Chen under fire as ex-prisoner kills

Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian came under fire yesterday after an academic was beaten to death by a recently released prisoner freed following Mr Chen's decision to commute more than 25,000 jail sentences. The opposition Kuomintang blamed Mr Chen, who unveiled his clemency plan in May.

The KMT said Mr Chen should have prepared for the prisoners' release, 90 per cent of whom were drug users and convicted thieves, with a high risk of reoffending. The professor was killed by the man who tried to rob the academic while high on drugs. Mr Chen said: 'We should not deny the chances of those who ... want to lead a new life, just because several recently released inmates have committed crimes.'

The opposition claimed the policy was an attempt to win votes ahead of the presidential election next March. Police reported 27 crimes and ex-convicts died from drug overdoses within nine days of being freed.