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China

Axe murderer hopes insanity plea will spare life

Wang Yingshen, 62, was deprived of political rights for life and sentenced to death earlier this month after being charged with deliberate murder by the province’s Court of First Instance.

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Photo from the China Youth Daily of a memorial service held by hospital staff for murdered doctor Kang Hongqian in December.
Ernest Kao

A man, who killed a woman doctor in Tianjin in a brutal axe attack last year, is hoping an insanity plea will save him from the death penalty.

Wang Yingshen, 62, was sentenced to death earlier this month after being charged with deliberate murder by the city's No.1 Medium People's Court, the China Youth Daily reported Wednesday.

Wang claimed he was suffering from mental illness. 

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Wang attacked and killed the doctor at the No.1 Hospital, affiliated with the Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, last November.

After seeking medical help from several hospitals, Wang ended up at Tianjin hospital, but claimed the treatment worsened his condition.

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The 47-year-old doctor, Kang Hongqian, was found dead in her clinic after lunch, while security guards were taking a break. Witnesses reported seeing Wang arrive at the hospital on the day of the attack.

According to reports, Wang took out an axe he had smuggled in and attacked Kang. He then jumped from the second-floor window of the room, injuring himself, before being arrested by police.

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