The Taiwan High Court yesterday handed down a reduced sentence of six years and eight months to Lu Chun-yi (呂軍億) for the attempted murder of a military police officer outside the Presidential Office Building in August last year.
In the first ruling by the Taipei District Court, Lu was convicted of attempted murder, aggravated theft, assault and other charges, and was sentenced to seven years in prison, which he appealed.
Yesterday’s decision was the second ruling in the case and can still be appealed.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
The sentence was reduced by four months, because the judges said that Lu had promised to pay damages of about NT$70,213 (US$2,299) for breaking a display case to steal a Japanese military sword from the Armed Forces Museum, before trying to force his way into the Presidential Office Building, which is a few blocks away.
During questioning Lu said that he had written that he wanted to “behead [President] Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文),” and that he supports unification with China, prosecutors said.
Lu’s attack was likely politically motivated, as a suicide note and a People’s Republic of China flag were found in his backpack, investigators said, adding that Lu had strong pro-China political beliefs and in an online post had said: “I want to pay my respect to the great chairman Mao Zedong (毛澤東).”
Presidential guard Chou Shu-hung (周書鈜) stopped Lu from entering the building and the two scuffled before other guards arrived and overpowered him.
Chou, who suffered cuts to his head and hands in the attack, was left with partial facial paralysis because of severed nerves and had to retire as a result.
He filed a lawsuit against Lu demanding NT$3 million in compensation, which is still pending.
Chou said in a hearing that he had suffered psychological trauma because of the attack.
“When I see someone carrying a knife, I still get scared,” he said.
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