The suspect in the attempted robbery of pop diva Jody Chiang’s (江蕙) family residence on Dec. 18 last year was found guilty on Tuesday of “attempted robbery while armed” and sentenced to seven years and six months in prison by the Taipei Shilin District Court.
Chen Chin-piao (陳金標), 58, was identified as a suspect by Chiang, the family’s Philippine caregiver and other witnesses.
Chen said he was innocent and had been framed by Chiang and the police. However, investigators presented evidence — including a positive DNA match for blood left in a taxi the suspect used to flee the apartment complex — linking him to the attack.
Chiang was visiting the family apartment in the Fontainebleau residence (楓丹白露) in New Taipei City’s Tamsui District (淡水) when the attack occurred.
Chen, who was armed with a knife and a screwdriver, first targeted Chiang’s brother, who has a mental disability and required constant care, the court said.
Chiang testified that she heard her brother screaming upstairs, so she ran upstairs and saw a man holding a knife to her brother’s throat and heard him say: “Open the safe! Give me your jewelry!”
Chiang said that she had tried to diffuse the situation by talking to the man, but he ended up holding the knife to her throat in an effort to force her to hand over her jewelry.
After about a 20-minute standoff, Chiang, aided by the Philippine caregiver, grappled with the intruder and took the knife away from him, she testified.
She suffered cuts to her hands and head in the encounter.
According the court statement, surveillance footage showed Chen, wearing a security guard uniform, hat and face mask, arriving at the residential block by taxi and entering the building by telling the guard on duty that he needed to get a signature on a contract from a client who lives in the building.
The court statement said that Chen was released on parole in August last year after serving a sentence for robbery.
“Chen picked on Jody Chiang’s younger brother, who has the mental capacity of a young child... He also displayed a contemptible attitude after the crime. He is convicted on charges of carrying weapons and attempted robbery, and given a seven year and six month prison term,” the statement said.
There was no reason to reduce his sentence as he had committed a violent act less than six months after being released on parole, the court said.
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