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No defence by Bo Xilai’s wife
Ousted Communist party leader Bo Xilai’s wife Gu Kailai did not contest charges that she murdered British businessman last November, it emerged at the end of her one-day murder trial in the eastern China city of Hefei on Thursday.
Ousted Communist party leader Bo Xilai’s wife Gu Kailai did not contest charges that she murdered British businessman last November, it emerged at the end of her one-day murder trial in the eastern China city of Hefei on Thursday.
Gu and family aide Zhao Xiaojun are standing trial for murdering Neil Heywood in a hotel in the southwestern city of Chongqing, where Bo was the mayor at that time.
“Their behaviour has violated Article 232 of the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China; therefore, the two defendants should be held criminally responsible for intentional homicide, according to the prosecuting body,” state-run Xinhua said, quoting proceedings.
The verdict in the case — which could range from death penalty to long jail terms — will be announced at a later date.
Neither Gu nor Zhao contested the charges of “intentional homicide”.
“She asked Zhang Xiaojun to invite Heywood to Chongqing Municipality and to accompany him from Beijing. Heywood stayed at Lucky Holiday Hotel.
“On November 13, 2011, Gu Kailai met Heywood in his room for a drink. After he was drunk, vomited and asked for water, she put the poison she had prepared, and which Zhang had brought, into Heywood’s mouth,” Xinhua said quoting proceedings.
