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.
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
PAWSITIVE IMPACT: A shop owner said that while he adopted cats to take care of rodents, they have also attracted younger visitors who also buy his dried goods In Taipei’s Dadaocheng (大稻埕), cats lounging in shops along Dihua Street do more than nap amid the scent of dried seafood. Many have become beloved fixtures who double as photography models, attracting visitors and helping boost sales in one of the capital’s most historic quarters. A recent photo contest featuring more than a dozen shop cats drew more than 2,200 submissions, turning everyday cat-spotting into a friendly competition that attracted amateur and professional photographers. “It’s rare to see cats standing, so when it suddenly did, it felt like a lucky cat,” said Sabrina Hsu (徐淳蔚), who won the NT$10,000 top prize in
RSS