Hunan court upholds postgraduate student's death sentence

The Hunan High People's Court rejected on Thursday a postgraduate student's appeal and upheld his death sentence after he poisoned his roommates' food, causing the death of one.

The court said that after reviewing Zhou Liren's appeal of the first-instance verdict, it found the facts established at trial to be clear, the evidence conclusive and sufficient, the sentence appropriate, and the trial procedures lawful.

On April 7, the Xiangtan Intermediate People's Court sentenced Zhou to death for intentional homicide and deprived him of his political rights for life.

At the earlier trial, the court determined that Zhou, motivated by personal vengeance, put a highly toxic substance into a can of oatmeal shared by two of his roommates. The court concluded his actions amounted to intentional homicide.

The Hunan High People's Court has submitted Zhou's death sentence to the Supreme People's Court for approval, as required by law.