Church Deacon Gets Probation for Role in Deadly Exorcism

The deacon at a Korean Christian church in Glendale who cooperated with prosecutors was sentenced Wednesday to three years probation and ordered to speak to church groups about his role in a deadly exorcism.

Jin Hyun Choi, 44, received the sentence after fulfilling his promise to testify for the prosecution at the murder trial of two missionaries who had been charged with murder in the July 4 death of the wife of one of the men. Choi earlier had pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter.

After a trial earlier this month, Superior Court Judge James Albracht convicted the others--Sung Soo Choi, 47, and Jae-Whoa Chung, 50--of involuntary manslaughter in the death of 53-year-old Kyung-Ja Chung. The victim, who died after two sessions that lasted about seven hours, suffered blunt-force injuries that included 16 broken ribs, shredded and bruised muscles and crushed internal organs.

Jin Hyun Choi, a deacon at Glendale Calvary Presbyterian Church, summoned rescue workers and attempted to revive the woman when her breathing grew labored, Deputy Dist. Atty. Hank Goldberg said. He had been less involved in the rite than the other two men, the prosecutor added.