A Beijing lawyer accused of fabricating evidence when representing an alleged gang boss went on trial in Chongqing yesterday, in a case that has raised concerns about the dangers lawyers face while doing their jobs.
According to the indictment, Li Zhuang, 48,encouraged Gong Gangmo, to pretend he had been tortured or beaten by police to force a confession.
The indictment said Li instigated other witnesses to give false testimony and asked his co-counsel, Chongqing lawyer Wu Jiayou, to bribe police. The indictment said Gong reported Li to police this month, three weeks after family members hired him as counsel.
The indictment was put online by one of Li's lawyers, Chen Youxi, of Hangzhou -based law firm Capital Equity Legal Group.
Li, a partner at Beijing-based Kangda Law Firm, denied the charges yesterday morning at Jiangbei District People's Court, saying the evidence prosecutors provided was untrue and the court must accept the identification of Gong's wounds as evidence of torture.
Gong is one of 14 alleged triad bosses arrested in the massive crackdown on organised crime in Chongqing since June. He and his co-defendants are accused of involvement in murders, possession of firearms, loan-sharking and other crimes.
In his trial, Li asked that eight witnesses, including Gong, testify, and that police videotapes of his meetings with Gong be used as evidence. He also said Chongqing authorities should not handle the trial.