The second day of the sentencing phase has been concluded in Zhang Yingying's case, and the trial on July 10, local time in the United States, will be testified by defense witnesses. In the first two days of the trial, the prosecution testified to eight witnesses, including Zhang Yingying's family and boyfriend.
"The two FBI agents who testified today mainly proved that Christensen had planned and prepared before the crime and lied to the police after the crime. The evidence also shows that the offender had no intention of repenting until two weeks ago. On July 9, local time, the aid lawyer of Zhang Yingying's family introduced to Nandu reporters that the testimony of Zhang Yingying's family was very important, and a total of 9 videos were played during their testimony. Seven of the passages are testimonies from Yingying Zhang's high school, college and graduate students, as well as the high school class teacher.
Wang Zhidong said that the US Department of Justice and the FBI have applied to the Chinese police for law enforcement cooperation in Zhang Yingying's case. During October 2018, a joint working group was formed between the United States and China, in which two U.S. attorneys and three FBI police officers and one interpreter went to Beijing, Shanghai, Nanping, Fujian, and Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, to interview Yingying's family, teachers, classmates, and friends with the aim of obtaining evidence for the sentencing phase of the trial.
"I participated in the visits to Beijing and Fujian. With the strong support of the Chinese police, the U.S. working group questioned many people who had close contact with Zhang Yingying, and all interviews were videotaped and translated, of which the interviews with 7 witnesses were used as evidence during the sentencing phase. Wang Zhidong said.
Zhang Yingying's mother, Ye Lifeng, participated in the testimony by playing a video, in which Ye Lifeng cried while speaking. "I want to see her in a wedding dress, and I'm looking forward to being a grandmother." At this point, a female juror suddenly got up and left the courtroom, and the judge announced a 15-minute adjournment. Defence counsel argued that the juror had misbehaved and might have influenced him to make an impartial judgment. After communicating with the juror and the lawyers on both sides, the judge concluded that although the juror was out of control at the time, after resting, it had returned to normal and would not affect his impartial judgment.
Prosecutors played several recordings of defendant Christensen's phone calls with his parents and ex-wife in prison, and Christensen repeatedly said he was innocent.
Written by: Nandu reporter Qin Chuqiao