An Alpharetta man charged in the April 2020 death of his father and the stabbing of two other family members was sentenced to 25 years behind bars on Friday.
Austin Chuong, 23, asked for leniency during his sentencing, telling Fulton County Judge Scott McAfee that he “made a mistake” four years ago but deserved a second chance to finish his nursing degree and join the military.
“I’m not an evil person, I’m not malicious,” a tearful Chuong told the judge. “I don’t believe I’m a person who should spend years in prison.”
Chuong, who represented himself in court, pleaded guilty Wednesday to three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault, hindering a person from making an emergency telephone call and possession of a knife during the commission of a felony. As part of the plea deal, prosecutors agreed not to pursue charges of murder and felony murder.
Prosecutors requested the maximum sentence of 86 years while Chuong asked to be sentenced as a first-offender and given probation. In the end, he received a 40-year-sentence with 25 years to serve and the balance on probation.
“I don’t think the state’s recommendation is the appropriate one, where we throw everything at you and bury you under the jail,” McAfee told him during sentencing. “I do agree with you that you should have the opportunity to start over one day ... But I don’t think that can happen until you’ve paid the full debt for what you’ve done.”
Prosecutors said Chuong, who was 19 at the time, fatally stabbed his 55-year-old father, Andrew, at his family’s Alpharetta home. He was also accused of stabbing his mother, Jenny Phang, and stabbing and hitting his brother, Eric, with a baseball bat.
Police were called to the home on Nathan Circle early in the morning. When officers arrived, Eric Chuong met them at the door covered in blood.
He told authorities that he and his parents had been stabbed. Andrew Chuong was found dead, while Phang had stab wounds to her chest.
Police were told Austin Chuong had left, but he was later found behind the home. Prosecutors said he had cuts on his hands that were consistent with wielding a knife.
The trial started Monday with jury selection and Chuong decided to plead guilty Wednesday when the state rested its case.
During opening statements, Assistant District Attorney Jazmin Willingham said Austin Chuong entered his brother’s room with a bat and hit him while he slept, knocking out three of his teeth. Their parents heard the scuffle and tried to break it up. The father escorted Austin Chuong out of the room, while Phang went to take Eric Chuong to the hospital, Willingham said.
Willingham told the jury that Phang came back inside moment later and saw Austin Chuong on top of his father stabbing him repeatedly. When she tried to break it up, Willingham said Austin turned the knife on his mother.
