'Please let me in. I've come all the way from Hong Kong to see my dad,' Chan Chi-ho's teenage daughter begged outside the court early yesterday. Police eventually let her in for what may have been the last time she would see her father. She emerged weeping a little over two hours later after Chan was sentenced to death. Relatives tried to hide their tears as the sentences were announced. But outside, they sobbed as the reality sank in. Only eight defendants had no relatives present in court, among them Cheung Tze-keung. The court authorities allowed in only two close family members. But special treatment was granted to some families, among them Chan's. Families were not allowed to see the defendants until the trial was completed. Chu Ting-wan, brother of Hong Kong defendant Chu Yuk-shing, who was given a suspended death sentence, said he was pleased. 'It's a satisfactory verdict. To me, my brother not being sentenced to death is already a victory,' he said. 'My brother said immediately he would not launch an appeal.' Chu was convicted of robbery, kidnapping, and smuggling arms and ammunition. A lawyer representing mainlander Chen Lishen, sentenced to 12 years for illegal purchase of explosives, said the judgment was unfair because he had not played a key role. He said the argument was unreasonable and it appeared that the judge and adjudicators were given the impression that he was a principal suspect. Chen immediately lodged an appeal. The mother of another gang member sobbed outside court: 'My son is an honest person. He has been since he was a child. He only did what he was ordered to do.'
