Killer's life saved by victim's mother

Source: Xinhua  |   2008-7-16  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

A KILLER has had his penalty reduced to 12 years at the request of the victim's mother.

Song Xiaoming, 23, was jailed for 12 years for killing Ma Gang, 26, on January 8, a Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People's Court ruling said on Monday. Ma had refused to pay Song 560 yuan (US$82) he owed him.

The ruling was in consideration of Song's voluntary surrender and the request of Ma's mother, Liang Jianhong. She insisted Song should be given a second chance, the court said.

Song knelt in front of Liang in the court crying. "Sorry, mother. You must take care of yourself before I am released," he said.

After he killed Ma, Song thought a death sentence seemed inevitable. His fate was changed by Liang's kindness. Liang said Song's death wouldn't bring her son back and Song was young and had a long life in front of him.

She also gave up asking for compensation from the defendant, noting "his family was even poorer than mine."

Song said he hated his own mother, who turned over custody of him to his father after their divorce. He didn't get much affection from his father who used to beat him.

Of Liang, Song said: "She is really a great person. She taught me about tolerance. I hope I can take care of her after I am released."

However, Liang said she could not accept him calling her "mother," and added that, while she intervened to save Song's life, she still hated him for his crime.