Details of the trials of Wang Lijun(5)

MERITORIOUS REPORTING

While being investigated, Wang produced important clues that exposed serious offenses committed by others. Such clues played a key role in the investigation of other cases.

At the courtroom, Wang's defender pleaded for a mitigated punishment for Wang after fully expressing relevant views. The defender said that Wang left the U.S. Consulate General in Chengdu by his own will, an act that should be regarded as a termination of defection and thus should result in a mitigated punishment or no punishment. Wang also voluntarily surrendered while being investigated for bending the law for selfish ends, meaning that his crime's circumstances should be regarded as "serious" instead of "especially serious," the defender said, requesting that the court fully consider these factors.

The prosecution said Wang's defection belongs to conduct crime which should be taken as a complete offense as long as it was carried out. The defendant, with premeditation, entered the U.S. Consulate General in Chengdu under the pretense of negotiating business and stayed in the consulate to write an application for political asylum. Wang's behavior constitutes a complete offense.

Wang voluntarily surrendered after defecting and confessed related information about the major facts concerning his defection, such behavior constitutes voluntary surrender, the prosecution said. According to Article 67 of the Criminal Law, there could be lighter or mitigated punishment.

Wang, as the chief of Chongqing's Public Security Bureau, failed to perform his investigation duties regarding the serious crime of intentional homicide, and he played a key role in bending the law for selfish ends. The crime should be regarded as "especially serious," according to the prosecution.

Wang later ordered his Chongqing police subordinates to collect and preserve evidence regarding the murder case involving Bogu Kailai. He also reported the possible involvement of Bogu Kailai to the authorities, provided evidence and willingly assisted in the reinvestigation of the case. Since Wang played a crucial role in helping public security authorities to crack the case, the penalty for his crime of bending the law for personal gain could be lighter, the prosecution said

Moreover, Wang produced important clues that exposed serious offenses committed by others and played a key part in the investigation of the cases, which could be considered as major meritorious service. According to Article 68 of the Criminal Law, Wang could be given a mitigated punishment, the prosecution said.

Wang's case has been holding the world's attention. Investigatory, procuratorial and judicial authorities have taken the facts as the basis and the law as the criterion, and handled the case strictly in accordance with the law in the process of the investigation, prosecution and trials.

During the investigation period, the State Security Bureau of Chengdu in Sichuan, the Hefei City People's Procuratorate in Anhui Province and the Sichuan Province People's Procuratorate, respectively, carried out meticulous investigation and interrogation plans, questioning parties involved in the case and many people who knew about the case and collected and verified a huge amount of evidence. They also informed Wang of his right to retain defense counsel.

During the phase for the approval of the arrest and prosecution, the prosecuting body thoroughly and meticulously examined the evidence collected and put together by the investigating body in a timely manner, and provided multiple suggestions for further investigation. The prosecuting body also sent the criminal suspect a letter to inform him of his rights and responsibilities as well as his right to entrust a defense counsel to represent him. The defense counsel entrusted by Wang examined, extracted and copied case files in accordance with the law.

After the defendant was indicted, the Chengdu City Intermediate People's Court formed a collegial panel, sent duplicates of the indictment to the defendant, publicized the time and location of the trials, sent subpoenas for the trials and notices to attend court to the defendant and his defense counsel, informed them of their litigation rights and safeguarded the defense counsel's rights to meet Wang and examine, extract and copy case files in accordance with laws.

Before the trials, Wang's defense counsel met with him 15 times. Wang Yuncai, Wang Lijun's defender and a lawyer with the Beijing-based Longan Law Firm's Shenyang Office, said in court that the defense counsel met the defendant many times and examined the case files before the trials.

Gu Mingan, a professor with the Law School of the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics as well as an observer at the trials, said the two sides made full efforts to raise and cross-examine evidence during the trials, and the court scrupulously heard the opinions of the prosecutors as well as the defense counsel, fully reflecting the judicial concept of the equality of the prosecution and the defense, and safeguarded the sanctity of law.

After the trials, Wu Qunfang, a resident from the Taoyuan community in the Chenghua District of Chengdu, said that after the trials they have fully understood the beginning and subsequent development of Wang Lijun's case.

"We believe that all is equal before the law and expect a fair verdict from the people's court," Wu said.