Warmbier's parents had filed a wrongful death suit against North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in April and appeared in court last week for the first hearing. Howell found North Korea liable for "the torture, hostage taking and extrajudicial killing of Otto Warmbier" as well as the injuries to his parents. The ruling, however, was mainly symbolic as North Korea was unlikely to pay the damages. He was blind, deaf, and brain dead when North Korea turned him over to US government officials for his final trip home." In a statement, Warmbier's parents thanked Howell and called the decision a "significant step on our journey".

Source: bd News24 December 25, 2018 09:56 UTC