Gang boss' death sentence appeal heard

The High People's Court of Shandong province opened the appeal trial of the gang boss Nie Lei in Jiaozhou of Shandong province.

Nie was sentenced to death in March in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, on 10 charges including intentional injury, gun trade and organized crime. He appealed against the ruling.

The appeal trial focused mainly on disputed facts from the first trial.

Nie ran a mafia-style gang in Qingdao from 1995. His violent crimes led to the death of two people and the injury of 22 others.