Henry Lee (李昌鈺), a US-based forensic scientist, said on Monday that the shooting of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) on the eve of the presidential election in 2004 was a minor case, but it created a lot of pressure.
The shooting on March 19, 2004, in which Chen’s abdomen was wounded, was a minor case compared with others he had dealt with, such as war crimes in Croatia and Bosnia and a review of former US president John Kennedy’s assassination, Lee said at a press conference in Los Angeles on the eighth anniversary of the “319 Incident.”
However, Lee said he faced great pressure, which was mostly unnecessary, in the Chen case because of its political implications.
Photo: CNA
Lee was asked to assist in the investigation of the incident, in which a bullet grazed Chen’s abdomen and another slightly injured then-vice president Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) at a presidential election campaign motorcade in Tainan.
In a report submitted in August 2004, Lee concluded that the shooting was not a planned assassination attempt, in which case “a more powerful weapon than a homemade pistol would have been used.”
Some pundits said the incident helped Chen of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) gain sympathy votes that earned him a razor-thin victory over the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) candidate, Lien Chan (連戰).
On Monday, Lee gave a Power-Point presentation that detailed aspects of the shooting, such as the bullets used, their trajectory and the type of gun from which they were shot.
As a forensic expert, Lee said, his work is to review all available evidence and reach a conclusion.
He said the bullets that wounded Chen and Lu came from the same gun, which was traced to the man who made it, Tang Shou-yi (唐守義).
It was last used by Chen Yi-hsiung (陳義雄), who died under suspicious circumstances, Lee said.
Chen Yi-hsiung’s body was found in a pond on March 28, 2004. Lee said the body was cremated almost immediately after death, so it could not be determined whether Chen Yi-hsiung had died in the water.
The shooting case was officially closed after investigators concluded that Chen Yi-hsiung had acted alone.
Last week, Lu called on the government to reopen the case, and the DPP legislative caucus on Monday proposed setting up a special review committee to re-examine the incident.
Hong Kong singer Eason Chan’s (陳奕迅) concerts in Kaohsiung this weekend have been postponed after he was diagnosed with Covid-19 this morning, the organizer said today. Chan’s “FEAR and DREAMS” concert which was scheduled to be held in the coming three days at the Kaohsiung Arena would be rescheduled to May 29, 30 and 31, while the three shows scheduled over the next weekend, from May 23 to 25, would be held as usual, Universal Music said in a statement. Ticket holders can apply for a full refund or attend the postponed concerts with the same seating, the organizer said. Refund arrangements would
Taiwanese indie band Sunset Rollercoaster and South Korean outfit Hyukoh collectively received the most nominations at this year’s Golden Melody Awards, earning a total of seven nods from the jury on Wednesday. The bands collaborated on their 2024 album AAA, which received nominations for best band, best album producer, best album design and best vocal album recording. “Young Man,” a single from the album, earned nominations for song of the year and best music video, while another track, “Antenna,” also received a best music video nomination. Late Hong Kong-American singer Khalil Fong (方大同) was named the jury award winner for his 2024 album
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
RSS