Another murderer is found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Cordell Goosby perpetrated the high-profile, random June 13, 2023 shooting in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood that killed a pregnant business owner, Eina Kwon, and her unborn daughter.
Goosby was recently found not guilty by reason of insanity and is committed to a state psychiatric facility.
On June 13, 2023, Eina Kwon (34) and her husband, Sung Kwon, were stopped at a red light at Fourth Avenue and Lenora Street. They were commuting to their downtown restaurant.
Without provocation, Goosby approached their Tesla and emptied a stolen 9mm handgun into the vehicle.
Eina Kwon, who was 8 months pregnant, was shot four times and passed away. Doctors performed an emergency delivery, but her unborn daughter, Evelyn, also died. Sung Kwon survived with bullet wounds to his arm.
Defense lawyers pursued an insanity defense. Independent mental health experts hired by both the defense and state prosecutors fully agreed that Goosby was legally insane during the shooting.
By raising an insanity defense, Goosby legally acknowledged committing the acts but asserted he suffered from severe mental disease. He was acquitted of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder charges. Instead, he was committed to Western State Hospital.
Public controversy arose because Goosby could not be charged with homicide for the unborn infant's death. Under Washington state's "born alive" legal standard, homicide charges only apply to individuals born alive.