Bo Xilai to appeal life sentence for corruption: sources
Mainland media uses high-profile trial of former Politburo member to trumpet the rule of law and the leadership's drive against corruption
Bo Xilai decided to appeal hours after a court sentenced him to life in jail for corruption, two separate sources with direct knowledge of the case said.
The fallen princeling erupted in anger when the Jinan Intermediate People's Court in Shandong found him guilty of bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power on Sunday. He yelled that the court decision was not fair and was not based on facts, another witness told the South China Morning Post on Sunday.
The two sources said the 64-year-old informed the court on Sunday afternoon of his request for an appeal when receiving the official verdict.
"He was forcibly taken away by the court's guards and didn't get a chance to make an appeal inside the courthouse," said one. "So he made the appeal right after the hearing."
The other source said that Bo was anxious to make the appeal, which is likely to be heard by the Higher People's Court of Shandong behind closed doors.
Bo mounted a robust defence during his five-day trial in August and contested all three charges. The court on Sunday rejected nearly all of the defence arguments, but granted that a small portion of the bribes alleged by the prosecution - 1.34 million yuan of air travel offered by Dalian businessman Xu Ming to Bo's wife, Gu Kailai , and son Bo Guagua - had not been proven for lack of evidence.