Taichung gaming business owner Liu Shih-hui (劉世惠) was on Friday sentenced by citizen judges to life in prison for kidnapping and torturing a man to death.
In the case, which was heard in the Taichung District Court, the citizen judges reviewed evidence, including videos taken by perpetrators.
Liu, 32, and three accomplices were found guilty of “carrying weapons to confine and torture the man to death.”
Photo: Chang Jui-chen, Taipei Times
In addition to the life sentence, Liu was deprived of his civil rights for life, while the citizen judges handed his accomplices sentences of more than 10 years each.
REPEATED ASSAULTS
Before the case was uncovered, Liu had served as the deputy head of a local branch of the “Friends of Police Association,” a mainly civilian organization headed by community leaders that provides local law enforcement with financial support and other resources.
A Taichung prosecutor said that the victim, surnamed Hsu (許), 28, was assaulted repeatedly, and his body was covered with wounds and bruises.
Liu in 2020 hired Hsu as assistant, but due to financial disputes, the duo often had arguments, the prosecutor said.
Liu on Oct. 18, 2024, brought Hsu and his two accomplices to a mansion in Taichung, where they confined Hsu and tortured him, the prosecutor said.
The perpetrators used various tools to torture Hsu, forced him to drink liquids containing narcotics and filmed their actions, the prosecutor said.
‘NO REMORSE’
Hsu’s autopsy report indicated that beating and torture caused his death, they said.
The perpetrators filmed themselves torturing Hsu, the prosecutor said, adding that they stripped him naked and used tools such as a hammer, a baseball bat, leather belts, knives, wrenches, a blowtorch, electroshock device and air gun.
They also poured alcohol and hot sauce on Hsu’s wounds, the prosecutor said.
“Liu exhibited no remorse [after Hsu’s death] and tried to cover up his crime, and he still has not settled on the amount of compensation to Hsu’s family,” the prosecutor said.
The citizen judges handed down the maximum punishment for the perpetrators. While Liu was sentenced to life in prison, Shih Ting-chang (石庭彰), 19, was sentenced to 12 years, and Liu Chi-yun (劉季昀), 37, was sentenced to 13 years and six months.
The verdict may be appealed.
A strong continental cold air mass is to bring pollutants to Taiwan from tomorrow, the Ministry of Environment said today, as it issued an “orange” air quality alert for most of the country. All of Taiwan except for Hualien and Taitung counties is to be under an “orange” air quality alert tomorrow, indicating air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. In China, areas from Shandong to Shanghai have been enveloped in haze since Saturday, the ministry said in a news release. Yesterday, hourly concentrations of PM2.5 in these areas ranged from 65 to 160 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m³), and pollutants were
Taiwan’s armed forces have established response protocols for a wide range of sudden contingencies, including the “Wan Chun Plan” to protect the head of state, the Ministry of Defense (MND) said today. After US President Donald Trump on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, concerns have been raised as to whether China would launch a similar “decapitation strike” on Taiwan. The armed forces regularly coordinate with relevant agencies and practice drills to ensure preparedness for a wide range of scenarios, Vice Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) told reporters before a
EVA Airways on Saturday said that it had suspended a pilot and opened an investigation after he allegedly lost his temper and punched the first officer several times as their plane was taxiing before takeoff at Los Angeles International Airport. According to a report published on Thursday by The Reporter, the incident occurred after the flight’s Malaysian first officer tried to warn the Taiwanese pilot, surnamed Wen (文), that he was taxiing faster than the speed limit of 30 knots (55.6kph). After alerting the pilot several times without response, the first officer manually applied the brakes in accordance with standard operating
NOT AN OPENING: Trump’s violation of international law does not affect China’s consideration in attacking Taiwan; Beijing lacks capability, not precedent, an official said Taiwanese officials see the US’ capture of the president of Venezuela as a powerful deterrent to Beijing’s aggression and a timely reminder of the US’ ability to defeat militaries equipped with Chinese-made weapons. The strikes that toppled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro signaled to authoritarian leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平), US President Donald Trump’s willingness to use military might for international affairs core to US interests, one senior official in Taipei’s security circle said. That reassured Taiwan, the person said. Taipei has also dismissed the idea that Trump’s apparent violation of international law could embolden Beijing, said the official, who was not
RSS