70-year-old man gets 20 years for murdering girlfriend
SEATTLE - The family of a murdered woman looked on in court Friday as her 70-year-old ex-boyfriend was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison for killing her.
Chan Kim, who was convicted earlier of the murder of Baerbel Roznowski, learned his sentence through an interpreter.
Friends and family members say Kim and Roznowski had been in a relationship for about 16 years, but that it grown rough as Kim became overly possessive and verbally abusive toward Roznowski.
Roznowski, 66, obtained an anti-harassment order against Kim, who was still living with her, and police served Kim with the order on the morning of May 3, 2008.
"(Kim) was completely compliant and prepared himself to leave the residence, and there were no concerns at that time," Federal Way police spokeswoman Cathy Schrock said at the time.
But just two hours later, police were called back to the home - where they say Kim was trying to cut himself with a knife. Roznowski's body was found in another room - she'd been stabbed to death.
Kim was later convicted of murdering her, and was sentenced Friday to 20 years, 4 months in prison.
Several months after Roznowski's murder, her daughters filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the Federal Way Police Department alleging officers failed to protect their mother from murder.
"We feel that they failed my mother," said Janet Loh, the victim's daughter.
The lawsuit claims that police failed to make Kim leave the home, nor did they use an interpreter, as required by the anti-harassment order.
That lawsuit hasn't yet gone to court.
Chan Kim, who was convicted earlier of the murder of Baerbel Roznowski, learned his sentence through an interpreter.
Friends and family members say Kim and Roznowski had been in a relationship for about 16 years, but that it grown rough as Kim became overly possessive and verbally abusive toward Roznowski.
Roznowski, 66, obtained an anti-harassment order against Kim, who was still living with her, and police served Kim with the order on the morning of May 3, 2008.
"(Kim) was completely compliant and prepared himself to leave the residence, and there were no concerns at that time," Federal Way police spokeswoman Cathy Schrock said at the time.
But just two hours later, police were called back to the home - where they say Kim was trying to cut himself with a knife. Roznowski's body was found in another room - she'd been stabbed to death.
Kim was later convicted of murdering her, and was sentenced Friday to 20 years, 4 months in prison.
Several months after Roznowski's murder, her daughters filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the Federal Way Police Department alleging officers failed to protect their mother from murder.
"We feel that they failed my mother," said Janet Loh, the victim's daughter.
The lawsuit claims that police failed to make Kim leave the home, nor did they use an interpreter, as required by the anti-harassment order.
That lawsuit hasn't yet gone to court.