Man jailed despite victim's kindness

By Xie Chuanjiao (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-08-28 09:40

A 19-year-old robber who fainted from injuries he sustained after stabbing a 53-year-old retired teacher in March was sentenced on Monday in Shandong province to 10 years in jail and fined 10,000 yuan ($1,500).

The Huancui district people's court in Weihai ruled that defendant Ding Liang deserved the long prison term for breaking into Li Jianhua's apartment with the intent to commit robbery and willfully injuring her.

Ding said he will not appeal the conviction, the Qingdao-based Oeninsula Metropolitan News reported Wednesday.

Ding broke into Li's apartment on March 26 and stabbed her in the head and neck.

He was also injured in the struggle.

When Ding collapsed from loss of blood he begged Li to kill him.

But according to later media reports, Li replied: "You are my son's age. Your parents must have undergone great hardship to bring you up.

"How could you do such a thing?

"If you are in trouble I can help you. Now go; I won't call the police. Or we can go to the hospital".

The young man was so grateful to Li that he called her "Mom".

After making an emergency call, the injured pair helped each other downstairs and waited together for the ambulance.

When passersby, shocked at seeing the couple's their wounds, asked what had happened, Li said that there had been a domestic accident and that Ding was her adoptive son.

It was not until police received reports of the incident and went to the emergency room that Li told the truth.

"My years of experience as a kindergarten teacher have shown me that the best way to correct misguided children is to shame and transform them with righteous behavior," Li said.

Prior to the hearing, the two sides made a civil compensation agreement, whereby Ding agreed to pay Li almost 50,000 yuan for medical treatment fees.

Qiu Baochang, head of the Beijing-based Huijia Law Firm, said the sentence was reasonable, taking into consideration that the criminal had both robbed and injured the victim before surrendering to her.

"We should not be indulgent to crimes of this nature, as it could result in more victims like Li," Qiu told China Daily Wednesday.