Police killer's fate upheld

By Cao Li (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-10-21 08:47

SHANGHAI: This city's high court has upheld the death sentence handed to the Beijing man who broke into a Shanghai police station on July 1 and stabbed six officers to death.

The ruling, announced Monday morning by Shanghai high people's court, rejected Yang Jia's appeal against the intermediate court's decision.

According to the verdict, Yang launched the attack at Shanghai Zhabei district police station in revenge for unanswered demands.

"Evidence shows that Yang Jia was of sober mind during the whole process of attack and is capable of taking criminal responsibility," presiding judge Xu Wei said.

Yang's attorney's request for a second forensic psychiatric assessment was rejected.

Yang claimed he was beaten on Oct 5 last year after being taken to the police station for riding an unlicensed bicycle.

The 28-year-old, clad in a blue top and black pants, showed no emotion as the ruling was read out.

The verdict will now be submitted to the Supreme People's Court for ratification.

On Oct 5, 2007, Yang was stopped and questioned by a patrol police officer in Zhabei district while riding an unlicensed bicycle.

He told the court in previous hearings that he had been abused during questioning and beaten at the station.

He said he had written and called to complain and demand an apology but never got one.

The courts rejected that claim on the ground of lack of evidence.

Yang returned to Shanghai on June 26 and purchased tear gas, gasoline, a face mask, knife and hammer.

He broke into the station five days later and slashed six officers to death before injuring four others.

After receiving a death sentence from the Shanghai No 2 intermediate people's court last month, he lodged an appeal, denouncing the trial as unfair.

His request for the policemen who originally questioned him to attend the hearing was rejected.

The high court held the second trial last Monday.

During its hearing, an unedited 34-minute tape of the policeman questioning him on the street revealed no verbal abuse.