Ahn Ye Song, a former member of the K-pop girl group INSTAR who is now a DJ, received an 8-year prison sentence months after killing a delivery man in his 50s while driving her Mercedes-Benz SUV while intoxicated.
“I plan to give up my career and dreams,” Yesong said in a hearing in September, changing her initial stance.
In the first trial, she was given a 10-year sentence for leaving the scene without assisting the victim. After the idol-turned-dj apologized and made a deal with the victim’s family, it was ultimately lowered to eight years.
Citing Yesong’s lack of regret, the prosecution first suggested a long 15-year sentence, particularly when her legal team attempted to pin some of the blame for the catastrophe on the victim.
The DJ’s lawyer spoke on her behalf, claiming she acknowledged the charges.
“She drank excessively at an industry event and drove while intoxicated and has no recollection of the incident. She understands the seriousness of needing alcohol addiction treatment,” the lawyer stated.
While Ahn’s side admitted to the charges, they argued that some of the responsibility should be shouldered by the victim.
Reviewing her statements, she withdrew her assertions and talked about her struggles with financial strain.
“At the time, I was experiencing financial hardship due to the lack of bookings. I was at an important gathering that had my livelihood at stake, and I couldn’t refuse to drink. This led me to make an inexcusable pain to the victim. I am reflecting deeply,” she said.
The hearing came after the February collision in which Yesong was driving while extremely drunk, with a blood alcohol content of 0.221, significantly higher than the legal threshold for license revocation.
Ahn Ye Song, also known as Ye Song is a former member of the K-pop girl group INSTAR. She gained fame as a singer and performer in the group before pursuing a career as a DJ.
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