Inside China Today

Hearing of Shanghai police killer Yan Jia kept low key

The hearing of Beijing resident Yang Jia who attacked and killed 6 policemen in Shanghai was held on August 26, after being adjourned in July ahead of the Olympic Games. Shanghai officials have kept the hearing very low key, not having made any announcement on the trial and no details appeared at the Shanghai Second Intermediate People’s Court website. According to BBC reports, the Court has an obligation to announce public hearings three days before the trial date.
Commentators in the Shanghai legal fraternity say the case had a wide reaching societal impact and immaculate arrangements were made by high ranks of the Shanghai judiciary for the trial including time of hearing and accompanying personnel

There was also no news on the status of Yang’s legal representatives after it was revealed one of the defence lawyers (Xie Yiuming) was a legal advisor for the Shanghai Zhabei District Government. 16 Beijing lawyers questioned whether there was a serious breach by Xie of his duty to his client in accordance with relevant legal profession legislations and discipline requirements.

In August last year Yang Jia was questioned by patrolling officers of the Jijaing West Road Police Station in Zhabei district in Shanghai after he travelled on a bicycle with no registration. He was suspected of having stolen the bike and during interrogation, police repeatedly used electric baton on Yang’s genitals and he was subsequently diagnosed by doctors as having lost his fertility. Protesting the Polices Station’s actions, Yang made several complaints which yielded no results. On July 1 this year, Yang broke into the Zhabei Politibureau Building and stabbed 9 police officers and 1 security guard, killing 6 police officers.

The above news is brought to you by Yu Sen and Chris Thomas for Inside China Today on the SOH Radio Network.