2015年CRI Convict in College Roommate Poisoning Case Executed

The Shanghai No. 2 Intermediate People's Court, executed Lin Senhao on Friday, acting 1 on an order signed by the country's supreme 2 court.

"The Supreme People's Court approves the 31st Criminal Verdict in 2014 by the Higher People's Court, and upholds the first instance of death penalty and deprival of political rights for life to Lin Senhao on accusation 3 of intentional 4 homicide."

In a statement released on the same day, the Supreme People's Court accused Lin of deliberately 5 taking concealed 6 means to kill the victim over a grudge 7.

The executed Lin Senhao was a postgraduate 8 at the Medical School of Fudan University when he tried to poison his roommate Huang Yang in 2013.

Investigations 9 found he took N-Nitrosodimethylamine from the Fudan-affiliated Zhongshan Hospital on March 31, 2013 and poured the lethal 10 chemical into the water dispenser in their dormitory room later that day.

His roommate, Huang Yang, drank from the dispenser on April 1 and died two weeks later of acute liver failure due to N-Nitrosodimethylamine poisoning followed by multiple organ failures.

But on the other hand, Lin did not confess until April 12, when the police interrogated 11 him after confirming suspicions.

In an interview with China Central Television before the penalty was approved, Lin said he missed opportunities to prevent things from getting worse.

"I dared not to tell the truth when Huang was hospitalized, because his condition was serious beyond my expectation."

His trial also saw twists and turns.

He was originally sentenced to death by the Shanghai No.2 Intermediate People's Court in February last year for intentional homicide.

But he appealed, insisting that the poisoning was intended to be an "April fool's joke".

The second trial focused on his intention behind contaminating the water and whether the poison was N-Nitrosodimethylamine.

The Shanghai Higher People's Court rejected the appeal and upheld the death sentence after a second trial on Jan 8 this year and then, submitted the sentence to the SPC for review.

Lin and his relatives later filed requests for verification and also for the change of defense 12 attorneys.

A new autopsy 13 and pathological examinations were thus conducted, which however confirmed the amount of poison was fatal enough and that Huang Yang did die from poisoning rather than complications caused by other diseases.

Lawyer Yue Shenshan called it a just and fair verdict.

"During the trials, both sides invited forensic 14 experts in the debate over what led to the death of the victim. Both sides made full use of their legal rights. All of these ensure the final verdict just and fair."

During the interview with CCTV, Lin also made an apology to the parents of Huang Yang.

"If the death penalty is approved, it means a redemption to me. It will be good, because Huang's parents can leave the hatred 15 behind."

Before the execution, he had met with his family members with the court's permission.

For CRI, this is Luo Wen.