Jisoo Han
Encyclopedia
Jisoo Han is a South Korea
n underwater diving
instructor who was held in Honduras
. She was jailed for 110 days and was placed under house arrest
for 306 days in connection with the death of Dutch
tourist Mariska Mast at the Honduran island of Roatán
. Han proclaimed her innocence and appealed to roommate
Daniel Ian Ross, a suspect in the case who fled to Australia, to come forward and exonerate her.
Han's uncle Sung-ho Choi filed petitions for her release with Amnesty International
. The case was brought to the attention of South Korean president Lee Myung-bak
and Honduran president Porfirio Lobo Sosa. On October 16, 2010, Han was acquitted
of the murder and remains in Honduras pending the outcome of an appeal
by the prosecution.
on June 10, 2008 to learn to become a scuba diving
instructor. She assisted instructor Daniel Ian Ross, then 29 years old, in the course of her PADI
Divemaster
training at Coconut Tree Divers. She moved into Ross' apartment in the West End district on August 15 to save money by sharing the rent. Ross, a dual citizen of the United Kingdom
and Australia
, allegedly arrived in March of that year and may have been working illegally in Roatán at that time.
, took a diving course at Coconut Tree Divers with Ross and other instructors. Han said she was preparing for her instructor exam outside of the dive shop at that time. Mast's travel companion Barbara Mehsner stated that Mast complained of having breathing problems after their last dive.
According to Han, she met Mast for the first time that evening at the Purple Turtle bar, while accompanied by Ross and other guests. Mehsner said Mast drank with Ross that night and was infatuated with him; Mast told Mehsner that Ross had kissed her. Han stated that she went home alone at around 11:30 p.m. to go to sleep. Ross and Mast arrived at the apartment minutes later. In Ross' statement to police, Mast collapsed in the bathroom at around 3 a.m., hitting her head and chipping her tooth. Han said she brought some ice to tend to a cut above Masts' eye and returned to bed after Ross said he could handle the situation. Han allegedly woke up at around 6 a.m. when Ross yelled her name because Mast was having trouble breathing. Han said Mast was naked in Ross' bed and had defecated
on herself. Han alerted neighbors to call for an ambulance. Ross said that he attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation
when Mast stopped breathing. Han joined Ross to take Mast to the hospital in the back of the landlady's truck. Ross alleged that he was unable to converse in Spanish with the doctors, who sent him away. Mehsner said she was told that Mast hit her head when she fell in the apartment. Ross stated that he returned to the apartment where he "cleaned up the mess" with the housekeeper and claimed to be unaware that he was removing vital evidence because Mast had been pronounced dead. According to the police, the landlady witnessed Ross cleaning up the scene before the they could arrive. Han said that neighbor's wife had cleaned the apartment, which was sealed as a crime scene
. A police officer who inspected the apartment found "six packets of pills and a blood stain."
jail, where he was visited by British consul
Mat Harper. Ross told the court that he did not want Mast to come to his apartment on the night she died. British officials in Honduras stated that Mast's initial autopsy
was "inconclusive" and were uncertain whether Ross would be charged. Han was summoned to the court to make a statement and answer questions as a witness. Ross was conditionally released after surrendering his British
passport and was instructed not to leave the island by the Honduran authorities, who were then unaware of his dual citizenship. Ross used his Australian passport to leave the country the next day, while a memorial was being held for Mast. Han said she had not seen Ross since.
Dutch diplomats and private investigators visited Roatán and pressured Honduran investigators to revisit the case. A new forensic report stated that Mast died of blunt force injuries
and asphyxia
tion with evidence of strangulation
. Trace amounts of amphetamine
s were found in her blood. Honduran forensic pathologist
Heybee Yessenia Caballero reported that Mast's bruises were consistent with defensive injuries and concluded her death was a "homicide, from the legal medical point of view." An international arrest warrant
was issued for Ross through Interpol
.
