A two-day hearing into the death of migrant Sun Zhigang in a Guangzhou police clinic ended yesterday.
Wang Xiangbing, a lawyer for the family, said the judges in Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court had reserved their verdict but were expected to hand down sentences before long.
Wang's family had brought a suit against 12 people for allegedly beating the migrant to death.
Also on trial for negligence were six police and civil affairs officers at separate courts in Tianhe and Baiyun districts, and their verdicts have not been announced either.
Sun, 27, was detained by police on March 17 for not having his identity papers and was sent to a custody and repatriation centre despite a friend and his employer providing identity and employment papers to secure his release.
While at the centre he complained he was unwell and was sent to a hospital for detainees where he was set upon by eight detainees abetted by four hospital workers.