50s man, trial for stalking and attempted murder of famous cheerleader

A man in his fifties has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly attacking a member of the Taiwan professional baseball team Chinatrust Brothers' cheerleading squad with a knife, inflicting serious neck injuries.

According to Taiwanese media outlet Sanli News on the 15th, the Shilin District Prosecutor's Office in Taiwan indicted a 52-year-old man, identified only as He, for attempted murder, assault, and stalking. He is accused of attacking Wonwon, a member of the Chinatrust Brothers cheerleading team known as the Fashion Sisters, during a studio filming event in June. Wonwon was rushed to the hospital and is reportedly in stable condition.

Prosecutors allege that He had been stalking Wonwon for three years. He frequently attended games, filming her with his cellphone, and reportedly spent hundreds of thousands of Taiwanese dollars (equivalent to tens of millions of KRW) on team merchandise. Following his arrest, He claimed he carried a fruit knife for self-defense but admitted to authorities that he intended to attack Wonwon out of frustration. He maintained, however, that he did not anticipate causing such a severe neck injury. During his arrest, He became visibly agitated, repeatedly shouting, "Wonwon made me do this!" and resisting police efforts to place him in a patrol car.

The court granted the prosecution's request for He's detention. During the custody hearing, the court determined that the charges of attempted murder and assault were severe, with a high risk of He repeating the offense against the victim. The court also cited the significant threat to public safety and human life as grounds for detention. The prosecution has since concluded its investigation and formally charged He with attempted murder, assault, and stalking.

He is currently held at the Taipei Detention Center and is scheduled to appear in court on the 19th. This case will be tried under Taiwan's citizen juror system, which allows ordinary citizens to participate in the judicial process.