Legal News

69-year-old charged with murder at Korean retreat

By Richard Binder

Riverside County district attorney's spokesman John Hall said yesterday they would charge John Chong with one count of murder and three counts of attempted murder. Chong, 69, went on a shooting spree at a Roman Catholic Korean retreat in Southern California that left one person dead.

Chong lived by himself in a trailer and did manual labor around the retreat.  He was one of a handful of volunteers who lived there with three nuns and a number of people not affiliated with the religious center who rent campground space on the 160-acre property.

Chong told investigators he was unhappy with the other volunteers because they did not give him the respect he deserved and were mean to him, according to Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. Mike Lujan.

According to Joseph Kim, who ultimately subdued Chong before he could kill anyone else, the disgruntled volunteer had provoked arguments with others and made vague threats.

If convicted on all counts, Chong could face life in prison.

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Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on April 15, 2009 (boomark / email).