Prisoners stand trial for NE China jailbreak

HARBIN, April 28 -- Three prisoners stood trial on Tuesday in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province for allegedly killing a prison guard and escaping a detention center in September.

Gao Yulun, Wang Damin and Li Haiwei were tried at the Harbin Intermediate People's Court on charges of jailbreak and intentional homicide.

Gao, Wang and Li were roommates at the detention center of Yanshou County. Gao was awaiting execution for intentional homicide while Wang was facing charges of intentional injury and theft.

According to the procuratorate, the two inmates planned to escape the prison and had persuaded Li, who was also suspected of intentional homicide, to join them.

On the evening of Sept. 1, Gao applied to make a phone call and was approved by a guard identified as Duan. It is alleged that Gao attacked Duan while the two of them were alone in an interrogation room, with Wang and Li then rushing in to also take part in the attack.

After killing Duan, the three took keys from Duan's pockets and escaped, according to the charges.

Li, Wang and Gao were captured on Sept. 3, Sept. 4 and Sept. 11 respectively.

Four police officers were suspended following the jailbreak, including the deputy head of the Yanshou County public security bureau, who was probed for dereliction of duty.

The court has yet to rule.