Bo Tedards, who is a long time human rights advocate here in Taiwan, wrote an excellent letter to the editor in todays Taipei Times. The letter is in regards to Taiwans best known death penalty case, the Hsichih Trio case.
I agree 100% with Mr. Tedards comments in that letter.
The only thing I would add is that the Ministry of Justice has an odd relationship with the different branch prosecutorial agencies. By that I mean the MOJ can not by law exert direct control over prosecutorial decisions made by its sub agencies such as the High Court Prosecutors Office, which was the office responsible for the refilling of the Hsichih Trio case after the most recent verdict of not guilty. Exactly what authority the MOJ does have over the branch agencies is murky at best and seems to change depending on the exigencies of the moment.
The problem with that case is that nobody, no agency, wants to be responsible for making the final decision. I have a pet theory that that case will wander about Taiwan criminal justice system until the defendants have died of old age.
The case brings together three very pervasive and very troublesome aspects of Taiwan; the widespread Civil-Snivel Servant mentality, the Blame Game and Face Matters More than Facts.
I recommend reading Mr. Tedards letter.
Good letter. Bo Tedards writes good stuff.
Check out the letter below it too (written by a Forumosan).
Brian
How strange. I too wrote a letter on Chen “Rivers of Blood” Tian-jy’s article but it wasn’t published. I’m rather miffed, especially as it actually contained a useful idea. I suggested that in order to allay the fears of the general public, all mixed-blood children and maybe even all foreigners, should be made to wear a large brightly coloured symbol of some kind (maybe a design based on the DPP flag) on their outer garments so that they could be more easily seen and therefore it would be easier for the government to help them and provide assistance where necessary. 
I remember once in the 70s seeing Enoch Powell fleeing from a building being pelted with eggs and flour by crowds of incensed white people. Something tells me it would be unlikely to see Chen suffer a similar fate at the hands of the locals here.
the one thing i don’t get in this case, is all three guys initially admitted to the crime, confessed. why now they say they didn’t do it.?
I don’t trust lawyers. I don’t trust the suspects. I trust Bo Tedards though. Good letter, sir.
Where’s the truth? Can anyone with legal background xplane?
[quote=“Formosa”]the one thing I don’t get in this case, is all three guys initially admitted to the crime, confessed. why now they say they didn’t do it.?
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The confessions were extracted without due process and under duress, i.e., they were obtained through torture.
I went to a fund-raiser a few years ago for the Hsichih Trio and I remember some optimists, including lawyers, at that time saying that things were looking up for the three men. I guess not.
Kennedy, what is happening with that Human Rights Committee?
What are the key issues you are discussing on it?