Murder trial of 5 'Almighty God' cult members begins

Five members of a cult called the Church of Almighty God stood trial on Thursday on charges that they beat a woman to death in a McDonald's in Shandong province after failing to recruit her into the cult.

The five defendants are Zhang Lidong, 54; his daughters Zhang Fan, 29, and Zhang Hang, 18; and two other women, Lyu Yingchun, 39, and Zhang Qiaolian, 23.

The Yantai People's Procuratorate charged Zhang Fan, Zhang Lidong and Lyu Yingchun with murder and breaching law enforcement by cult activities.