Man sentenced to death for fatally stabbing doctor and injuring two

A man who stabbed a doctor to death and wounded two other doctors was sentenced to death on Monday by a court in Zhejiang province.

The Intermediate People's Court, in Taizhou city, said that Lian Enqing, 33, had committed intentional homicide as he had taken a hammer and a knife to kill Wang Yunjie, chief physician of the ear-nose-throat department of the First People's Hospital of Wenling, Zhejiang Province, on October 25, 2013, and injured other two doctors before he was caught at the site.

Lian received surgery to cure a nose problem in March 2012. But Lian was dissatisfied with the result, which he said was a failure and was causing extreme pain.

Wang Weijie, a doctor at the Wenling hospital, who was injured by Lian, said that the sentence was fair and would comfort the dead and other doctors, xinhuanet.com reported.

In the past, disputes between doctors and patients often involved protests outside hospitals. In recent years, some disgruntled patients have become violent, beating up or even killing medical workers, as reported in the increasing numbers of cases.

Lian's sister, Lian Chao, was dissatisfied with the court ruling, insisting that her brother developed mental problems after the surgery.

"His temper changed very much after the surgery," she told the Global Times on Monday, adding that Lian had to receive medical treatment for a mental illness at a hospital in Shanghai for two months, and had just returned home days before he killed the doctor.

But the court said medical examinations showed that Lian was clear-minded when committing the crime and should bear criminal responsibility.

Lian agreed at the trial held on Wednesday that he had no mental health problems, but said he still believed the surgery had been unsuccessful, despite claims to the contrary from the hospital.

Zhu Shengyong, Lian's lawyer, told the Global Times that he would meet with Lian Tuesday to find out whether he would make an appeal. He and the family believe an appeal is necessary.