Sentenced to death, but reprieve for Bogu Kailai
Source: Xinhua |
August 21, 2012, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
Bogu Kailai, wife of Chongqing's former Party chief Bo Xilai, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve yesterday for the murder of British businessman Neil Heywood.
She was also deprived of political rights for life.
Zhang Xiaojun, a family aide, was sentenced to nine years in prison for his involvement in the case.
Four policemen accused of covering up the crime were given sentences ranging from five to 11 years.
Gu's suspended sentence will almost certainly be commuted to life in prison after two years, a relatively lenient punishment resulting from her cooperation with investigators and what the court deemed her mental instability at the time of Heywood's death by cyanide poisoning last November.
China Central TV showed Gu dressed in a white blouse and black pants suit briefly addressing the court from inside the dock surrounded by waist-high wooden columns.
"This verdict is just. It shows special respect for the law, reality and life," Gu said in calm, measured phrases.
More than 100 people were in Hefei City Intermediate People's Court in east China's Anhui Province to hear the verdict, including relatives and friends of the two defendants and British diplomats.
Legal representatives of the Heywood family were also present.
Hu Quanming, chief judge of the court, announced the verdict.
The court found that, in the latter half of 2011, Bogu and her son, Bo Guagua, were in dispute with Heywood over economic matters. The businessman had threatened Bo Guagua in e-mails, which made Bogu fear for her son's personal safety.
She asked Zhang Xiaojun to invite and accompany Heywood to Chongqing.
On November 13, 2011, Heywood checked into the Lucky Holiday Hotel in Chongqing. That evening, Bogu and Zhang visited the hotel, bringing along poison Bogu had prepared beforehand.
In Heywood's hotel room, Bogu drank wine and tea with him while Zhang waited outside. Later, Heywood became drunk and fell in the bathroom. Bogu called Zhang into the room and took the poison from him.
Zhang helped Heywood to the bed. After Heywood vomited and asked for water, Bogu poured the poison into his mouth.
Forensic tests showed the cause of death accorded with cyanide poisoning.
The court said Bogu played the main role in the murder and the circumstances of her crime warranted the death penalty.
However, it said Heywood's use of threatening language toward Bogu's son had aggravated the dispute.
Expert testimony showed Bogu had the capacity to assume full criminal responsibility but suffered from a mental disorder. She realized the nature and consequences of her crime, but her power of self-control was weakened.
After her arrest, Bogu provided clues regarding other people's violations of the law and played a positive role in the investigation and handling of relevant cases. She had also pled guilty and shown remorse. All these earned her a reprieve, the court said.
Zhang had acted on Bogu's instructions. After his arrest, he accurately recounted the main facts, pled guilty and showed repentance at his trial, which led to mitigation of his punishment.
Both Bogu and Zhang said they would not be lodging appeals.
Meanwhile, Guo Weiguo, former deputy chief of Chongqing's Public Security Bureau, Li Yang, former chief of the bureau's criminal section, Wang Pengfei, former chief of the bureau's technical detection team and also former chief of the Public Security Sub-bureau of Chongqing's Yubei District, and Wang Zhi, former executive deputy chief of the Public Security Sub-bureau of Shapingba District, were found guilty of trying to help Bogu escape prosecution.
The court said that, knowing there were strong suspicions Bogu had committed the crime, the four defendants had fabricated, hidden and destroyed evidence, in addition to persuading Heywood's relatives not to have an autopsy carried out.
Their conduct constituted the crime of bending the law for personal gain.
The verdict said Guo acted as the principal, with Li, Wang Pengfei and Wang Zhi as accessories.
Guo and Li had pled guilty and showed remorse, and Li did not carry out Guo's request to destroy key evidence. This made an important contribution to investigating and solving the case. Nor did Wang Pengfei and Wang Zhi carry out Guo's request to destroy key evidence.
