Trial Ordered for Twin Accused of Murder Plot

The twin accused of hiring two teenagers to murder her sister was ordered Tuesday to stand trial.

Jeen Young Han, 22, dubbed the “evil twin” by police and media, sat stone-faced as she awaited her arraignment. Her sister, Sunny Han, the “good twin,” was not present.

After pleading not guilty, Han and her alleged co-conspirators, John Sayarth and Archie Bryant, both 17, were ordered by Judge David O. Carter to stand trial in Orange County Superior Court on April 18. If convicted, the three could face up to 25 years to life in prison on charges of conspiracy to commit murder.

The case has attracted vast media attention, from television’s “Hard Copy” to local newspapers. Korean media also are covering the case.

Outside the courtroom, Deputy Public Defender Roger Alexander, Han’s attorney, said his client “is not guilty of the charges. That’s the way it stands. . . . I think this is even bigger than a big misunderstanding.”

Deputy Dist. Atty. Bruce Moore declined to comment.

Irvine police initially said that Jeen Han wanted her sister killed so she could assume her identity and escape a checkered past. That motive was not mentioned during the preliminary hearing last month. Det. Victor Ray’s testimony suggested other possible motives for the attack: Sunny Han once had her sister arrested and put in jail for taking her car, and Jeen Han told friends that Sunny was involved in Asian gangs and might hurt or kill her.

In court last month, Ray testified that Jeen Han “would ask anyone who would listen if they would kill her sister.” Prosecutors say Han recruited the two other defendants to carry out the crime.

The bizarre case stems from events on Nov. 6, when Sunny Han reportedly heard her roommate being assaulted in their Irvine apartment and phoned 911. By the time police arrived, Han and her roommate were bound and gagged in the bathtub, allegedly put there by Bryant and Sayarth. Jeen Han allegedly waited in the car.

Defense attorney Alexander said that Jeen Han wanted only to get back some of her possessions, which her sister had refused to return, and that none of the violence was planned. Jeen Han, Alexander said, was afraid of being alone with her sister, who he said had once punched her in the face.

Neither Sunny Han nor her roommate was able to identify Sayarth as being inside their apartment at the time they were bound and gagged, but Han did identify Bryant as the man who held her at gunpoint. Han said Bryant panicked when police arrived, begging her to tell police the situation was a joke.

Bryant was arrested at the scene. Jeen Han allegedly fled with Sayarth, and both were later arrested when they tried to buy a new car using Sunny Han’s credit card, officials said.

Since the preliminary hearing--and the flood of media attention--Sunny Han has come to her sister’s defense, saying that Jeen Han isn’t guilty and dismissing the notion that her twin was jealous of her.

Alexander said that the trial, which will take place in Orange County Superior Court, may last as long as 10 days.