According to Han, she passed her Divemaster certification about a month after the incident and left Roatán. After staying in the United States
for about three weeks, she returned to South Korea
. At the end of December 2008, Han went to Dahab
, Egypt
where she taught diving to other Koreans.
on an Interpol warrant as she was leaving Egypt to return to Korea. After questioning by an Interpol inspector, Han said she was sent to a "chicken cage" jail cell in Cairo
where she had to sleep on a concrete floor. Han said that her request to contact the Korean consulate in Egypt was denied. Three days after Han's arrest, Ross fled from Singapore
to Australia, which does not have an extradition
treaty with Honduras, and denied responsibility for the death through his lawyers. Australian authorities will not honor an Interpol red notice
, which requests extradition.
On September 22, 2009, Han was extradited back to Roatán via the Netherlands
while in Interpol custody. After a short court hearing which Han said she did not understand, she was sent to La Ceiba
prison. Han said she was scared of the prison shop "because there are a lot of rapists amongst the males." Han praised her father who visited her at the prison and befriended the guards to make sure that she was treated well. On December 14, 2009, Han was released from the prison on $10,000 bail and has been allowed to remain under house arrest
at a church in San Pedro Sula
until her trial.
to seek his niece's release.
On June 29, 2010, South Korean president
Lee Myung-bak
met with Honduran president
Porfirio Lobo Sosa at the 2010 summit of the Central American Integration System
(SICA) and brought up Han's case, stating: "A young Korean woman is on trial in Honduras. I hope you will pay special attention to the issue."
In August 2010, Dutch crime reporter Peter R. de Vries
traveled to Subiaco, Western Australia
to interview Ross about the case. Ross called the police when De Vries attempted to contact him at his home on August 19. De Vries was arrested and paid a $200 fine for disobeying a police order to move on. De Vries responded to the arrest by stating: "I didn't touch him, I didn't insult him, I didn't threaten him... This is a homicide case and I tracked him down and now you're putting me in jail. That's the world upside down." On September 6, a West Australian magistrate rejected an application by Ross for a restraining order
against De Vries, who had by then left the country. On November 14, De Vries aired a 3 hour investigative program about the case on Dutch television. A follow-up report aired on November 22, 2010.
The dive community and police have presented several theories for Mast's death, including injuries sustained from her accidental fall, decompression sickness
mixed with alcohol, battery during an attempted rape
, or an accident during rough sex
.
sent a diplomat and a forensic expert from the Korean National Institute for Scientific Investigation
to assist with the case. Han was defended by attorney Félix Antonio Ávila Ortíz against charges that could have imprisoned her for up to 30 years in Honduras. An additional autopsy report was submitted by Han's defense that indicated that Mast's death may have been caused by a combination of alcohol and drugs. On October 16, Han was found not guilty
in a unanimous verbal ruling by a three-judge panel of the regional court of Roatán. However, the formal hearing to release Han was postponed on November 5 and again on November 19. The official verdict acquitting Han was finally delivered on November 24, 2010. The prosecution has appeal
ed the ruling, though Korean ministry officials believe it unlikely to be overturned. Herbert Mast said that he was not shocked by the verdict. Han plans to return to South Korea.
After the verdict was announced, Daniel Ian Ross announced through his lawyer from Australia that he was "delighted" that the court case supported his claim that he was not responsible for the death of Mariska Mast. However, Honduran authorities are still seeking Ross for questioning over Mast's death in his apartment. Dutch consul Floris Kluck stated that authorities from Honduras and the Netherlands were working with Australia on a proposal to extradite Ross without a treaty.
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n underwater diving
Underwater diving
Underwater diving is the practice of going underwater, either with breathing apparatus or by breath-holding .Recreational diving is a popular activity...
instructor who was held in Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
. She was jailed for 110 days and was placed under house arrest
House arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
for 306 days in connection with the death of Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
tourist Mariska Mast at the Honduran island of Roatán
Roatán
Roatán, located between the islands of Útila and Guanaja, is the largest of Honduras' Bay Islands. The island was formerly known as Ruatan and Rattan...
. Han proclaimed her innocence and appealed to roommate
Roommate
A roommate is a person who shares a living facility such as an apartment or dormitory. Similar terms include suitemate, housemate, flatmate , or sharemate...