The court sentenced Guo and Li to 11 years and seven years in prison, respectively, while Wang Pengfei and Wang Zhi were each sentenced to five years behind bars.
The four said in court that they would not appeal the sentences.
She was also deprived of political rights for life.
Zhang Xiaojun, a family aide, was sentenced to nine years in prison for his involvement in the case.
Four policemen accused of covering up the crime were given sentences ranging from five to 11 years.
Gu's suspended sentence will almost certainly be commuted to life in prison after two years, a relatively lenient punishment resulting from her cooperation with investigators and what the court deemed her mental instability at the time of Heywood's death by cyanide poisoning last November.
China Central TV showed Gu dressed in a white blouse and black pants suit briefly addressing the court from inside the dock surrounded by waist-high wooden columns.
"This verdict is just. It shows special respect for the law, reality and life," Gu said in calm, measured phrases.
More than 100 people were in Hefei City Intermediate People's Court in east China's Anhui Province to hear the verdict, including relatives and friends of the two defendants and British diplomats.
Legal representatives of the Heywood family were also present.
Hu Quanming, chief judge of the court, announced the verdict.
The court found that, in the latter half of 2011, Bogu and her son, Bo Guagua, were in dispute with Heywood over economic matters. The businessman had threatened Bo Guagua in e-mails, which made Bogu fear for her son's personal safety.
She asked Zhang Xiaojun to invite and accompany Heywood to Chongqing.
On November 13, 2011, Heywood checked into the Lucky Holiday Hotel in Chongqing. That evening, Bogu and Zhang visited the hotel, bringing along poison Bogu had prepared beforehand.
In Heywood's hotel room, Bogu drank wine and tea with him while Zhang waited outside. Later, Heywood became drunk and fell in the bathroom. Bogu called Zhang into the room and took the poison from him.
Zhang helped Heywood to the bed. After Heywood vomited and asked for water, Bogu poured the poison into his mouth.
Forensic tests showed the cause of death accorded with cyanide poisoning.
The court said Bogu played the main role in the murder and the circumstances of her crime warranted the death penalty.
However, it said Heywood's use of threatening language toward Bogu's son had aggravated the dispute.
Expert testimony showed Bogu had the capacity to assume full criminal responsibility but suffered from a mental disorder. She realized the nature and consequences of her crime, but her power of self-control was weakened.
After her arrest, Bogu provided clues regarding other people's violations of the law and played a positive role in the investigation and handling of relevant cases. She had also pled guilty and shown remorse. All these earned her a reprieve, the court said.
Zhang had acted on Bogu's instructions. After his arrest, he accurately recounted the main facts, pled guilty and showed repentance at his trial, which led to mitigation of his punishment.
Both Bogu and Zhang said they would not be lodging appeals.
Meanwhile, Guo Weiguo, former deputy chief of Chongqing's Public Security Bureau, Li Yang, former chief of the bureau's criminal section, Wang Pengfei, former chief of the bureau's technical detection team and also former chief of the Public Security Sub-bureau of Chongqing's Yubei District, and Wang Zhi, former executive deputy chief of the Public Security Sub-bureau of Shapingba District, were found guilty of trying to help Bogu escape prosecution.
The court said that, knowing there were strong suspicions Bogu had committed the crime, the four defendants had fabricated, hidden and destroyed evidence, in addition to persuading Heywood's relatives not to have an autopsy carried out.
Their conduct constituted the crime of bending the law for personal gain.
The verdict said Guo acted as the principal, with Li, Wang Pengfei and Wang Zhi as accessories.
Guo and Li had pled guilty and showed remorse, and Li did not carry out Guo's request to destroy key evidence. This made an important contribution to investigating and solving the case. Nor did Wang Pengfei and Wang Zhi carry out Guo's request to destroy key evidence.
The court sentenced Guo and Li to 11 years and seven years in prison, respectively, while Wang Pengfei and Wang Zhi were each sentenced to five years behind bars.
The four said in court that they would not appeal the sentences.
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