Military singer's son charged with gang rape plays victim
Source: Agencies |
July 13, 2013, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
LAWYERS for a Chinese general's son accused of taking part in a gang rape are waging a rare, Western-style war of words against his critics.
The airing of accusations surrounding the high-profile criminal case via the Internet has been all the more unusual because the teenage defendant is a member of one of China's wealthy and privileged families, who usually prefer to bury scandals.
Li Tianyi, 17, son of Li Shuangjiang, 72, a popular military singer, has become the latest target of anger over abuses of power by the country's elite.
Since news of his detention in the alleged gang rape of a woman at a Beijing hotel emerged in February, pictures of him and his family have been splashed across Chinese media and websites. The case surfaced after the victim told police that men she had been drinking with at a bar took her to a hotel and took turns raping her.
This week, just days after Li and four others had been charged, Li's attorney Chen Shu told the Legal Daily newspaper that his client would plead not guilty, a report that incited a storm of renewed criticism.
Li's lawyers also circulated a statement pointing the finger at an unnamed Beijing bar for allowing underage teenagers to consume alcohol.
"This case happened after a minor and others who were in a bar late at night were persuaded by adult bartenders to drink large quantities of alcohol, and then checked into a hotel," the statement said.
This prompted the victim's lawyer to issue a statement saying Li's lawyers' comments caused her great "grief and indignation" on top of all she had been through and that she had also endured threats after the incident. The victim's identity has not been reported.
"The victim was wantonly beaten, insulted, and offended by Li and the others when she was isolated and helpless," lawyer Tian Canjun said, accusing Li of threatening the victim to stop her from reporting the case. "The victim lived in great fear and helplessness for two days and nights, afraid to tell anyone."
Many news commentators also criticized Li's lawyers' statement.
"Not a single word in the statement mentioned the failure of the boy's guardians, instead it's the entertainment venue's fault, or the hotel's, and the adult men and women who accompanied him in drinking or persuaded him to drink," a China Youth Daily commentary said.
Li's lawyers also sought to appeal to patriotism, saying the media were duty-bound to "protect and cherish the veteran artists who have spent most of their lives bringing songs and laughter to the people" - a tacit reference to Li's father, who is famed for his patriotic odes.
Li was sentenced to a year in detention in 2011 as a 15-year-old for attacking a couple over a traffic dispute and threatening onlookers.
Li was ridiculed in the media and his father was forced to make a public apology.
The airing of accusations surrounding the high-profile criminal case via the Internet has been all the more unusual because the teenage defendant is a member of one of China's wealthy and privileged families, who usually prefer to bury scandals.
Li Tianyi, 17, son of Li Shuangjiang, 72, a popular military singer, has become the latest target of anger over abuses of power by the country's elite.
Since news of his detention in the alleged gang rape of a woman at a Beijing hotel emerged in February, pictures of him and his family have been splashed across Chinese media and websites. The case surfaced after the victim told police that men she had been drinking with at a bar took her to a hotel and took turns raping her.
This week, just days after Li and four others had been charged, Li's attorney Chen Shu told the Legal Daily newspaper that his client would plead not guilty, a report that incited a storm of renewed criticism.
Li's lawyers also circulated a statement pointing the finger at an unnamed Beijing bar for allowing underage teenagers to consume alcohol.
"This case happened after a minor and others who were in a bar late at night were persuaded by adult bartenders to drink large quantities of alcohol, and then checked into a hotel," the statement said.
This prompted the victim's lawyer to issue a statement saying Li's lawyers' comments caused her great "grief and indignation" on top of all she had been through and that she had also endured threats after the incident. The victim's identity has not been reported.
"The victim was wantonly beaten, insulted, and offended by Li and the others when she was isolated and helpless," lawyer Tian Canjun said, accusing Li of threatening the victim to stop her from reporting the case. "The victim lived in great fear and helplessness for two days and nights, afraid to tell anyone."
Many news commentators also criticized Li's lawyers' statement.
"Not a single word in the statement mentioned the failure of the boy's guardians, instead it's the entertainment venue's fault, or the hotel's, and the adult men and women who accompanied him in drinking or persuaded him to drink," a China Youth Daily commentary said.
Li's lawyers also sought to appeal to patriotism, saying the media were duty-bound to "protect and cherish the veteran artists who have spent most of their lives bringing songs and laughter to the people" - a tacit reference to Li's father, who is famed for his patriotic odes.
Li was sentenced to a year in detention in 2011 as a 15-year-old for attacking a couple over a traffic dispute and threatening onlookers.
Li was ridiculed in the media and his father was forced to make a public apology.
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