My Son Stole My Sacred Hymns and Sold Them to a Seattle Megachurch for $85,000 — Then I Sang the Unpublished Second Verse in Front of His Congregation
The preliminary federal injunction hearing was a tense affair. The courtroom was packed, reflecting the local media’s interest in the ongoing saga. Daniel sat at the defense table, impeccably dressed, a picture of calm confidence that almost convinced me he believed his own lies. His attorney, a sharp-suited woman, presented Daniel’s case with practiced ease.
“Your Honor, members of the jury,” she began, her voice smooth. “This is a simple family misunderstanding, complicated by cultural differences. Mrs. Park, in good faith, verbally assented to her son’s management of her compositions years ago.”
She then moved to her key piece of evidence. “Furthermore, we have here a signed copyright transfer agreement, dated 2016, where Sun-Hee Park willingly transferred all rights to Grace Hymnal Media.”
She projected a digital document onto a large screen for everyone to see. There, clear as day, was what appeared to be my signature, neatly placed beneath lines of legal text. A gasp rippled through the gallery. Even Arthur Pendelton leaned forward, his jaw tight.
When it was Arthur’s turn, he called his first witness: Dr. Evelyn Reed, a forensic document analyst. Dr. Reed was a petite woman with sharp, intelligent eyes, and she took the stand with an air of quiet authority.
“Dr. Reed,” Arthur began, “can you explain your findings regarding this digital copyright transfer document?”
She nodded, adjusting her glasses. “Yes. Upon examination of the submitted digital signature, I noticed several anomalies.”
She then demonstrated her analysis, projecting magnified images onto the screen. She showed how the “signature” pixels were unnaturally uniform, lacking the subtle variations inherent in a genuine handwritten mark.
“More critically,” Dr. Reed continued, “I conducted a spectral analysis, specifically under ultra-violet light. This allowed me to detect the faint, underlying image of the original document from which this signature was lifted.”
A hush fell over the courtroom.
She then displayed another image: a Korean-language document, a Medicare translation consent form, dated 2016. My signature was clearly visible on it.
“This digital signature,” Dr. Reed announced, pointing to the transfer agreement, “was copy-pasted directly from this Medicare consent form. It is a digital forgery, not an original signature on the copyright transfer document itself.”
The room buzzed. Daniel, who had maintained his composure throughout the testimony, suddenly went rigid. A vein pulsed visibly in his temple. He wouldn’t meet my eyes.
My own heart ached. Not with triumph, but with a profound sadness. It was one thing to be exploited, another to see the precise, calculated method of betrayal laid bare in a sterile courtroom. My son had not merely taken my music; he had literally stolen my identity, my mark, my very consent.
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