One of the two conscript escapees who broke out from a military detention center in Hsintien (
After finding the suspects, police staked out the apartment of one escapee, Hsu Cheng-hsiang (徐振翔), in Hsintien city.
During the ambush Hsu was shot in his left leg and taken into custody. Hsu's life was not in danger after being treated at hospital.
Following the raid of the apartment, authorities discovered that 25-year-old Hsu and 23-year-old escapee Lai Han-wei (賴漢威) had been hiding in the apartment since June 18.
Police also found gypsum and bandages in trash cans at the apartment and believe that Lai -- whose legs were seriously injured in the escape -- may have left the place three days ago with the help of his mother.
In the apartment, police found a letter written by Lai intended for President Chen Shui-bian (
Lai reportedly wrote the five-page letter to ask President Chen to redress the injustice of his arrest, and wrote of fears his loved ones would kill themselves if he was executed. He explained that he escaped because he is the only son in his family and that the death penalty would cost two more lives, in addition to his -- the ones of his mother and his girlfriend.
Moreover, Lai said that someone impersonated him in a phone call to a TV station to complain about being physically abused by fellow inmates at the detention center.
Lai, suspected of robbery, was locked up at the detention center on April 22. Hsu, convicted of theft, was due to be released in two months.
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