Chinese visa student admits to killing Cecilia
CTV.ca
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The Chinese visa student who snatched nine-year-old Toronto schoolgirl Cecilia Zhang from her family home in October 2003 pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Tuesday, in what is being described as a botched kidnapping attempt.
Min Chen, originally charged with first-degree murder in the schoolgirl's disappearance and subsequent murder, entered the surprise plea in a Brampton, Ont. courtroom in what would have been the first day of his trial.
Chen's defence lawyer John Rosen told reporters that each side had much to lose in a trial.
Neither Cecilia's parents nor Chen's were in the courtroom to hear the guilty plea.
In a victim impact statement played in court, Raymond Zhang expressed his grief over the loss of his daughter.
The Crown is seeking to have Chen serve between 17 and 20 years of his sentence before he is eligible for parole while the defence is asking Chen be granted parole no later than 12 years into his term.
According to an agreed statement of facts read in court, Chen admitted he killed Cecilia by placing his hand over her mouth as he carried the schoolgirl from her home.
The agreed statement of facts reveals that the murder was a kidnapping attempt that went wrong.
The gifted Grade Four student was snatched from her home in October 2003 as her parents slept metres away.
Court heard that Chen went to the home in October 2003 to kidnap Cecilia for ransom.
May 10, 2006
CTV.ca
_____
The Chinese visa student who snatched nine-year-old Toronto schoolgirl Cecilia Zhang from her family home in October 2003 pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Tuesday, in what is being described as a botched kidnapping attempt.
Min Chen, originally charged with first-degree murder in the schoolgirl's disappearance and subsequent murder, entered the surprise plea in a Brampton, Ont. courtroom in what would have been the first day of his trial.
Chen's defence lawyer John Rosen told reporters that each side had much to lose in a trial.
Neither Cecilia's parents nor Chen's were in the courtroom to hear the guilty plea.
In a victim impact statement played in court, Raymond Zhang expressed his grief over the loss of his daughter.
The Crown is seeking to have Chen serve between 17 and 20 years of his sentence before he is eligible for parole while the defence is asking Chen be granted parole no later than 12 years into his term.
According to an agreed statement of facts read in court, Chen admitted he killed Cecilia by placing his hand over her mouth as he carried the schoolgirl from her home.
The agreed statement of facts reveals that the murder was a kidnapping attempt that went wrong.
The gifted Grade Four student was snatched from her home in October 2003 as her parents slept metres away.
Court heard that Chen went to the home in October 2003 to kidnap Cecilia for ransom.
May 10, 2006
