Taipei prosecutors did not conduct a thorough investigation and let the hotel’s management off the hook in the criminal prosecution of the death of a young woman after a party at a luxury hotel, legislators said yesterday, vowing to introduce legislation to close legal loopholes.
“The W Hotel’s role was disregarded throughout the investigation. Prosecutors did not provide any indication regarding the hotel’s legal responsibility,” Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Liu Chao-hao (劉櫂豪) said at a media briefing. “The hotel did not uphold its corporate responsibility. If it had reported [what was going on at the party] to the police, it could have prevented this tragedy.”
Prosecutors wrapped up their investigation into the drug overdose death of 21-year-old woman surnamed Kuo (郭) — who was allegedly paid to attend the five-day alcohol-and-drug-fueled party at the W Hotel in December last year — with indictments of six suspects on charges of drug use, negligence resulting in death and other charges.
Prosecutors asked for a 12-year jail term for Chu Chia-lung (朱家龍), who hosted the party and allegedly paid for drugs and other expenses.
Liu cited the indictments as saying that Chu and his friends partied for five days straight, with a number of people entering and exiting the VIP suite, and that 10 different kinds of illegal drugs were consumed by partygoers.
“The air would have been filled with the drugs’ characteristic smells. Anyone should have been able to smell the odors and deduce that there were illicit activities going on inside the suite, but the hotel did nothing,” he said.
DPP Legislator Tsai Yi-yu (蔡易餘) said that the hotel should be culpable in the case.
“Cleaning staff had to enter the suite to carry out housekeeping. How could they not know about the illegal drugs? Why did the hotel not report the matter to the police, as required by law?” he said.
Tsai questioned whether the hotel’s management had tried to cover up the matter and helped destroy evidence, as investigators were only allowed to gather evidence after the hotel had cleaned the suite.
Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) called on the Executive Yuan and other lawmakers to amend laws to close legal loopholes related to the mandatory reporting to police of illegal drug use on hotel premises.
“Chu was able to hold a drug party because people outside and law enforcement agencies did not know what was going on inside, just because he paid the hotel for five days. What if someone pays for a room for a month and carries out illegal activities? The law must be amended, as there seems to be no legal jurisdiction in such a situation,” Chuang said.
In a statement, the W Hotel denied that there was a cover-up, saying it cooperated fully with authorities and provided information relevant to the investigation as requested.
“We will work with the government and police to circulate anti-drug campaign materials to our staff,” it said.
At the media briefing, Kuo’s father disputed the prosecutors’ conclusion that his daughter was not sexually assaulted and demanded heavier sentences for the main suspects in the case.
“The autopsy report said there were bruises on her upper thighs and red swelling in her genital area, but prosecutors said she was menstruating,” he said.
“Most people are not blind to what goes on at these drug parties, for which men hire young women to attend,” he said. “I do not believe the findings.”
Kuo’s father said he suspected the men at the party had force-fed drugs to his daughter and sexually assaulted her, adding that he would file a civil lawsuit against Chu and was considering suing the W Hotel for financial compensation.
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