Press Interpreter

03/09/06 -- On July 9, 2005, after killing his factory supervisor, A-xing, accompanied by reporters from this paper, turned himself in to the authorities. The A-Xing murder case and the subsequent murder case of worker Wang Binyu aroused widespread interest. In the coming days, the A-Xing murder case will be tried in the Shantou, Guangdong court. (This is a follow-up to a story first reported on in the July 14, 2005 edition.)*

When the judge hit the gavel, the defendants, A-Xing (full name, Bi Wenxing) and his brother A-Hai (charged with concealing and protecing A-Xing) sat up a little straighter in their seats.

On the morning of March 7th, the much anticipated murder trial of worker, A-Xing began at the middle court of Shantou, Guangdong.

Eight months ago, on the evening of July 9, 2005, A-Xing phoned me while I was away on business in Beijing. He had just killed his supervisor at a factory where he worked in Shatou and had fled to Shenzhen. He asked if I would be willing to accompany him when he turned himself in to the police. I immediately called Southern Weekends Headquarters in Guangzhou, and office in Shenzhen. That same night, accompanied by reporters, A-Xing turned himself in to the Shenzhen police. After being reported, A-Xing's story aroused a great deal of discussion about the problems facing the current generation of migrant workers.

Eight months later, A-Xing who was arrested for first degree murder was also charged with burglary. This change leads one to think that his crime was more serious and increases the likelihood that he could be executed.

The Cause: Is Premeditated Robbery Still a Wage Conflict?

Attending the trial were many of A-Xing's fellow townsfolk. His father and sister were there--tension showing on their faces. His sister who seemed near-sighted pressed her glasses closer, so that she could see every movement of her brothers. A-Xing's father told this paper's reporters that he didn't dare allow his wife to come--afraid that she would not be able to bear the sight of her sons.

On the left side of the courtroom sat relatives of Zheng Bingrong, the man murdered by A-Xing. His daughter, Zheng Aixuan quietly watched the defendant. Two days before the trial, she told reporters from this paper that she felt A-Xing's temper was ordinarily fairly good and that he had never argued with her father. "I just can't understand why he would kill my father."

A-Xing's former factory supervisor, Zheng Zekai, two days before the trial, expressed a similar feeling of disbelief when talking to this paper's reporters. As he remembered, A-Xing got along well with Zheng Bingrong. Bingrong was a low level factory supervisor and also worked as a cook. "A-Xing loved to eat fried rice; sometimes Bingrong would make it for him."

When A-Xing turned himself in to the police, he told this paper's reporters the reason he why he killed Mr. Zheng. He said that because he skipped work one day, he was fired and the told that the factory would be witholding 1000 yuan [$125] of his salary. Mr. Zheng, his supervisor, refused to return his identification card and insulted him as he gathered his belongings. Thereafter, A-Xing killed Mr. Zheng, and took 400 yuan [$50] of cash from his body.

But Zheng Aixuan cannot believe A-Xing's version of events. She told this paper's reporters that perhaps only by listening to A-Xing testify would she be able to understand his real reason for committing murder.

In court, the prosecutor argued that the real reason for the murder was the A-Xing planned to rob Zheng Bingrong. The prosecutor pointed out that when A-Xing turned himself in, he did not mention to the media or to the police that he had an accomplice in the crime named Feng Senhao (who has escaped capture). Four knives were purchased hours before the crime. The prosecution argued that the two had planned to kill the head manager, Zheng Zekai before leaving the factory for good. When they noticed that Zheng Zekai was not there, they started gathering their things together. Zheng Bingrong came in to inspect their luggage, and was then murdered. A-Xing searched his person and took 400 yuan.

The prosecution argued further that because A-Xing concealed the fact that he acted with an accomplice when he first turned himself in, he was not truthfully telling the facts of what transpired. Therefore, in going to the police, A-Xing did not technically give himself up to the police.

When A-Xing argued for himself, he acknowledged that he and Feng Senhao had purchased knives not to rob Zheng Bingrong, but because Mr. Zheng had insulted him and refused to return his ID card. They killed him because they were angry, not because they wanted the money. As for the reason he did not mention Feng Senhao, A-Xing said that when he turned himself in, neither the media nor the police asked him if he acted with an accomplice. Later when the police asked him, he told them everything.

A-Xing's defense attorney, Zhou Dezhi from the Guangdong Puluomixiu Legal Defense Office argued that the evidence was insufficient to believe that the murder was motivated by money. He stated that the prosecution only has evidence that proves that A-Xing killed Mr. Zheng, a fact that he does not dispute. But the evidence relies mainly on statements made by A-Xing. These statements cannot be verified, especially since A-Xing's accomplice has fled. Therefore there is not sufficent evidence to charge A-Xing with theft. The defense attorney went on to say that when A-Xing went to the police, he related the basic facts of the crime he committed, in accordance with the law on turning oneself in.

The Inner Struggle Before the Murder

A-Xing's seat was facing away from the observers. Between the times when the defense and the prosecution were speaking, A-Xing couldn't help but turn his head to look at his friends and family. Every time he did so, he was reminded by the baliff to look forward. The observers could only gauge A-Xing's state by listening to the intonation of his voice. Perhaps they also found traces of what A-Xing experienced before the murder by recalling the circumstances of his life.

