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Inset: Youngmi Shin in court last year (KCPQ/YouTube). Background: Police at the home where Youngmi Shin was found covered in blood after allegedly killing her husband Jay Choi (KCPQ/YouTube).
A woman in Washington state is facing a second-degree murder charge and a wrongful death lawsuit — filed by her two stepdaughters earlier this month — for allegedly attacking and stabbing her husband in the back with a knife during an argument, which she claims was done in self-defense. In their complaint, victim Jay Choi’s daughters say they’re entitled to general and special compensatory damages for his death regardless of the circumstances.
“Jay Choi sustained serious bodily injuries resulting in pain, suffering, disability, fear of impending death, and wrongful death, entitling his estate to recover general and special compensatory damages … and any other damages allowable as a result of Defendant’s tortious conduct,” the daughters’ complaint says. “This is also evidenced by Youngmi Shin’s acts … even though the death of Jay Choi was most likely without premeditation.”
Shin, 52, is accused of fatally stabbing Choi, 62, at their home in the 10200 block of Ainsworth Avenue South in Parkland, which is about 10 miles south of Tacoma, back in November. Shin has pleaded not guilty and claims self-defense, telling authorities that Choi “grabbed her by the hair and then punched her in the face” before she fought back and stabbed him, according to her charging documents, which are included in the wrongful death suit.
“Pierce County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the 10200 block of Ainsworth Avenue South in Pierce County regarding a welfare check,” a probable cause declaration reads from the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, which identifies the person who reported Choi’s death as a neighbor who lived a few houses down. “Dispatch advised that an Asian female covered in blood had flagged down the reporting party. The Asian female, identified as defendant Youngmi Shin, told the reporting party her husband was dying.”
Upon their arrival, deputies contacted the reporting party and were told that Shin — who was “covered in blood” — ran down a driveway to the east. They began to check the driveway and heard a “hysterical female yelling,” per the charging documents. “As they rounded the corner of the residence on the property, they observed the defendant ‘holding and on top of a male on the ground,”” the documents say. “Both the male and female were covered in blood.”
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According to police, Choi was not moving when deputies came upon him and Shin. “He had one eye open and one eye closed,” the charging documents say. “Deputies pulled the defendant off the victim. Deputies checked for a pulse on the victim, but could not find one.”
As police worked on cutting off Choi’s clothing to determine where he was injured, Shin allegedly told them that she had been “in some sort of argument” with Choi and had “stabbed her husband in the back with a knife,” according to prosecutors. “She also stated the knife she used was ‘inside,’” the charging documents say.
When investigators spoke to the neighbor who reported the incident, the resident stated that Shin came and knocked on her front door in a panic, asking her to call the police.
“When she opened the door, she saw the defendant standing there with blood on her hands,” the probable cause declaration says. “The defendant told her that her husband was dying and asked her to call the police. The defendant then ran back out of the driveway.”
Prosecutors say Shin confessed to killing Choi in self-defense after invoking her right to an attorney, meaning it is inadmissible in court, per the charging documents. She claimed that she had gotten into a fight with Choi over him drinking “almost” an entire bottle of Jack Daniel’s whiskey with two acquaintances, despite the fact that they had family coming over the next day.
“[Choi] came into the house and asked her to have a drink with him,” her charging documents say. “He asked her to come out to the shop with him and sing for him as well. She did so, but did not drink the whiskey and had only drank two Coors Light beers that evening.”
After some time passed, Shin said Choi asked her to buy another bottle of whiskey and she refused. “Shin told detectives her husband began to insult her mother and father, then demanded a set of keys and was trying to leave the house,” the charging documents allege. She told cops she tried to block the doorway to stop Choi from driving, prompting him to allegedly attack her.
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Choi’s daughters are suing for negligent infliction of emotional distress, in addition to wrongful death, for “personal injuries, loss of love and companionship for (their) father and for injuries and destruction of the parent-child relationship.” Their complaint notes how Choi did not have a will.
“The grief my family, as well as my father’s friends, are enduring is unimaginable, and we will never fully heal from this profound loss,” the daughters said in a filing last week that was made in opposition of a motion to reduce Shin’s bail, which has been set at $1 million, according to The News Tribune.
The pair claimed Choi is “a serious flight risk” with alleged connections to criminals and a history of fraudulent marriage schemes for immigration purposes, the Tribune reports. Her request to have her bail reduced was denied.
