Why justice must be seen to be done in 'child of privilege' rape case
Zhou Zunyou says a fair and balanced verdict in high-profile trial would be a triumph for the law
Public discussion remains intense on the high-profile incident involving 17-year-old Li Guanfeng, who was detained with four others by police in Beijing last month for allegedly taking part in a gang rape. Li does not come from an ordinary family: his father is Li Shuangjiang, a senior military official famous for singing patriotic songs.
This is not the first time Li Jnr, formerly known as Li Tianyi, has been in trouble. In September 2011, he attacked a couple after his unlicensed BMW crashed into their car. The assault landed him in a correctional facility for a year.
Now the extensive media coverage of the rape scandal and the ensuing public criticism are bringing further shame and disgrace on the family.
While the suspect's father has declined to comment, his mother, also a singer, reportedly said she would respect any punishment meted out to her son, but hoped for tolerance and leniency from the media and the public so he could start a new life. The imploring did not seem to evoke much sympathy.
Since Li's arrest in the rape investigation, there has been wild and hostile speculation. One rumour claims Li's age was falsified so he will be tried as a juvenile. Another alleges that the victim had agreed to drop the charge in return for hefty financial compensation. No matter how inconceivable, such "grapevine" news is often assumed to be true by those who have lost their trust in the law.
Behind the outcry and rumours lies a deep resentment about the behaviour of the privileged class, either through power or wealth, and especially against the recklessness of their spoiled sons and daughters - the "second generation". Although in theory everybody is equal before the law, privileged people often rise above it. If the suspect had not been Li Shuangjiang's son, there would not have been such an enormous interest.
A similar example was Li Qiming, who stirred national outrage in 2010. Li Qiming was drunk and driving his own car when he struck two students on a university campus in Baoding, Hebei province, killing one and injuring the other. He tried to flee the scene, but was blocked by university guards and fellow students.