Party and Bo Xilai could have struck deal ahead of 'open' trial
Bo Xilai's explosive trial, which saw him ridicule evidence and witnesses, may have been agreed in a deal with the party elite, observers say
Veteran observers were surprised that the trial of former Chongqing party boss Bo Xilai appeared to differ from other choreographed trials of senior Communist Party officials.
But analysts said they believe the five-day court drama was not as "open" as it appeared, and the party's elite had already made some sort of deal with Bo beforehand about how it would unfold and be presented.
Its outcome had been seen as predictable ever since Bo was detained in March last year. The party first expelled Bo and then accused him of a litany of crimes - including having affairs with mistresses - in a fashion consistent with the party's traditional methods of dealing with its ousted comrades.
Before it started, Bo's trial was expected be very brief and scripted, like the trials of other purged senior officials. A quick confession and lenient sentence were anticipated.
That the trial was so lengthy, with Bo fighting all three charges against him and seeking to overturn his pre-trial confession, and that the proceedings were relatively open, with the court drama unfolding through official microblogs, albeit redacted, for the first time were a surprise to many.
"Ninety-nine per cent of the facts the prosecutor just stated have nothing to do with me or my case," Bo said on the first day, according to an official transcript.