Being a deputy to legislature no reason for court to show leniency

A DEPUTY TO the local people's congress, or legislature, in Xi'an, capital of Northwestern China's Shaanxi province, reportedly hit a lawyer while observing a court hearing in which he was involved. The court detained him and fined him 10,000 yuan ($1,537). He should be prosecuted for assault, says Beijing News:

According to Article 309 of the Criminal Law, those who assault judicial staff or litigation participants commit a serious crime and should be imprisoned for up to three years. It should be noted that as long as somebody initiates an assault, that constitutes a crime, even if the victim is only slightly wounded.

The deputy is suspected of committing the crime and what the court should do is to call the police to investigate, and the procuratorate should then decide whether to charge him. If guilty of assault, his punishment was too light. His being a deputy to the local legislature is not a reason for the court to show leniency.