"She was in great pain," Deng told China Daily, adding that he had cared for his mother for two decades because she had rheumatoid arthritis. "That day, she grabbed me so hard. Seeing her in agony, I had to say yes."
He said he bought her pesticide and helped her drink it. "My mind just went blank as I did it," he recalled.
China does not have any official data on incidences of euthanasia nationwide, or how many people use it as a defense in court. However, Hong Daode, a professor at China University of Political Science and Law, said he has noticed an increasing number of cases.
He said their actions can "absolutely be classed as intentional homicide" but explained that judges may give more lenient sentences - three to 10 years - due to mitigating circumstances.
However, as Tang Chengkui, the attorney that defended Deng, pointed out: "Even if someone says theirs was an act of mercy, it's extremely hard for a court to rule out the possibility of murder."
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