Many of you probably recall the news of Kim Pham's death back in January of 2014. If you haven't been following that story, basically a young Asian girl named Kim Pham was beaten to death outside of a nightclub in Santa Ana. The two killers were Candace Brito, 27, and Vanesa Zavala, 26. According to bystanders, Kim was by herself and repeatedly beat on the floor by the two girls.
A verdict has been found in the case, and the 2 women are guilty of involuntary manslaughter — a sentence of 11 years for both women. While finding the perpetrators helped get justice for Ms. Pham, it will never change the fact that a gorgeous young woman is now gone.
The article referenced also mentions that Kim Pham initiated the incident by punching a member of the group. The defendants say they acted in self-defense — but how much self defense do you need when it's 2 fairly large women against one tiny Asian girl? I am also very curious why Kim's friends weren't there to intervene (news articles on the web asserts that her friends were gang members that refused to cooperate with law enforcement — again something that no one can confirm or deny). Unfortunately, we'll never know what really happened.
But the bigger picture is that this was a stupid event that created a terrible situation for both parties — and a lesson to forgive and forget when a heated moment arises.
We hope and pray for Kim Pham's family. This was a stupid tragedy that should have been avoided. Rest in peace.
Written by Megumi Tanaka