In a final verdict yesterday, the Supreme Court upheld an earlier decision to sentence Wang Ching-yu (王景玉) to life in prison for beheading a four-year-old girl.
New Power Party Legislator Claire Wang (王婉諭), the mother of the girl, known as “Little Light Bulb” (小燈泡), said in a statement that she was disappointed by the verdict.
The killing occurred on March 28, 2016, when Claire Wang and her daughter were walking to an MRT station in Taipei’s Neihu District (內湖).
Photo: CNA
Wang Ching-yu grabbed the child from behind and beheaded her with a cleaver.
In the first retrial at the High Court in January this year, Claire Wang appealed the decision to sentence Wang Ching-yu to life in prison, saying he deserved the death sentence as he posed a threat to the public if paroled.
The nation does not yet have a well-functioning social safety net for people with mental disorders, she said at the time.
Doctors involved in Wang Chin-yu’s prosecution said that although diagnosed with schizophrenia, he was cognitively normal during the attack and was able to control himself.
The High Court decided against imposing the death penalty, as it said that Wang Ching-yu’s schizophrenia could improve with proper treatment, reducing the likelihood of him committing a crime again.
Wang Ching-yu’s family was not aware of his condition and he had not received psychiatric treatment, a court statement said.
After the murder, Claire Wang became an advocate, often speaking out for victims of crime and their families.
She has served as a lawmaker since February.
“To be very honest, each step we have taken has been very difficult, please forgive us for our feelings of sorrow and agony,” Claire Wang said in a statement yesterday, explaining her reason for wanting the death penalty.
“However, as the justice system has made its decision, we hope the judiciary can genuinely address the treatment of convicted criminals,” so that they can be rehabilitated properly, and “all members of the public do not have to run the risk of them committing a crime again,” she said.
“We will focus on to improving the problems and predicaments faced by victims and their families, and working hard on fixing the deficiencies in our social safety net, so that ... the disadvantaged can have a pillar to rely on, and every child can grow up in health and security,” the statement read.
“We thank all members of the public who gave their empathy and support to the victim’s family. We will keep the sorrow to ourselves, and place our hope in making reforms,” she said.
“We ask that everyone who gave their support in this particular case to transform that support into a force for change,” she added.
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