CHINA. KILLER OF TRIAD HEAD SENTENCED TO DEATH

despite more than 10,000 Zhaoqing residents' signatures asking for lenient treatment, Liang Jinguo was sentenced to death for murdering triad chief Long Jiefeng. The ruling was passed by Zhaoqing Intermediate People's Court in Guangdong Province. The murdered triad chief was responsible for many crimes in Sihui, a city under the administration of Zhaoqing. The court ruled that Liang was himself a gangster, killing Long to avenge a previous attack on members of his own gang.
Long was killed in a restaurant in the city of Sihui on February 24, 2005. Liang killed the 28-year-old triad chief with three shots fired from a motorcycle. Liang's lawyer had said that his 23-year-old client acted in self-defence because Long had threatened his life.   The court refused to accept mitigation. Xie Tian'en, a judge from the court, said Liang should be punished according to the law. "Liang is not in the right position to rid the people of an evil by killing Long," said Xie. "Liang did not go to the police when he was threatened by Long, his act of revenge was against the law."