Vicious gang trials under way

By Wang Huazhong and Ma Wei (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-10-13 07:24

CHONGQING: Hundreds of local citizens have been lining up for seats to hear the trials of several "abhorrent" organized gang cases.

The trial at Chongqing No 1 Intermediate Court began yesterday for gang leader Yang Tianqing, 35, from Chongqing, and eight other members of Yang's "mafia-style gang".

Given the large number of the accused and the multiple charges, the trial will take more than two days to conclude, said Wei Jie, officer of the court's media office.

People from Chongqing are rushing to sit in on the trial. Though the 300 seats in the courtroom were fully occupied by locals and media, many were waiting anxiously outside.

"They hacked my brother to death in broad daylight and in a crowded street. They are extremely cruel," said Liang Yifu, the elder brother of Liang Yiping, who allegedly fell victim to the gang.

The younger Liang was assaulted at a parking lot in Beibei district about 3 pm on June 26. He died about 11 pm in hospital the same day.

Elder Liang said his late brother owned and operated Qianle Club with Li Xianguang, 49, a suspect standing trial yesterday, but the partnership broke up due to commercial conflicts.

Local newspaper Chongqing Daily yesterday reported Li offered money and asked Yang to amputate Liang Yiping's legs. The gang boss then ordered Zeng Chuan, another suspect standing trial yesterday, to "do the job".

But Li denied the allegation in court, saying his confession to the public security bureau was collected through torture.

The newspaper reported Yang designated Zeng to carry out the murder. Yang reportedly said: "I won't take a penny from the commission, 250,000 yuan ($36,000), which will be divided among you."

Within three minutes Liang Yiping's left arm was reportedly cut into pieces.

The local procuratorate accused Yang of organizing and leading a mafia-style gang, intentional murder and injury, illegal possession of guns, blackmail and fabricating identity cards.

Li was accused of intentional injury leading to death.

Zeng and other six suspects are accused of participation in a mafia-style gang and committing crimes such as murder, intentional injury, robbery, illegal possession of guns, illegal detention, extortion, blackmail and fabricating identity cards.

The procuratorate said ringleader Yang assembled mobsters and ex-convicts in downtown areas of the city from 2005. He tightened control on the gang by sponsoring members' livelihoods, arranging group drugs, binge drinking and prostitution. And he found financial sources to develop the gang through commissioned killings, violent collection of debts and loan sharking.

Defense lawyers, however, said it is not a mafia-style gang and solid proof is missing.

Citizens want justice to be done.

"What the gangsters have done is abhorrent, and I hope they can be punished," 34-year-old civil servant Chen Mingdeng said outside the courtroom.

More than 20 representatives of the city's legislature and members of the city's people's political consultative committee heard the trial.

The boss of another gang, Liu Zhongyong, and his 21 members were being tried yesterday in the city's No 3 intermediate court.

Chongqing initiated a massive crackdown on gangs this year.

More than 600 alleged gangsters from 19 organized gangs have been arrested and 263 have faced prosecution in Chongqing during the first eight months of this year, officials from the municipality's procuratorate said in late September.