Daniel Ian Ross, a suspect in the case who fled to Australia, to come forward and exonerate her.
Han's uncle Sung-ho Choi filed petitions for her release with Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
. The case was brought to the attention of South Korean president Lee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak is the President of South Korea. Prior to his presidency, he was the CEO of Hyundai Engineering and Construction and the mayor of Seoul. He is married to Kim Yoon-ok and has three daughters and one son. His older brother is Lee Sang-deuk, a South Korean politician. He attends the...
and Honduran president Porfirio Lobo Sosa. On October 16, 2010, Han was acquitted
Acquittal
In the common law tradition, an acquittal formally certifies the accused is free from the charge of an offense, as far as the criminal law is concerned. This is so even where the prosecution is abandoned nolle prosequi...
of the murder and remains in Honduras pending the outcome of an appeal
Appeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
by the prosecution.
Background
Han came to RoatánRoatán
Roatán, located between the islands of Útila and Guanaja, is the largest of Honduras' Bay Islands. The island was formerly known as Ruatan and Rattan...
on June 10, 2008 to learn to become a scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
instructor. She assisted instructor Daniel Ian Ross, then 29 years old, in the course of her PADI
Professional Association of Diving Instructors
The Professional Association of Diving Instructors is the world's largest recreational diving membership and diver training organization founded in 1966 by John Cronin and Ralph Erickson...
Divemaster
Divemaster
A Divemaster is a diving qualification used throughout most of the world in scuba diving for a diver who has overall responsibility for a group of divers...
training at Coconut Tree Divers. She moved into Ross' apartment in the West End district on August 15 to save money by sharing the rent. Ross, a dual citizen of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, allegedly arrived in March of that year and may have been working illegally in Roatán at that time.
Death of Mariska Mast
On August 21, 2008, 23-year-old Mariska Esmeralda Mast, a schoolteacher from the NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, took a diving course at Coconut Tree Divers with Ross and other instructors. Han said she was preparing for her instructor exam outside of the dive shop at that time. Mast's travel companion Barbara Mehsner stated that Mast complained of having breathing problems after their last dive.
According to Han, she met Mast for the first time that evening at the Purple Turtle bar, while accompanied by Ross and other guests. Mehsner said Mast drank with Ross that night and was infatuated with him; Mast told Mehsner that Ross had kissed her. Han stated that she went home alone at around 11:30 p.m. to go to sleep. Ross and Mast arrived at the apartment minutes later. In Ross' statement to police, Mast collapsed in the bathroom at around 3 a.m., hitting her head and chipping her tooth. Han said she brought some ice to tend to a cut above Masts' eye and returned to bed after Ross said he could handle the situation. Han allegedly woke up at around 6 a.m. when Ross yelled her name because Mast was having trouble breathing. Han said Mast was naked in Ross' bed and had defecated
Defecation
Defecation is the final act of digestion by which organisms eliminate solid, semisolid or liquid waste material from the digestive tract via the anus. Waves of muscular contraction known as peristalsis in the walls of the colon move fecal matter through the digestive tract towards the rectum...
on herself. Han alerted neighbors to call for an ambulance. Ross said that he attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency procedure which is performed in an effort to manually preserve intact brain function until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person in cardiac arrest. It is indicated in those who are unresponsive...
when Mast stopped breathing. Han joined Ross to take Mast to the hospital in the back of the landlady's truck. Ross alleged that he was unable to converse in Spanish with the doctors, who sent him away. Mehsner said she was told that Mast hit her head when she fell in the apartment. Ross stated that he returned to the apartment where he "cleaned up the mess" with the housekeeper and claimed to be unaware that he was removing vital evidence because Mast had been pronounced dead. According to the police, the landlady witnessed Ross cleaning up the scene before the they could arrive. Han said that neighbor's wife had cleaned the apartment, which was sealed as a crime scene
Crime scene
A crime scene is a location where an illegal act took place, and comprises the area from which most of the physical evidence is retrieved by trained law enforcement personnel, crime scene investigators or in rare circumstances, forensic scientists....
