“There are none of the statutory conditions for leniency, and there should be harsh punishment,” said the lawyer, Gao Cheng, according to the website of People’s Daily, a state newspaper. But China national radio news reported on Wednesday that two of the defendants, Zhang Hang and Zhang Qiaolian, “expressed remorse and guilt,” while the other three showed no remorse.

On the evening of May 28, Wu Shuoyan was with her young son in a McDonald’s in the city of Zhaoyuan in Shandong when a group of six people asked customers for their telephone numbers, according to witnesses who were interviewed on Chinese television. After Ms. Wu refused, a quarrel broke out, and members of the group bludgeoned and kicked her, leaving her in a pool of blood. (One of the accused women was with her son, about 12 years old, who was not put on trial because he was a minor.)

Images of the attack quickly spread online, and public revulsion grew after the broadcast of an interview with Mr. Zhang, described as the ringleader of the assault. He appeared coldly unrepentant about the attack, which he said was inspired by his daughter’s instant hatred of the victim.

“My daughter said she took one look and saw she was no good,” Mr. Zhang said in the interview with CCTV. “It was an evil spirit, a demon.” He said he beat and stomped on Ms. Wu to kill her.

The Chinese government’s desire to make an example of the five has been clear from reports and commentaries in the state-run news media. The Ministry of Public Security said Tuesday that in a nationwide crackdown on the Church of Almighty God since June, the police had arrested nearly 1,000 people, including nearly 100 leaders and key members of the church. The ministry did not describe the charges against them.