Joseph Son, who played evil henchman Random Task in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, has been convicted of voluntary manslaughter.
The 44-year-old actor was accused in the beating death of his cellmate in a Kern County prison and was convicted on a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter after a two-week trial.
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The jury reached a verdict on Monday after receiving the case around 2:30 p.m. on Friday.
“We are grateful for the jury’s attention to all the evidence in this case,” said Deputy Public Defender T. Alan Rogers, according to Bakersfield. “Considering it was originally a death penalty case, it’s fair to say Mr. Son is relieved the jury didn’t find him to be a cold-blooded murderer.”
Son was found not guilty on the charge of “assault by a life prisoner with force causing death.” The charge is essentially a murder charge, however, it is different situation given that Son is already serving a sentence of life without the possibility of parole.
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The prosecutor on the case, Samantha Allen, said that she was disappointed that they did not get a conviction on the assault charge.
Son was serving a life term following a torture conviction in 2011. DNA evidence connected him to a 1990 gang rape crime in Orange County.
In his sentencing, the maximum punishment that Son can receive on the manslaughter charge is 27 years. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 30.
On October 10, 2011, Son killed Michael Graham as the two were cellmates at the Wasco State Prison. Graham was behind bars for failing to register as a sex offender.
Around 5:25 p.m. that day, the police responded to Son’s cell after a report was called in for a man down. When the prison guards showed up on the scene, Son was standing at the door of the cell.
The incident reports indicate that Son said, “I told you I need to get out of here.”
Graham was lying on the cell’s lower bunk and was unresponsive. After handcuffing Son, medical staff then attended to Graham.
Son’s cellmate died of multiple blunt force trauma.
