A case in Los Angeles where a group of Chinese students kidnapped and tortured a female Chinese student have sent shock waves through domestic media back in China.
Six Chinese students, including the main suspects Zhai Yunyao and her boyfriend Zhang Xinlei, went on trial in Los Angeles recently for abducting and torturing Liu Yiran, another Chinese female student, who they accused of cheating on a friend of Zhai's.
Four accomplices are still at large. Three are minors, the U.S. China Press reported.
Liu said on a court trial on June 3 in Los Angeles that during the time she was kidnapped, the suspects punched her and stripped her of all clothes. One of them burned her nipples with a cigarette.
The court has set a record-high bail of $3 million for each of the accused. The case comes close on the heels of a scandal in which one of the defendant's parents is under arrest after being accused of bribing a witness.
The case has caused concern back in China, with netizens wondering about the roots of such a brutal attack. Some blamed the girls' parents for the crime, accusing them of failing to provide proper guidance.
"These students have received higher education overseas, and are supposed to understand the law and respect others. But this case has just reflected that that they are only a group of selfish young people and lack compassion," an online user wrote.
