Death sentence handed down to serial rapist

Source: Xinhua  |   2008-11-22  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

AN unemployed man from north China was given a death penalty with a reprieve of two years in a Beijing court on Thursday after being found guilty of crimes including several rapes.

The ruling was handed down on Tuo Jianguo, 32, a native of Shaanxi Province, by the Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People's Court in a trial held on Thursday.

The court was told that starting in August 2003, Tuo committed 11 rapes and four attempted rapes, in addition to three robberies and seven more burglaries in western Beijing, including several in Haidian and Fengtai districts.

Public security departments found Tuo via DNA tests. He was seized by security officers near Changxindian in Fengtai District on the evening of August 16, 2007.

Police also seized tools used for committing the crimes from his car, including a pair of white gloves, black scissors and a lighter.

Tuo also broke into several people's homes and forced dwellers to hand over property and valuables. He also stole cash from the homes he targeted.

The court convicted Tuo of "rape, theft and robbery," and sentenced him to death. It is not known whether Tuo will appeal his case.

In accordance with the Criminal Law of China, criminals who are given death penalties are also given two-year reprieves if death sentences are not meant to be carried out immediately.

Normally, death penalties could be commuted to life imprisonment if convicts do not commit new crimes during the reprieve.

Death penalties require approval from the Supreme Court to be carried out.