The Taiwan High Court yesterday upheld the death sentence and revoked for life the civil rights of Cheng Chieh (鄭捷), who was convicted in March by a lower court of killing four passengers in a premeditated knife attack on Taipei’s Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system in May last year.
Judges on the High Court’s Collegiate Bench upheld an earlier ruling finding Cheng guilty on four counts of murder, 13 counts of attempted murder and the attempted murder of nine under-aged persons.
Twenty-two-year-old Cheng, currently incarcerated at the Taipei Detention Center in New Taipei City’s Tucheng District (土城), chose not to appear in court for yesterday’s ruling.
Photo: CNA
As yesterday’s ruling was for the death sentence, the case must be appealed to the Supreme Court, according to the nation’s judicial procedures.
After five months of deliberation, judges found that Cheng carried out the killings with cruelty and afterward did not show remorse. The judges said there is no likelihood of rehabilitation.
“When committing this crime, the passengers being attacked cried out in pain and others ran in panic. However, Cheng showed no mercy and seemed to feel no sympathy, but continued the attack,” the judges’ statement said, adding that Cheng seemed to show no compassion.
The judges said that the crime was premeditated by Cheng, and he took up physical training and carefully devised a plan to carry out the crime. Cheng seemed to feel no guilt and showed no remorse for his crime.
“His attitude was repugnant. Victims and families of victims to this day are unable to forgive Cheng for this crime,” the judges said, giving reasons for upholding the first ruling.
The judges said that Cheng does not qualify for a reduction of punishment as someone with a mental deficiency or psychological disorder.
In addition, Cheng had been named in several civil lawsuits filed by victims, victims’ families and Taipei Rapid Transit Corp for damages, which comes to NT$120 million (US$3.66 million).
Li Jui-chang (李瑞昌), whose elder sister, Lee Tsui-yun (李翠雲), was among four killed in the attack on May 21 last year, said the civil lawsuits are aimed at seeking justice and putting responsibility on Cheng.
“We all know there will be no compensation, because Cheng has no property or assets. His family has washed their hands of the responsibility by cutting off links with him,” she said.
“I do not accept his apology [made at trial] at all. Cheng said it because his lawyer told him to. It was just acting, there was no sincerity in it,” Lee said.
Kenting National Park service technician Yang Jien-fon (楊政峰) won a silver award in World Grand Prix Photography Awards Spring Season for his photograph of two male rat snakes intertwined in combat. Yang’s colleagues at Kenting National Park said he is a master of nature photography who has been held back by his job in civil service. The awards accept entries in all four seasons across six categories: architectural and urban photography, black-and-white and fine art photography, commercial and fashion photography, documentary and people photography, nature and experimental photography, and mobile photography. Awards are ranked according to scores and divided into platinum, gold and
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus yesterday said it opposes the introduction of migrant workers from India until a mechanism is in place to prevent workers from absconding. Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han (洪申翰) on Thursday told the Legislative Yuan that the first group of migrant workers from India could be introduced as early as this year, as part of a government program. The caucus’ opposition to the policy is based on the assessment that “the risk is too high,” KMT caucus secretary-general Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥) said. Taiwan has a serious and long-standing problem of migrant workers absconding from their contracts, indicating that
TRADE-OFF: Beijing seeks to trade a bowl of tempura for a Chinese delicacy, an official said, while another said its promises were attempts to interfere in the polls The government must carefully consider the national security implications of building a bridge connecting Kinmen County and Xiamen, China, the Public Construction Commission (PCC) said yesterday. PCC Commissioner Derek Chen (陳金德), who is also a minister without portfolio, made the remarks in a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, after Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsu Fu-kuei (徐富癸) asked about China’s proposal of new infrastructure projects to further connect Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties with Xiamen. China unveiled the bridge plan, along with nine other policies for Taiwan, on Sunday, the last day of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun’s (鄭麗文) visit
RSS