Police killer appeals against death penalty

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-09-13 14:00

SHANGHAI -- Yang Jia, the jobless Beijing man who intruded into Shanghai police bureau and killed six officers, has appealed against the death penalty handed down earlier by a Shanghai court.

His appeal was received by Shanghai Higher People's Court Friday, according to the court sources.

Yang Jia, 28, was sentenced to death on September 1 in the first verdict by the Shanghai No.2 People's Intermediate Court, for killing six officers and injuring four others in the assault on July 1.

He stabbed a security guard at the police branch in Zhabei District and started a fire at its gate at about 9:40 a.m.

He then forced his way into the building and attacked nine police officers, according to the prosecution. Six police died. Three others and the security guard were injured.

Yang was apprehended at the scene and confessed to the killings, the prosecution said.

The court ruled Yang had perfect capacity for criminal responsibility according to a forensic psychiatric assessment conducted by a qualified and specialized institute entrusted by the police. But it didn't give a specific name.

The court revealed Yang turned down the defence lawyer his father had found for him before turning to Xie Youming and Xie Jin, two lawyers with Shanghai Mingjiang Law Office, that his mother had employed.

The court ruled that Yang was guilty of murder and sentenced him to death penalty.

According to court investigation, Yang was questioned by officers from the Zhabei police bureau while riding an unlicensed bicycle in Shanghai on October 15, 2007. He refused to cooperate and was taken to the police station for interrogation.

Yang later made several complaints to the police and demanded compensations. The police offered explanations, which was rejected by Yang.