SOME of the 14 people condemned to death in Shenzhen's largest robbery and murder case are expected to have their sentences commuted, court sources said.
Two key criminals, Zhang Xiaojian and Chen Weixiang, yesterday tried to shield other accomplices, especially those who are women, by admitting their crimes to an appeal court.
The pair, who did not appeal against their death sentences, said the female defendants neither conspired in the plot nor shared the money the gang obtained in a series of highway robberies and murders between April 1993 and June 1994.
Seventeen people were killed by the syndicate which was found guilty of using the women to seduce drivers on the highway between Shenzhen airport and the Nantou checkpoint.
Other accomplices stole their luxury vehicles, worth a total of 6.29 million yuan (HK$5.85 million).
The 16-member gang was tried and convicted two months ago and 14 people, including five women, were sentenced to death.
The remaining man and woman were given three and 20-year jail terms by Shenzhen Municipal Intermediate People's Court.