Court to announce verdict for policeman in shooting of pregnant woman

A Chinese court will deliver its verdict on Wednesday morning in the appeal case of a policeman accused of shooting and killing a pregnant woman.

The Higher People's Court of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region will make the announcement in the city of Guigang, court staff told Xinhua.

The court held a public appeal hearing on April 1 for Hu Ping, a former policeman, who was sentenced to death for intentional homicide after his first trial in February.

Hu was also ordered to pay 73,324 yuan (12,091 US dollars) in compensation to the victim's family in the first trial.

A police investigation found that Hu, 34, was drunk when he shot the woman and her husband, who ran a noodle restaurant, on Oct. 28, 2013 in Pingnan County.

The husband, Cai Shiyong, sustained minor injuries to his right shoulder. His wife Wu Ying and their unborn child died after being shot twice by Hu.

An examination report by the Fifth People's Hospital of Nanning showed that Hu was drunk but in control when the shooting occurred.

In his defense during the first trial, Hu said Cai had tried to grab his pistol before he pulled the trigger. However, several witnesses testified that Cai had not attempted to grab the gun until after his wife was shot.

In the appeal hearing, Hu denied that he shot three times as prosecutors alleged, and questioned the reliability of witnesses. He also argued the firearm residue on Cai's sleeve proved he had tried to grab the gun, which caused it to discharge accidentally.

Hu's lawyer handed over a petition by villagers from Yuwu in Pingnan County, Wu's hometown, asking for leniency for Hu. The lawyer also handed over an "agreement of understanding" drafted by the defendant and signed by the relatives of victim Wu Ying, including her mother and brother.

Prosecutors did not believe that Cai had tried to grab the gun before his wife was shot and claimed the evidence Hu provided to the court was irrelevant.