. A police officer who inspected the apartment found "six packets of pills and a blood stain."
Initial investigation
Ross was arrested and held for five days at a Coxen HoleCoxen Hole
Coxen Hole, also called Roatan Town, is the largest city on the island of Roatán, and the capital of the Bay Islands department of Honduras, with a population of 5,070 as of census 2001. It is also the location of the island's Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport.Bus service connects Coxen...
jail, where he was visited by British consul
Consul
Consul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...
Mat Harper. Ross told the court that he did not want Mast to come to his apartment on the night she died. British officials in Honduras stated that Mast's initial autopsy
Autopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
was "inconclusive" and were uncertain whether Ross would be charged. Han was summoned to the court to make a statement and answer questions as a witness. Ross was conditionally released after surrendering his British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
passport and was instructed not to leave the island by the Honduran authorities, who were then unaware of his dual citizenship. Ross used his Australian passport to leave the country the next day, while a memorial was being held for Mast. Han said she had not seen Ross since.
Dutch diplomats and private investigators visited Roatán and pressured Honduran investigators to revisit the case. A new forensic report stated that Mast died of blunt force injuries
Blunt trauma
In medical terminology, blunt trauma, blunt injury, non-penetrating trauma or blunt force trauma refers to a type of physical trauma caused to a body part, either by impact, injury or physical attack; the latter usually being referred to as blunt force trauma...
and asphyxia
Asphyxia
Asphyxia or asphyxiation is a condition of severely deficient supply of oxygen to the body that arises from being unable to breathe normally. An example of asphyxia is choking. Asphyxia causes generalized hypoxia, which primarily affects the tissues and organs...
tion with evidence of strangulation
Strangling
Strangling is compression of the neck that may lead to unconsciousness or death by causing an increasingly hypoxic state in the brain. Fatal strangling typically occurs in cases of violence, accidents, and as the auxiliary lethal mechanism in hangings in the event the neck does not break...
. Trace amounts of amphetamine
Amphetamine
Amphetamine or amfetamine is a psychostimulant drug of the phenethylamine class which produces increased wakefulness and focus in association with decreased fatigue and appetite.Brand names of medications that contain, or metabolize into, amphetamine include Adderall, Dexedrine, Dextrostat,...
s were found in her blood. Honduran forensic pathologist
Forensic pathology
Forensic pathology is a branch of pathology concerned with determining the cause of death by examination of a corpse. The autopsy is performed by the pathologist at the request of a coroner or medical examiner usually during the investigation of criminal law cases and civil law cases in some...
Heybee Yessenia Caballero reported that Mast's bruises were consistent with defensive injuries and concluded her death was a "homicide, from the legal medical point of view." An international arrest warrant
Arrest warrant
An arrest warrant is a warrant issued by and on behalf of the state, which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual.-Canada:Arrest warrants are issued by a judge or justice of the peace under the Criminal Code of Canada....
was issued for Ross through Interpol
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
.
According to Han, she passed her Divemaster certification about a month after the incident and left Roatán. After staying in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for about three weeks, she returned to South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. At the end of December 2008, Han went to Dahab
Dahab
Dahab is a small town situated on the southeast coast of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. Formerly a Bedouin fishing village, located approximately northeast of Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab is considered to be one of the Sinai's most treasured diving destinations...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
where she taught diving to other Koreans.
Arrest and extradition
On August 27, 2009, Han was detained at Cairo International AirportCairo International Airport
Cairo International Airport is the busiest airport in Egypt and the primary hub for Star Alliance member EgyptAir. The airport is located to the north-east of the city around from the business area of the city.The airport is administered by the Egyptian Holding Co...
on an Interpol warrant as she was leaving Egypt to return to Korea. After questioning by an Interpol inspector, Han said she was sent to a "chicken cage" jail cell in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
where she had to sleep on a concrete floor. Han said that her request to contact the Korean consulate in Egypt was denied. Three days after Han's arrest, Ross fled from Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
to Australia, which does not have an extradition
Extradition
Extradition is the official process whereby one nation or state surrenders a suspected or convicted criminal to another nation or state. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties...
treaty with Honduras, and denied responsibility for the death through his lawyers. Australian authorities will not honor an Interpol red notice
Red notice
An Interpol notice or international notice is issued by Interpol to share information between its members. There are seven types, six of which are known by their colour codes: Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, Black, Orange....