A-Xing first became acquainted with reporters from this paper in January. At that time the police in Shenzhen had discovered that many robberies in the area (committed by people originally from outside the province) had characteristics of the "Hand-Chopping Mafia." While reporting for this story, journalists ran into A-Xing, who was just coming home to celebrate the new year. He told reporters that many members of the "Hand-Chopping Mafia" were friends that he grew up with--most of whom had only an elementary school education. When they couldn't find work in the cities, they gradually turned to theft. He worried that if he himself ran into a dead end, that he too might consider the option of joining.

After visting with A-Xing, the reporter told him that if he ever ran into any trouble to call. In the following months, he told reporters several times of the arduous twelve hour work days. He also voiced concern that his friends from the "Hand-Chopping Mafia" were sweeping him into their, "net." He hoped that the reporter would help him find work in another province so that he could escape this "net". He said, "If I can work just eight hours in a day and have one day of rest each week, then I'd be content with even a 500 yuan a month salary [$63]." A judge in Shanxi named, Wei Yanhu heard of this young man's struggle between good and evil and promised to help him find a job in Shanxi.

But later, Judge Wei because of changes at work, was not able to immediately make good on his promise. Two months before the murder, A-Xing called this paper's reporters in an anxious mood. On the evening of July 6th he called a reporter away in Beijing on business to say that he might not be able to keep his job in Shantou. The reason was that on the 5th he had gone drinking with some of his fellow villagers and gotten drunk. This caused him to miss work the next day on the 6th. The reporter was worried about his emotional state and felt that A-Xing's plight reflected the situation of other young workers--a situation that deserved the attention of society. On the evening of July 6th the reporter convinced He Lei, a journalist from Beijing Youth News to go and visit A-Xing, hoping that He Lei could calm A-Xing's emotions. On the 7th, He Lei flew to Shantou, Guangdong and met with A-Xing.

He Lei later told this paper's reporter that A-Xing seemed a little ill at ease, and had a cold expression. They did not talk much, He Lei's attempt at soothing A-Xing's emotions seemed limited. It was actually A-Xing's brother, A-Hai who told He Lei several times, "We're not at all different than other guys from the city." On that same day, A-Xing left his job and did not receive the salary owed him.

In the following day or two, what transpired between A-Xing and his boss, Zheng Zekai and his supervisor, Zheng Bingrong is anyone's guess. Nobody really knows what was going on inside A-Xing's mind--though the defense and prosecution each have their own theory. Reporters, of course, have also created their own suppositions.

The Victim Was Also Just a Worker

In court, the victim's lawyer said that A-Xing murdered in cold blood. Not only did he murder an older fellow worker, he also seriously harmed the victims entire family. Upon hearing this, A-Xing lowered his head. His back facing the observers, nobody was able to see his facial expression.

Among the observers sat the victim's daughter Zheng Aixuan with a silent expression.

Two days before the hearing, this paper's reporters visited Zheng Bingrong's family.

Zheng Bingrong's house had a dilapidated appearance. The boss, Zheng Zekai said that Zheng Bingrong's family was one of the poorest in the community. Others in the community have basically all moved to newer houses and rent the old homes to laborers who come from outside. But Zheng Bingrong's family is still living in the same old house.

Zheng Bingrong's former bedroom is about ten square meters [108 square feet]. There was a pile of disorganized bottles and cans on a nearby table. Next to the table was a small coal stove. Zheng Aixuan told this paper's reporters that they seldom used it to cook; usually she, along with her mother and father, would be out working during meal times.

Zheng Aixuan said, "Most of what we earn goes to my sister who is studying at the university. That's why we can't afford to buy a newer house. I had always thought that my father and the other workers were all the same." In her perception, her father was just helping out a distant relative, Zheng Zekai. Her father's responsiblities included supervising other workers and also preparing some meals. His monthly salary of about 1200 yuan [$150] was only two or three hundred yuan [$25-38] more than A-Xing's. Her father was very careful with his money; he did not own a cell phone or have any jewlery like rings.

The victim's lawyer said in court, that A-Xing's cruel actions would tarnish the image of workers who came to Xiashan from other provinces to work. He said that A-Xing's actions would create tension between supervisors and laborers. However, Zheng Aixuan, a worker herself, feels that, "Hating him (A-Xing) is useless. I just believe that justice will take place. It's not like I've changed my opinion of outside laborers because of my father's murder. The reason for that is because everyone in our neighborhood, besides us, is originally from somewhere else. They've come here to work and they work hard; they get along well with my family. I'll never believe that because one of them, A-Xing, was bad that all the others are also bad."

Two days before the trial, she told reporters that she often misses her father. When she misses him the most, she goes into his old room and bows her head in front of the altar built to remember him.

On March 7th after questioning was completed, a verdit had still not been reached.

[Photo Caption 1:] The front page of this newspaper on July 14, 2005. View Photo

[Photo Caption 2:] On the second day of trial, in the evening, the victim's daughter, Zheng Aixuan, returned from work to their humble house. Ever since her father was murdered, Aixuan and her mother had to leave early in the morning and return late at night doing odd jobs in order to make money for an older sister studying at a university. View Photo

[Full Article]

By Fu Jianfeng

*A translation of the first article on Ah Xing is available here: http://www.pressinterpreter.org/node/188 .

--Translated by Joseph McMullin

This article was translated using the Translation Wiki ( http://www.translationwiki.net ). To see the original text side by side with the translation and to make additions or improvements, go to the Translation Wiki for this article: http://www.translationwiki.net/index2.php?action=trans&type=view&id=73 (works best in Firefox, http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ ).

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