Cheng Kejie Faces Second TrialThe Beijing Higher People's Court will adjudicate Thursday the appeal of Cheng Kejie, a former top Chinese legislator who was sentenced to death earlier, and the result may come out within this month, according to Chinadaily.A jury and a collegiate panel composed by people from various circles has been formed to hear the trial, a source from the court said. Cheng, former vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, was handed a death penalty by the Beijing No.1 Intermediate People's Court July 31 for bribery while serving as chairman of the Guangxi regional government. Cheng appealed to a supreme court through his lawyer immediately after receiving the sentence in the first trial. Cheng's lawyer appealed to the court for a reduction in penalty thinking that Cheng had confessed all his bribery activities and returned all illegal earnings. Li Ping -- Cheng's mistress and accessory, was sentenced to life imprisonment Wednesday by the Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People's Court. |
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