Family say no to 'blood money'

Shanghai Daily, April 27, 2011

The victim's husband bows his thanks to supporters after court.

The family of the woman stabbed to death by a student after he knocked her down with his car have rejected the compensation awarded in court, calling it "money stained with blood."

Zhang Miao's family said they had considered the sum "unreasonable" but wouldn't be appealing the judgment as they had no intention of taking the money.

Xi'an Intermediate People's Court sentenced Yao Jiaxin to death last Friday and ordered his family to pay 45,000 yuan (US$6,894) compensation.

Zhang Xian, the family's lawyer, revealed the family's wishes on his blog and added a message to Yao's parents, telling them: "Peasant people are not difficult to deal with. You should bow down your arrogant head."

Yao stabbed Zhang Miao to death after he saw the 26-year-old trying to memorize his plate number after she was hit by his car in Xi'an last October.

Yao admitted he killed the young mother for fear "the peasant woman would be difficult to deal with."

Zhang Xian said the compensation was unreasonable as the court hadn't supported a request for maintenance costs for Zhang Miao's parents and compensation for mental suffering. But the family reiterated that they didn't want the money as it was "stained with the victim's blood."

The court said that Zhang Miao's parents are not yet 60 years old so still have the ability to work.

Yao stabbed Zhang in the chest, back and abdomen and drove off leaving her lying bleeding at the accident scene.

She died later from massive blood loss.