, which requests extradition.
On September 22, 2009, Han was extradited back to Roatán via the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
while in Interpol custody. After a short court hearing which Han said she did not understand, she was sent to La Ceiba
La Ceiba
La Ceiba is a port city on the northern coast of Honduras in Central America. It is located on the southern edge of the Caribbean, forming part of the south eastern boundary of the Gulf of Honduras...
prison. Han said she was scared of the prison shop "because there are a lot of rapists amongst the males." Han praised her father who visited her at the prison and befriended the guards to make sure that she was treated well. On December 14, 2009, Han was released from the prison on $10,000 bail and has been allowed to remain under house arrest
House arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
at a church in San Pedro Sula
San Pedro Sula
San Pedro Sula is a city in Honduras. It is located in the northwest corner of the country, in the Valle de Sula , about 60 km south of Puerto Cortés on the Caribbean. With an estimated population of 638,259 people in the main municipality, and 802,598 in its metro area , it is the second...
until her trial.
Media coverage and reaction
Han publicly appealed to Ross to come forward and exonerate her. Mariska's father Herbert Mast also pleaded with West Australian authorities to extradite Ross to answer questions about the case. Mariska's sister Amanda said that Ross never contacted the Mast family to explain what had happened. Ross stated that he wanted to get on with his life and asked for privacy. Han's uncle Sung-ho Choi called the charges "total nonsense" and filed petitions with Amnesty InternationalAmnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
to seek his niece's release.
On June 29, 2010, South Korean president
President of South Korea
The President of the Republic of Korea is, according to the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, chief executive of the government, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and the head of state of the Republic of Korea...
Lee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak is the President of South Korea. Prior to his presidency, he was the CEO of Hyundai Engineering and Construction and the mayor of Seoul. He is married to Kim Yoon-ok and has three daughters and one son. His older brother is Lee Sang-deuk, a South Korean politician. He attends the...
met with Honduran president
President of Honduras
This page lists the Presidents of Honduras.Colonial Honduras declared its independence from Spain on 15 September 1821. From 5 January 1822 to 1 July 1823, Honduras was part of the First Mexican Empire of Agustín de Iturbide....
Porfirio Lobo Sosa at the 2010 summit of the Central American Integration System
Central American Integration System
Central American Integration System is the economic, cultural and political organization of Central American states since February 1, 1993. It was on December 13, 1991, however, when all the countries of the ODECA signed the Protocol of Tegucigalpa which extended the earlier cooperation in search...
(SICA) and brought up Han's case, stating: "A young Korean woman is on trial in Honduras. I hope you will pay special attention to the issue."
In August 2010, Dutch crime reporter Peter R. de Vries
Peter R. de Vries
Peter Rudolf de Vries is a Dutch Investigative Journalist and crime reporter. His television program covers high profile cases and set a Dutch television viewing record. In 2005, he started his own political party which was disbanded soon after.-Early life and career:Peter Rudolf de Vries was born...
traveled to Subiaco, Western Australia
Subiaco, Western Australia
Subiaco is an inner western suburb of Perth, Western Australia, situated to the north west of Kings Park. Its Local Government Area is the City of Subiaco.-History:Prior to European settlement the area was home to the Noongar Indigenous people....
to interview Ross about the case. Ross called the police when De Vries attempted to contact him at his home on August 19. De Vries was arrested and paid a $200 fine for disobeying a police order to move on. De Vries responded to the arrest by stating: "I didn't touch him, I didn't insult him, I didn't threaten him... This is a homicide case and I tracked him down and now you're putting me in jail. That's the world upside down." On September 6, a West Australian magistrate rejected an application by Ross for a restraining order
Restraining order
A restraining order or order of protection is a form of legal injunction that requires a party to do, or to refrain from doing, certain acts. A party that refuses to comply with an order faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...
against De Vries, who had by then left the country. On November 14, De Vries aired a 3 hour investigative program about the case on Dutch television. A follow-up report aired on November 22, 2010.
