High-profile corruption trial underway
- Source: Global Times
- [03:42 February 03 2010]
- Comments
A woman holds a placard as she seeks justice for the murder of her son nine years ago, as a crowd gathers to watch the police bring Wen Qiang to the courthouse Tuesday. Photo: CFP
Additionally, the three officers also face charges related to cover-ups and collusion with mafia-style gangs and receiving bribes.
One Beijing lawyer called Wen's defense weak. "According to the charges, Wen will most likely get life imprisonment," Chen Tao, a criminal law lawyer with the Beijing Bar Association, told the Global Times Tuesday.
Chen said the bribes concerned are not enough to warrant the death penalty upon a conviction.
The rape charge is separate from the bribery allegations. Prosecutors say Wen got to know a 21-year-old college student in 2007, and they allege that he forced sex on her three times with threats of violence, Xinhua reported.
Prosecutors said the court won't publicly hear the rape charge out of privacy concerns.
The trial has attracted hundreds of local residents and media reporters from home and abroad, and they could be seen inside and outside the courtroom.
Chen Lin, a Chongqing resident, told the Global Times that many people hope Wen gets the death penalty.
"He has done so many wicked crimes," Chen said, noting that it is hard to quell "public anger" over the trial.
Separately on Monday, 40 people involved in gang crimes were convicted by the court.
Yue Cun, a former policeman and a gang ringleader, was sentenced to death and a penalty of 150 million yuan on charges including murder, extortion, illegal detention and illegal business operations.
Gang leader Yi Zhiwei was sentenced to death. Zhou Hong was given death with reprieve. Three were sentenced to life imprisonment, and 34 others got prison sentences ranging from two to 20 years.
Song Shengxia and Guo Qiang contributed to this story
