Bellevue lawyer shot by rival in 2004 dies

Kevin Jung, the Bellevue attorney shot in the head by a rival lawyer in 2004, died on Saturday of complications from his injuries.

Jung, 45, was well-known in the local Korean community for his law practice and advocacy work. Before the shooting, he lived in Southeast Bellevue with his wife, Sally, and two young sons.

In a message sent Saturday to the media, Jung's brother-in-law, Michael Force, said Jung "died peacefully as a result of complications from his injuries."

William Joice, the lawyer who confessed to the shooting, is serving a 32-year prison sentence for attempted first-degree murder. It is unclear whether the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office will bring him up on murder charges now that Jung has died.

"We would have to consult with the Jung family," said spokesman Dan Donohoe. "The sentence that he received is consistent with a murder sentence," he said.

Earlier this month, King County Superior Court Judge Julie Spector handed down what is called an "exceptional sentence," citing the level of planning and brutality that went into the crime. The standard sentence for attempted first-degree murder with a firearm is 20 to 25 years.

Joice fired three shots at Jung outside Jung's Bellevue office in November 2004. Jung suffered severe brain damage from a gunshot wound to the head. He lost his ability to speak or respond to anyone and at the time of Joice's trial late last year was living in a nursing home.

Joice, 51, told jurors that he only meant to shoot Jung in the arm or shoulder to buy time to catch up with him in a legal case. The two men had been representing couples on opposite sides of a dispute over a Lynnwood gift-shop franchise.

The jury convicted Joice of attempted first-degree murder, and took only 13 minutes to decide that his planning and the severity of Jung's injuries constituted aggravating factors, giving the sentencing judge the authority to impose extra prison time.

In preparation for the shooting, Joice rented a car, wore a disguise and a bulletproof vest, fashioned a homemade silencer and brought a back-up weapon to Jung's office. Jung was sitting in his car when Joice shot him in the head.

Born in South Korea, Jung made a name for himself in the Seattle area through his law practice, which focused on international business, real estate and immigration law. He wrote newspaper columns and hosted a weekly legal advice program on KOAM-TV, a Korean-language channel based in Federal Way.

Friends have described him as an unselfish advocate and an idealist.

Force said in his statement that funeral arrangements are pending. The Jung family could not be reached for comment Saturday.

Information from The Seattle Times archives was used in this report. Cara Solomon: 206-464-2024 or csolomon@seattletimes.com