The dive community and police have presented several theories for Mast's death, including injuries sustained from her accidental fall, decompression sickness
Decompression sickness
Decompression sickness describes a condition arising from dissolved gases coming out of solution into bubbles inside the body on depressurization...
mixed with alcohol, battery during an attempted rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
, or an accident during rough sex
Rough Sex
Rough Sex is a single by Lords Of Acid, and was released in 1992. Remixes of "Rough Sex" were done by Joey Beltram, and the CD includes "Take Control" as a B-side...
.
Trial
Han's trial was scheduled to be held at Coxen Hole on October 14 to 15 in 2010. The Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and TradeMinistry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (South Korea)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is in charge of diplomacy for South Korea, as well as handling external trade and matters related to overseas Korean nationals. It was established on 17 July 1948. Until 1998, the ministry was known as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; its jurisdiction over...
sent a diplomat and a forensic expert from the Korean National Institute for Scientific Investigation
Korea National Police University
Korea National Police University is a national university in Yongin, South Korea founded in 1979.-History:*Dec 28, 1979 Official Announcement of the Korea National Police University Establishment Law...
to assist with the case. Han was defended by attorney Félix Antonio Ávila Ortíz against charges that could have imprisoned her for up to 30 years in Honduras. An additional autopsy report was submitted by Han's defense that indicated that Mast's death may have been caused by a combination of alcohol and drugs. On October 16, Han was found not guilty
Acquittal
In the common law tradition, an acquittal formally certifies the accused is free from the charge of an offense, as far as the criminal law is concerned. This is so even where the prosecution is abandoned nolle prosequi...
in a unanimous verbal ruling by a three-judge panel of the regional court of Roatán. However, the formal hearing to release Han was postponed on November 5 and again on November 19. The official verdict acquitting Han was finally delivered on November 24, 2010. The prosecution has appeal
Appeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
ed the ruling, though Korean ministry officials believe it unlikely to be overturned. Herbert Mast said that he was not shocked by the verdict. Han plans to return to South Korea.
After the verdict was announced, Daniel Ian Ross announced through his lawyer from Australia that he was "delighted" that the court case supported his claim that he was not responsible for the death of Mariska Mast. However, Honduran authorities are still seeking Ross for questioning over Mast's death in his apartment. Dutch consul Floris Kluck stated that authorities from Honduras and the Netherlands were working with Australia on a proposal to extradite Ross without a treaty.
See also
- Foreign relations of AustraliaForeign relations of AustraliaThe foreign relations of Australia have spanned from the country's time as Dominion and later Realm of the Commonwealth to become steadfastly allied with New Zealand through long-standing ANZAC ties dating back to the early 1900s, and the United States throughout the Cold War, to its engagement...
- Foreign relations of HondurasForeign relations of HondurasHonduras is a member of the United Nations, the World Trade Organization , the Central American Parliament , the Central American Integration System , and the Central American Security Commission . During 1995-96, Honduras, a founding member of the United Nations, for the first time served as a...
- Foreign relations of South KoreaForeign relations of South KoreaThe foreign relations of South Korea are South Korean relations with other governments.South Korea maintains diplomatic relations with more than 188 countries. The country has also been a member of the United Nations since 1991, when it became a member state at the same time as North Korea...
- Prisons in HondurasPrisons in HondurasHonduras. There are an estimated 12,000 prisoners in Honduras, a small country in Central America with a general population of 7 million. There have been a number of massacres, including 69 people killed in a rural prison outside La Ceiba called La Granja in April 2003. On April 26, 2008 9 people...
External links
- Free Jisoo Han at the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
- Free Jisoo Han at FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
Jisoo Han on TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July... - Coconut Tree Divers - Roatán, Honduras Mariska Esmeralde Mast (30/11/1984 – 22/08/2008)
- In memoriam Mariska Esmeralde Mast at the Internet Archive