High-profile corruption trial underway

• Source: Global Times
• [03:42 February 03 2010]
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Lawyer's trial takes a new twist

By Song Shengxia

The drama of a high-profile case involving lawyer Li Zhuang, accused of instigating his client, an alleged Chongqing gang boss, to fabricate evidence, took another twist Tuesday after Li pleaded guilty to the charge and decided to withdraw his appeal soon after his second trial began, according to local media.

Li Zhuang, of the Beijing Kangda Law Firm, was sentenced to 2.5 years in jail on January 8 for giving false evidence and instructing his client, Gong Gangmo, to falsify evidence of police torture. Li filed an appeal on January 18.

At the second trial held Tuesday at Chongqing No. 1 Intermediate People's Court, Li reportedly said, "At the first trial, the facts were clear and evidence was certain. I withdraw my previous ground of appeal, which is invalid," according to cqnews.net, run by Chongqing Daily.

During the noon adjournment, Gao Zicheng, Li's lawyer, told Caijing, a Beijing-based magazine, that he was taken by surprise by Li's decision.

"As Li pleaded guilty, the prosecution can't present evidence that Li fabricated evidence," he said.

Earlier Gao had said he was not optimistic about the result of the second trial because the videos of Gong's trials and Li's three meetings with Gong at the detention center were not allowed to be publicized.

Li was arrested in December after his client, Gong, who faces charges of leading a criminal organization, murder, and selling and transporting illegal drugs and guns, said his defense attorney asked him to collude with other gang members to give a false testimony.