A Vancouver acupuncturist accused of raping a patient was expected to be released from the Clark County Jail on Friday after a judge reduced the amount of his bail.
Kooyeoll K. “Eric” Jung, 54, of Camas pleaded not guilty Friday to two counts of second-degree rape, indecent liberties and unlawful imprisonment. His trial is set for Jan. 26.
He posted bond Friday and was scheduled to be released from jail by the end of the day, said his attorney, Erin McAleer.
Clark County Superior Court Judge Suzan Clark reduced Jung’s bail amount from $750,000 to $150,000 after a prosecutor said he had verified that Jung doesn’t have a South Korean passport. He had to give up his South Korean citizenship and passport to become a U.S. citizen, his attorney said.
Deputy Prosecutor Dan Gasperino also said that there are no other victims at this time. At the time of Jung’s arrest late last month, Deputy Prosecutor Randy St. Clair had said that there may be additional victims.
“We don’t have anything that rises to the level of another sexual assault,” Gasperino said.
Clark said she set the original bail at $750,000 because of concerns about other victims, uncertainty about Jung’s flight risk and the nature of the allegation.
McAleer on Friday requested bail in the amount of $75,000 or less.
“As your Honor can see, my client has extremely strong connections to the community,” McAleer said Friday. “In the courtroom today, there are up to 60 to 70 people in his support. We don’t believe he is a flight risk.”
McAleer said Jung owns the building where his practice is located at 201 S.E. 124th Ave. and is a homeowner.
He also has no criminal history, McAleer noted.
Gasperino said he is still concerned that Jung is a flight risk.
“Mr. Jung asked while he was being arrested if he could leave the country,” Gasperino said.
Jung’s supporters also wrote more than 75 letters to the court in support of Jung’s release from jail. The authors included his patients and members of his church, the Oregon Central Korean Adventist Church.
“We don’t believe that Kooyeoll is such an individual as to commit a crime of this magnitude,” Michael and Debbie Lee wrote to the court. “We believe he is a professional acupuncturist who has served the community with respect. We suspect he may have been framed by someone who is after his fortune.” The Lees attend the same church as Jung.
Jung is accused of raping a 51-year-old patient Sept. 12 inside a treatment room at his acupuncture office. Wearing a treatment gown, the woman was sitting on a treatment table when Jung pulled her off the table, restrained her against the table and raped her, according to a court affidavit by Vancouver police Detective Barbara Knoeppel.
In court papers, Knoeppel wrote that during a police interrogation Oct. 20, Jung confessed to having sexual contact with the woman.
“Jung denied any other victims,” Knoeppel wrote. “However, (he) stated that he had a prior sexual harassment complaint and was warned by his lawyer not to hug patients.”
McAleer said Jung has some problems with the English language.
“He is easily misunderstood,” McAleer said. “Until we see the transcript (of that police interview), Mr. Jung has denied those allegations and will continue to deny those allegations.”
