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Kelly Chan

The hotel worker who killed a cadre who demanded sex in Hubei  has been charged with assault instead of murder, mainland media have reported. 
On May 10, Deng Guida, a low-level town official in Badong county,  and two colleagues demanded that 21-year-old pedicurist Deng Yujiao have sex with them. Although Deng Yujiao told them she was not a prostitute, Deng Guida slapped her head with a pile of cash and twice pushed her onto a sofa.
Deng Yujiao fought back and, in the chaos, fatally stabbed Deng Guida and wounded his colleague, Huang Dezhi, with a fruit knife before she called police and turned herself in.
She was later detained on a charge of murder, which sparked public outcry because many believed she was defending herself against officials who were abusing their privileges. Last week police said Deng Yujiao had acted in self-defence,  albeit with 'excessive force'.
County prosecutors charged Deng  with assault on Friday, according to an indictment sent to the two Hubei lawyers who represent her, China News Service reported. 
Beijing-based human rights lawyer Pu Zhiqiang said public pressure had contributed to the change.
'An assault charge denies that Deng had a motivation to kill someone; instead, the defendant wanted only to affect a person's health,' Mr Pu said. 'This is closer to the facts.'
He added that Deng would not be given the death penalty or a life sentence because the case was being handled by a county-level court. 
The case escalated into a social issue because Deng was dubbed a heroine struggling against the authorities and their unbridled rights. Many netizens, volunteer lawyers, women's rights groups and other civil rights groups showed support and sympathy. Two Beijing lawyers were willing to defend for her  free of charge, but they were dismissed by Deng's mother.  
Last week, authorities in Enshi prefecture, which includes Badong county, ordered a crackdown on prostitution, gambling and drug abuse among officials amid public criticism of the officials' misbehaviour. Police said they would charge cadres who visited or provided protection to brothels.



Woman who killed cadre demanding sex charged with assault