A Chinese court docket sentenced a teenage boy to life in jail on Monday for murdering his classmate, capping a case that sparked a nationwide debate over the therapy of juvenile offenders. Three suspects, all aged underneath 14 on the time of the homicide, have been accused in April of bullying a 13-year-old classmate, surnamed Wang, over a protracted interval earlier than killing him in an deserted greenhouse.
The grim particulars of the case, by which the killers reportedly attacked Wang with a shovel earlier than burying his physique, drew public consideration to how the regulation offers with juveniles accused of great crimes.
One boy, surnamed Zhang, was discovered responsible of intentional murder, a court docket in north China’s Hebei stated Monday.
Another boy, surnamed Li, was given 12 years in jail. The third boy, surnamed Ma, who the court docket discovered did not hurt the sufferer, was sentenced to correctional training.
In 2021, China lowered its age of prison duty from 14 to 12 for “particular instances” akin to inflicting loss of life by “extraordinarily merciless means.”
The Hebei case was regarded as one of many first by which the decrease age restrict was utilized.
The prosecution stated that as a result of the defendants have been “over the age of 12 however underneath the age of 14 on the time of the crime … they need to bear prison duty” in accordance with Chinese regulation.
It added which means of the killing have been “notably merciless, and the circumstances have been notably vile.”
Under Chinese regulation, homicide is punishable by imprisonment or the loss of life penalty.
Editor’s be aware: The headline of this text has been corrected to mirror that the convicted teen was sentenced to life in jail, to not loss of life as beforehand acknowledged.
