Death sought for 21 cop-killer suspects

THROWING THE BOOK: Twenty-one suspects in the nightclub beating of off-duty detective Hsueh Chen-kuo could face the death penalty if convicted, prosecutors said

By Jason Pan / Staff reporter





The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office yesterday said it would seek the death penalty against 21 suspects charged in the killing of off-duty police detective Hsueh Chen-kuo (薛貞國) outside a Taipei nightclub in September.

A statement by the office said that the key suspects, Tseng Wei-hao (曾威豪), his girlfriend Liu Hsin-tung (劉芯彤) and their associate Hsiao Jui-hung (蕭叡鴻), gathered members of criminal gangs to beat the policeman.

A total of 60 suspects, including Tseng, Liu and Hsiao, have been indicted on charges of murder, injury causing death, gathering to engage in affray, and other crimes, Taipei Chief Prosecutor Chang Chieh-chin (張介欽) said.

Taipei Chief Prosecutor Chang Chieh-chin speaks at a news conference in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Chen Wei-tzu, Taipei Times

The statement said that because of the total disregard for the rule of law and flouting of social order by the suspects, and the severity of the beating, the office is seeking the maximum punishment — the death penalty — against 21 of them, including Hsiao, Chou Yu-teng (周譽騰), Wan Shao-cheng (萬少丞) and Yi Pao-hung (易寶宏).

Chang said Hsiao, Tseng and Liu were allegedly the main instigators, as they reportedly solicited the help of friends and gang members for the confrontation, which allegedly arose from personal disputes.

The suspects behaved with total disregard for the rule of law by attacking Hsueh, who was a stranger to them, beating him to death with extreme violence, Chang said, adding that this had caused unmitigated pain and suffering to the victim’s family.

Tseng Wei-hao, front, Liu Hsin-tung, center, and Hsiao Jui-hung, back, who are all suspected of beating police detective Hsueh Chen-kuo to death outside a nightclub in Taipei in September, are taken to the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office yesterday. Photo: Chien Jung-fong, Taipei Times

The office said it would seek the maximum penalty for the suspects, to serve as an example to society.

Hsueh died in the early hours of Sept. 14 after being beaten up outside of Spark ATT night club in the Xinyi District (信義).

Police said the 38-year-old detective was at the scene to handle a disturbance at the nightclub, although other accounts by a city councilor and other officials alleged that Hsueh had engaged in a protection racket, receiving bribes from business owners in the area.

For the 17 suspects still held in detention, the office said a bail hearing would be held today at the Taipei District Court, as the two-month limit is up for detention without trial or criminal charges.

Hsiao is reportedly one of the leaders of the “He Tang” (和堂) chapter of the Bamboo Union (竹聯幫), a well-known triad.

A number of suspects in the case are reportedly also members of the Bamboo Union, and the Four Seas Gang (四海幫), another major triad.