Update | Son of famed PLA singer denies gang rape charges
Teenage suspect disputes charges as trial begins over February attack seen by some as evidence of poor behaviour by offspring of party elite
The teenage son of a renowned army singer denied gang rape charges yesterday in a closely watched case that has aroused widespread anger over the behaviour of children of the elite.
Li Guanfeng, 17, formerly known as Li Tianyi, is the son of Li Shuangjiang, a prominent tenor with the non-command rank of major general in the People's Liberation Army. The younger Li, along with four others, has been accused of assaulting a woman in a hotel in February after they met her in a Beijing night club.
All five suspects denied the charges, the Beijing Evening News reported.
The opening of the trial at the Haidian District People's Court prompted a new public frenzy with scores of reporters and activists flocking to the court, some holding placards demanding better protection for women.
The alleged rape drew a huge public outcry as it was widely perceived as a fresh example of how children from families with influence and wealth have been spoilt and often flout the law.
This is not the first time Li has had a run-in with the law. In September 2011 he attacked a couple after his unlicensed BMW crashed into their car. That assault landed him in a juvenile correctional facility for a year.