A second court hearing on the case involving pop star Makiyo and Takateru Tomoyori, who are charged with assaulting taxi driver Lin Yu-chun (林余駿), began yesterday and was quickly resolved after both defendants and the plaintiff agreed to an out-of-court settlement of NT$3 million (US$101,000).
A dashboard camera in a taxi driven by a driver surnamed Chiang (蔣) videoed Makiyo and Tomoyori assaulting Lin on Feb. 3 after Tomoyori allegedly refused to buckle his seatbelt.
Prosecutors had requested that Makiyo receive a one year, four month sentence and Tomoyori a two year sentence. Both Makiyo and Tomoyori pleaded guilty.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
Lin’s lawyer, Chou Wu-jung (周武榮), handed in paperwork saying his client was willing to forgive the defendants and settle out of court.
Prosecutors said they were willing to give the defendants a chance if they repented, adding that although Tomoyori’s actions were wrong, if he truly repented and worked on his temper, prosecutors were willing to give him a five year suspended sentence.
The prosecution compared Tomoyori to Wu Sanguei (吳三桂), who was commonly portrayed as having defected to the Manchu in anger when Lee Zicheng (李自成), a rebel general who toppled the last Ming Dynasty emperor, took his concubine Chen Yuanyuan (陳圓圓).
The prosecution said that Makiyo kicking Lin made her an accomplice in the assault, but because Makiyo had no previous criminal record, the prosecution was recommending a lighter sentence.
After the trial, Tomoyori thanked prosecutors for giving him a second chance and apologized to all Taiwanese.
A friend of Tomoyori, surnamed Ko (葛), said the settlement would be split between Makiyo and Tomoyori.
Lin was not present yesterday.
Chou said Lin and his wife chose to give the defendants a chance and to forgive them, in part due to the sincerity of Makiyo’s mother.
The court ordered that the settlement be carried out before April 5, when the court will reconvene to decide whether the charges should be for normal assault, which can be recanted, or whether to impose more serious charges of failed heavy assault, which by law is an indictable offense and cannot be recanted.
Translated by Jake Chung, staff writer
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