American Arthur Patterson, Alleged Suspect In 1997 Itaewon Murder Case, Was Extradited In South Korea For Re-Trial; Denies Allegations For Killing A South Korean Student
A 22-year-old college student was found dead in the comfort room of a fast food restaurant in Itaewon, Seoul on April 3, 1997. Cho Choong Pil reportedly obtained a total of nine stabs in the neck and chest, which caused him his death.
A few days after the incident, police authorities arrested American Arthur Patterson and Korean-American Edward Lee as the persons of interest linking to the alleged murder of Cho.
Patterson fled to the United States a year after he was released in a special pardon in 1998. On the other hand, Lee was sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment but was acquitted in 1998 for lack of evidence.
The release of the movie entitled, "The Case of Itaewon Homicide," compels the prosecution to reopen the case of investigation in 2009. Two years after, Patterson was indicted with murder charge by the South Korean prosecutors, as reported by The New York Times on Tuesday.
Also, the South Korea requested the US to return Patterson on the former. 18 years after the Itaewon murder case, Patterson arrived at Incheon International Airport on Wednesday wherein he was escorted by Korean law enforcement officers.
"It's not right that they (Cho's family members) have to keep going through this pain over and over and over, but it's not right that I'm here either," Patterson tells the reporters, as noted by Associated Press on the same day. "I'm still shocked that I'm even here."
The suspect also denies the allegations that he murdered the 22-year-old student in 1997. When he was asked by the reporters if his companion, Lee, killed the Korean student, he answered, "The same person I have always known killed him," as reported by Korea Times on Wednesday.
Patterson will stay at the Seoul Detention Center until his trial is over. Meanwhile, the schedule of the trial has not been confirmed, however, it will take place next month at Seoul Central District Court.