Second trial in Hangzhou nanny's arson case begins

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The “Hangzhou arson nanny's” second trial was held in the Zhejiang Provincial Higher People's Court in east China’s Zhejiang Province on Thursday, focusing on whether the court should alleviate the death penalty which was given during the first trial. Footage of the fierce blaze that engulfed the victim’s apartment was also released to the public for the first time.

Mo Huanjing, a former nanny of the family of Lin Binsheng, attends the second trial in the Hangzhou Intermediate People’s Court, Thursday. /China News Photo

The defendant, Mo Huanjing, made an appeal to the court after the first trial, which sentenced her to death, claiming that the original sentence was too harsh and seeking a commutation of the sentence.

She said that she didn't expect the tragedy to happen and that she had tried to save the victims after the fire started but failed. She added that the responsibility of the firefighters and property manager of the victim's apartment should be reconsidered as well since they were involved in the tragedy too.

Mo also asked for a more lenient sentence since she had confessed her crime to the court during the first trial.

However, the court said it would announce its judgement for her on a later date.

The judge didn't announce the verdict in the court. /China News Photo

Mo Huanjing, the former nanny of Lin Binsheng and his family, was sentenced to death on Feb. 9 for setting fire to Lin’s apartment, which is located in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province. The fire killed Lin’s wife and their three children on June 22, 2017, according to the Hangzhou City Intermediate People's Court.

Footage of the fire that engulfed Lin's apartment has been revealed to the public. /China News Photo

Before the second trial, Mo’s family appointed attorneys Tong Jinzong and Wu Pengshan to defend her in court. Wu told China Central Television (CCTV) that he would strive to obtain a commuted sentence for Mo.

Lin Shengbin, father and husband of the four victims, posted about his outrage about Mo’s appeal for a second trial on Weibo, China’s Twitter-equivalent on Feb. 24, saying that her crime would only be more evident after the trial.

Lin Binsheng, father and husband of the four victims, posted on Weibo to show his outrage about Mo’s appeal for a second trial. /CGTN screenshot of Weibo

However, Lin Jie, Lin’s appointed attorney, told CCTV on Wednesday evening that Lin was calm and was not surprised by Mo’s appeal but that he hopes that the court will uphold the original sentence.

The attorney added that they had fully prepared for any new evidence that Mo would bring to the court.

Mo’s appeal for a second trial has sparked outrage on Chinese social media, with more than 10,000 netizens commenting about it on Weibo.

Chinese netizens' comments. /CGTN screenshot of Weibo

“Allowing this issue to be debated again in the court reflects the justice of Chinese law. However, this woman deserves to be sentenced to death since she has had a devastating effect on society and she is too nasty to deserve any sympathy,” said one Weibo user @kongbaideyekongkongkong.

“I hope the court upholds the original verdict and the judge can really see the nasty woman, who deliberately set fire so she could steal things from the family, killing four people and causing a family to be devastated. I think the woman deserves to be sentenced to death,” said another Weibo user @shangxindeyanleizhu.