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September 17, 2013

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Man stands trial for killing toddler

By Li Qian | September 17, 2013, Tuesday | Print Edition

A SUSPECT accused of killing a 34-month-old girl by chucking her to the ground after a quarrel with her mother pleaded not guilty for the charge of intentional homicide during his trial in Beijing yesterday.

The mother and the suspect got into an argument over parking space in July when Han Lei reportedly grabbed the baby from the pram and threw her on the ground.

“I threw the pram, not the baby, and I really did not know there was a baby inside,” Han told the Beijing No.1 Intermediate People’s Court.

Han said he regretted the incident and felt a deep sense of sorrow toward the family. He agreed to pay the compensation of 2.73 million yuan (US$446,082) demanded by the family.

Han said he was “racked by remorse,” which was “the most severe punishment for me.” He said he was willing to “pay with his life.” The girl’s family have called for the death penalty.

Han’s lawyer said he should be convicted for causing death by accident because he did not know that the toddler was in the baby pram as he was heavily drunk.

Prosecutors said Han was in the car which was driven by Li Ming when they got into an argument with the girl’s mother over parking near a bus station in Daxing District on July 23. Han beat up the mother and then hurled her daughter to the ground, police said. The girl died two days later from severe brain injuries.

Han was caught on July 24 and Li surrendered to the police the next day.

Prosecutors charged Han with intentional homicide and Li with harboring a criminal for driving Han away.

Han said he felt ashamed to have fought with a woman and hurled the pram to vent his anger. He said he thought it was just a shopping cart, rather than a baby stroller.

He rubbed his hands and spoke loudly in court, Beijing Times reported.

“It was never my intention to hurt her or cause a baby’s death,” he told the court.

But Li didn’t back him up.

“Mad with rage, Han pulled the toddler from the stroller, lifted her above his head and threw her to the ground,” Li said, adding that he tried to restrain Han but he managed to pull himself away.

Prosecutors have demanded the death penalty for Han. Besides, he committed a crime within five years after being  released from jail.

Han was previously jailed for life in October 1996 for larceny. His sentence was commuted and he was released at the end of last year, China News Service reported.

 



 

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