By Donald Clarke, Special to CNN
Editor's note: Donald Clarke is a professor at George Washington University Law School. He founded Chinalaw, an Internet listserv, and writes the Chinese Law Prof Blog. The views expressed are his own.
The one-day trial of Gu Kailai in China on August 9th was, quite literally, a spectacle: something meant to be watched. (But not recorded, apparently, except by approval, even pencils were confiscated from the pre-selected audience.)
Gu, the wife of the fallen high-ranking Chinese politician Bo Xilai, had been charged in the death of Neil Heywood, a British businessman. Gu confessed to poisoning Heywood, allegedly because he threatened her son following a botched business deal.
The case has caught the attention of many because of the prominent status of the defendant and its steamy mix of allegations of murder, corruption, and even sex. But does it tell us anything new or interesting about the Chinese legal system? I think not.
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That's a very good question. The Western right-wing media will say anything to discredit the Chinese justice system. On the other hand, back in 1951 the Federal Government managed to falsely convict both Julius and Ethal Rosenburg of selling atomic secrets to the Russians and eventually had them executed, so our own justice system is not so perfect, either!
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAWHATANIDIOTHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAWHATAMORONHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHNOBRAINSHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA
Gee whiz Phunnie boy, what did I say that was so funny? You know that both Julius and Ethel Rosenburg were innocent, don't you? Anyone today with half a brain would know that was so. The problem then Phunnie boy, was that the nation needed a scape goat and found one in the Rosenbergs! There is nothing funny about executing innocent people, nothing at all!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHJ.FosterDullesHHAHAHAHAHAHMORONSPELLERHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHIDIOTHAHAHAHAHAMOSLEMFOOLHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA
Just ignore the idiot above, J. Foster. He's only an ignorant Tea Partier. Besides, goons like these couldn't care less about the guilt of innocence of anyone going to the electric chair or the gallows!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH....
Joseph McCarthyANDHAHAHAHAHAJ. Foster DullesHAHAHAHAHAHASAMEGUYHAHAHAHA
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Gee Phunnie boy, where's my name? By the way, I agree with Joseph.
I am a useless piece of camel dung. I post anti American, anti GB, anti semite, anti India, anti modern anything because I am a good moooooslem. I steal people's monikers because I am so ashamed of myself and post the most stupid comment. When people get angry with me, I claim insanity. I am the same guy.
Gu Kailai had confessed. While many in her case would face death penalty, she could get away with less.
That she was concerned for her and her son's safety justified for a degree of leniency.
The politically sensitive issue – corruption – was not dealt with.