Bo’s spirited defence unlikely to influence verdict, lawyers say

Bo Xilai's spirited defence, and the high degree to which his legal rights have been protected during his trial, are still unlikely to influence what is probably a predetermined judgment, lawyers say.

"Bo was once famous for trampling the law, and now he is promoting the legal progress in China in another role," Chen Youxi, a prominent mainland lawyer, wrote in a microblog post after reading publicly-released court transcripts yesterday of the trial of the disgraced Chongqing party chief.

Most legal professionals and the public agree that Bo has been accorded his rights to defend himself in court, and that he has challenged the allegations against him with logic and impressive eloquence.

But in a case so weighted by political considerations, it remained to be seen whether his battle of words would influence the judgment, according to some legal experts.

Standing in court yesterday, Bo continued to resolutely deny charges of embezzlement and taking bribes.