Caijing Online, 2009-05-22
Almost two weeks after 22-year-old hotel server Deng Yuqiao stabbed two Dandong County government officials—killing one—in alleged self-defense, new case developments continue to attract national attention. Media accounts describe the two officials as “mistakenly” demanding sexual services from Deng who explained she did not work in the hotel's “leisure center.” The two continued to pressure her, reportedly touching her with a wad of money and pushing her until Deng stabbed them with a fruit knife. Questions surround what exactly the men said and did, two slightly different police reports have fueled speculation of investigative misconduct; whether Deng might have been suffering from depression, police took her to a hospital—where she was placed in four point restraints—for psychiatric evaluation; and, most importantly, if her actions constituted justifiable self-defense under Article 20 of China's criminal code. Controversy has also surrounded the police's collection of evidence: police did not collect the clothes Deng was wearing during the incident until 12 days later, and only then after the public urging of Deng's lawyers, who police, in turn, accuse of publicly leaking privileged information about the case. An editorial on a website managed by the Supreme People's Procuratorate has even called for direct procuracy supervision of the police investigation.
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