Published on ShanghaiDaily.com (http://www.shanghaidaily.com/)
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2008/200812/20081219/article_385101.htm
Court day for man who killed his wife
Created: 2008-12-19 1:37:05
Author:Angela Xu
A local man who electrocuted his wife because she wanted a divorce told a court yesterday that he tried to commit suicide after the murder.
Qiu Jianhua, 28, a native of Nanhui District, told the Shanghai No. 1 Intermediate People's Court: "I didn't want to lose her. If we divorced, I would have nowhere to go and life would be meaningless."
Qiu, who lived with Song Qingqing at her parents' house, added: "If we couldn't stay together when we were alive, we should die together."
Qiu said Song told him on April 11 she had fallen in love with another man and wanted a divorce. Qiu tried to persuade her to give up the idea but Song wouldn't listen.
On the night of April 15, Qiu contemplated suicide. "If I died she would be sad. So I wanted to let her die together," he said.
He peeled off the insulated layer of a electric cable, put one end of it into a socket and electrocuted Song as she lay in bed, prosecutors said.
Qiu then tried to electrocute himself but failed. He then cut his wrists and, before losing consciousness, called his parents to say he didn't want to live as Song was having an affair.
Qiu's parents rushed round and he was sent to hospital.
A friend of Song's, Chu Anqing, denied he had had an affair with her. He said he had known Song for years and talked to her online. Song had told him she wanted a divorce and that she had loved him for two years.
"I told her I had a girlfriend," Chu said. "We sometimes talked about love and sex on the Internet but I never thought to have an affair with her."
A lawyer for Song's parents told the court there was no evidence that Song was having an affair.
Song's parents are seeking about 760,000 yuan (US$111,274) in compensation from Qiu.
The court didn't give a verdict after the hearing.
Qiu Jianhua, 28, a native of Nanhui District, told the Shanghai No. 1 Intermediate People's Court: "I didn't want to lose her. If we divorced, I would have nowhere to go and life would be meaningless."
Qiu, who lived with Song Qingqing at her parents' house, added: "If we couldn't stay together when we were alive, we should die together."
Qiu said Song told him on April 11 she had fallen in love with another man and wanted a divorce. Qiu tried to persuade her to give up the idea but Song wouldn't listen.
On the night of April 15, Qiu contemplated suicide. "If I died she would be sad. So I wanted to let her die together," he said.
He peeled off the insulated layer of a electric cable, put one end of it into a socket and electrocuted Song as she lay in bed, prosecutors said.
Qiu then tried to electrocute himself but failed. He then cut his wrists and, before losing consciousness, called his parents to say he didn't want to live as Song was having an affair.
Qiu's parents rushed round and he was sent to hospital.
A friend of Song's, Chu Anqing, denied he had had an affair with her. He said he had known Song for years and talked to her online. Song had told him she wanted a divorce and that she had loved him for two years.
"I told her I had a girlfriend," Chu said. "We sometimes talked about love and sex on the Internet but I never thought to have an affair with her."
A lawyer for Song's parents told the court there was no evidence that Song was having an affair.
Song's parents are seeking about 760,000 yuan (US$111,274) in compensation from Qiu.
The court didn't give a verdict after the hearing.
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