에도 살해된 택시기사의 1억원대 보험금을 갚아야 하는 등 경제적인 어려움을 겪어야만 했다.

방송에 따르면 익산경찰서의 담당 형사는 이미 전근을 간 상태였으며 다른 경찰은 시간이 오래 지나 기억나지 않는다”는 답변만을 남겼다. (코리아헤럴드)

<관련 영문 기사>

Police force innocent teenager to confess to murder

A South Korean police station has come under fire for coercing an innocent teenager to confess to murder after a television program revisit the case occurred a decade ago.

He was freed after three years in prison, but despite his innocence, he still has to pay compensation.

Saturday’s edition of SBS investigative program “Unanswered Question” showed how Iksan Police Station in North Jeolla Province threatened the 15-year-old, surnamed Choi, to confess to killing a taxi driver in 2000, resulting in a 10 year prison sentence. Choi served three years.

The teenager, who worked as a delivery boy, initially reported to the police that he witnessed the culprit who stabbed the driver to the death. But three days later, the police pinpointed Choi as the main suspect.

“The probe result showed that Choi stabbed the taxi driver and ran away after having a quarrel with the man who ran into his motorcycle,” an official of the station said.

Choi insisted in court that the police forced him to make a false statement, but he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

In 2003, Gunsan Police Station announced that they had caught the real offender, but Choi already had spent three years behind bars.

On the top of the unjust sentence, Choi had to pay the taxi driver’s insurance. Choi has to request a retrial on the case to refuse the payment but it is difficult to reverse the previous decisions of the police, prosecutors and judges, according to the program.

When the program’s staff visited Iksan Police Station for an interview, they found that the detective on the murder case was transferred to other station and the remaining officials said they could not remember details because it happened a long time ago.

From news report (khnews@heraldcorp.com)