Rick Halperin
Fri, 1 Aug 2008 01:10:17 -0500 (Central Daylight Time)
July 31 CHINA: Unlicensed driver gets death penalty for intentionally dragging, killing girl A man with no driving license was sentenced to death for dragging and killing an 8-year-old girlwith his car, according to a court verdict in southwest China's Chongqing municipality on Thursday. In addition, two accomplices of the defendant, Peng Jiang, each received seven-year sentences. The incident occurred on the evening of Jan. 26 when Peng was driving a car that included passengers Chen Jiawei and Xiong Zebin. The court heard how he drove up on a sidewalk and hit an adult pedestrian and youngster Wen Mengtian. He then drove away. The 1st stricken pedestrian, Tang Mingni, was knocked over bythe car. Wen was not so lucky as she was thrown under the vehicle chasis. Despite knowing someone was under the car, Peng continued to drive away from the scene. According to the court, Chen and Xiong had urged Peng to drive on. The girl was dragged at least 100 meters from the site. She was later found dead of a cranial injury. The 3 men escaped the incident and later destroyed the car. The prosecutor held that what Peng had done was an intentional murder. (source: Xinhua News) PHILIPPINES: Kin of chopped victims call for return of death penalty Although the death penalty in the country has been repealed, the families of 2 victims of heinous murders in Cebu province called for its return to punish the suspects in 2 gruesome murders. The families of Eva Mae Peligro and Gwendolyn Balasta whose bodies were chopped called for the death penalty for Richard Godelusao and his accomplices, suspects in the heinous murders. In an interview with ABS-CBN Cebu, Richard recounted in detail how he, with his live-in partner Antonette Medalle and friend JoJo de los Reyes, strangled the victims' necks. Richard admitted that hatred pushed him to do the murder. He said he loathed Eva Mae for continually sending malicious words to his parents in the United States. Richard and the other suspects have been charged with double murder. The victims' families, however, were not satisfied with Richard's testimonies and are asking for a punishment heavier than life imprisonment. Mercy Lyn Grace Peligro, Eva Mae's older sister, said there is no better punishment than to kill the suspects as well. "Dili na dugay-dugayon pa..obvious na kayo..kung naay death penalty, death penalty diretso (Lets not waste time, its very obvious, if death penalty is available, then we go for death penalty)," Mercy Lyn stressed. The victims' families also said that they were frustrated with Talisay police so they turned to Mainglanilla police, the police station next to Talisay City, for refuge. They added that they were disappointed with how Talisay policemen treated the incident saying that they never took action after the incident was put into the blotter. As of press time, retrieval of the body parts was still in full swing. The families said that they are only waiting for the completion of the victims' body parts before they bring their dead loved ones to Bohol. (source: ABS-CBN News)