The appeal trial of a man who was given a death sentence for killing eight people, including a 2-year-old boy, ended without a verdict Friday in a court in central China's Hubei Province
The Intermediate People's Court of Suizhou said Friday the appeal of killer Xiong Zhenlin was attended by three judges from the Hubei Provincial Higher People's Court.
Yao Zhiming, a judge with the No. 2 criminal tribunal of the Hubei Provincial Higher People's Court who acted as the presiding judge for Friday's appeal, called for a recess at 11 a.m., saying the case needed to be studied by both a collegial panel and the judicial committee with the Hubei Provincial Higher People's Court before a verdict could be reached.
The verdict of the appeal will be announced at an unspecific date, said Yao.
Xiong Zhenlin, a junk collector, was convicted of killing eight people in Luoyang Township on Jan. 4. He was arrested in the provincial capital Wuhan a week later.
The victims included five of his employees, a local resident named Xia Guangxiu who had come to sell waste material, a 43-year-old woman named Zhu Deqing, whom Xiong hoped to marry, and Zhu's 2-year-old grandson, according to court records.
Xiong's first trial was held at the Intermediate People's Court of Suizhou on Feb. 9.
The court was told that the murderer, who divorced last September, decided to take revenge on society after his hopes of remarrying, either to his ex-wife or Zhu, were thwarted.
Local police said Xiong's crimes were also motivated by financial difficulties and an impaired psychological state.
Xiong was convicted of murder and sentenced to death the same day as his initial trial. He entered an appeal on Feb.12.
During the appeal trial, the prosecutors and Xiong's defense lawyers debated over aspects, including claims that he was drunk when he committed the murders and deserved leniency for his confession.
Under Chinese law, appellate rulings are final. All death sentences must be reviewed by the Supreme People's Court.
(Xinhua News Agency February 27, 2009)