A Tennessee appeals court has upheld the 22-year prison sentence for Bobby Shin (Korean name: Baeho Shin, 53), a well-known Korean American music producer convicted of kidnapping, assault, and related charges against his girlfriend.
On August 22, the Davidson County Court of Appeals, presided over by Judge Tom Greenholtz, affirmed the first trial’s ruling, which sentenced Shin to 22 years in prison.
Shin was indicted in March 2019 on charges of holding his girlfriend, identified as A, captive for seven days in December 2018, during which he assaulted and sexually assaulted her.
In the first trial, a jury found Shin guilty on six of nine charges, and in February 2023 he was sentenced to 22 years in prison.
During his appeal, Shin argued that the victim had fabricated testimony to obtain a U visa, a program that grants certain crime victims temporary lawful status and work eligibility in the United States. Judge Greenholtz rejected this claim, stating, “The victim has already returned to Korea, and there is no evidence she retained an attorney with the purpose of obtaining a U visa.”
Shin built his career as a Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) producer, collaborating with globally recognized artists such as Michael W. Smith and Don Moen. He also worked with mainstream pop stars including Jason Mraz and Kacey Musgraves, which brought him wider recognition.
