Guam – The Jury has begun deliberations in the manslaughter trial of Jimmy Chin Song.
The case went to the Jury Tuesday after Judge Vern Perez read the Jury instructions.
Song is accused in connection with the death of Yunmo Ku. Ku fell into a coma after an altercation with Song outside the Sing-A-Song bar in Harmon on June 18th. A week later his family made the decision to remove him from life support machines and he died.
During the trial last Thursday, Medical Examiner Dr. Aurelio Espinola testified that Song died of a brain laceration caused when he suffered a blow on the top of his head. Last Friday, in his closing arguments, Assistant Attorney General David Rivera blamed Ku’s injury on Jimmy Song.
During his closing argument, Song’s defense attorney Randy Cunliffe, acknowledged that his client hit Ku, but he said Ku hit Song first. And Cunliffe accused the prosecution of trying to create sympathy for the Ku family because of the tragic death of their son.
The charge of manslaughter requires some intent or knowledge that the act committed could cause death and Song had no reasonable expectation that his punch would lead to Ku’s death said Cunliffe. What happened was a tragedy he said, but not a crime.
