On March 10, 2024, a shocking murder of a junior high school student occurred in Feixiang District, Handan City, Hebei Province. In the case, Wang Moumou, a first-year junior high school student, was brutally killed by three classmates, and his body was buried in a vegetable greenhouse. The three suspects, Zhang, Li, and Ma, were all under the age of 14, but were 12 years old at the time of the crime. The case has attracted widespread attention due to its cruelty and involvement of juvenile suspects.
According to the Amendment (11) to the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China, starting from March 1, 2021, a person who has reached the age of 12 but is not yet 14 years old and commits the crime of intentional homicide or intentional injury, and causes death or serious disability, if the circumstances are heinous, may be investigated for criminal responsibility with the approval of the Supreme People's Procuratorate. This provision is designed to respond to the new situation and characteristics of juvenile delinquency, taking into account the feelings of victims and society.
In this case, after review, the procuratorate found that the acts of Zhang, Li, and Ma met the above-mentioned conditions for prosecution, and therefore requested the Supreme People's Procuratorate to approve the prosecution. After review, the Supreme People's Procuratorate decided to approve the prosecution of the three in accordance with the law. This shows that even minors find it difficult to escape justice when committing serious crimes.
Details of the case are as follows
On the day of the incident, Wang Moumou was invited to a remote location by three classmates. Unsuspecting, Wang Moumou was attacked by them. According to the investigation, Zhang, Li, and Ma first tied up Wang with a rope, and then beat and tortured him for a long time. After confirming that Wang was dead, they buried the body in a nearby vegetable greenhouse.
case in the vegetable greenhouse
The process of solving the case
The police conducted a detailed investigation of the crime scene and collected physical evidence, such as bloodstains, hair, fingerprints, footprints, etc., which have become important clues to the investigation of the case. At the same time, the police conducted a careful review of the surrounding surveillance video to determine the key footage before and after the crime. In addition, the police also reviewed the records of communications between the suspect and the victim, including cell phone text messages and social media chats, to look for clues related to the case. After the arrest of the suspect, the police interrogation also revealed the motive, process, and details of the case.
The occurrence and follow-up of the case
It is not only a reflection of judicial justice, but also an important reference for the handling of incidents such as school bullying and juvenile delinquency. At the same time, it also sends a clear message to society: age is no longer a shield for crime, everyone is equal before the law, and any criminal behavior will be punished as it should be.
With regard to the handling of juvenile delinquency, mainland law has strict provisions. According to the "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Minors" and the "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency", the judicial departments shall adopt the principles of education, reform, and rescue for juveniles under the age of 18, and adhere to the principle of education first, punishment secondary. However, for minors who commit serious crimes, such as intentional homicide or intentional injury causing death, the law also clarifies that criminal responsibility can be pursued in accordance with the law.
When dealing with such cases, the judicial authorities will take into account factors such as the level of mental development of the minor, the motive and circumstances of the crime, and the expression of remorse to decide whether to pursue criminal responsibility and how to impose the sentence. At the same time, the judicial authorities will also take appropriate protective measures to ensure that juveniles who are held criminally responsible receive education, rehabilitation and assistance in order to facilitate their reintegration into society.
To sum up, although minors may have some protection under the law when they commit a crime, it does not mean that they can escape the punishment of the law. For juveniles who have committed serious crimes, the judicial organs will prosecute and try them in accordance with the law, so as to safeguard social fairness, justice and the rule of law.
Case Timeline:
- March 10, 2024: The case occurred, and Wang Moumou, a first-year junior high school student in Feixiang District, Handan City, Hebei Province, was killed.
- March 11, 2024: All suspects involved in the case were arrested, and criminal coercive measures were taken in accordance with the law.
- March 15, 2024: Three junior high school students in Handan City on suspicion of killing their classmates were criminally detained.
- March 18, 2024: Police in Feixiang District, Handan, Hebei Province, responded and confirmed that it was a premeditated criminal case.
- April 2024: After review by the Supreme People's Procuratorate, it was decided to approve the prosecution of criminal suspects Zhang Moumou, Li Moumou and Ma Moumou in accordance with the law.
Resources:
-Xinhua
- Baidu Encyclopedia
- International Online
- Sina Finance
- China.com