Shanghai Court Orders Compulsory Medical Treatment in Father's Killing Case

A Shanghai court has ordered compulsory medical treatment for a 36-year-old man diagnosed with schizophrenia after he killed his father at home in March, according to China Judgements Online.

The man, surnamed Gu, was unemployed and had a university education. He attacked his father in the living room on March 20 with a meat tenderizer. After his father retreated to a bedroom, Gu followed and continued the attack until his father died, said the Jing'an District People's Court.

Gu's mother found the body the following day and called police. A forensic examination said the victim died of hemorrhagic shock after suffering cuts from a sharp object and blows from a blunt object to the head, torso and both upper limbs.

A judicial psychiatric assessment found that Gu had schizophrenia and was in an active episode both when the killing occurred and at the time of the assessment. It concluded that he had no criminal responsibility in the case and was unable to stand trial. Investigators also found online searches made after the killing, including searches for "deliberate homicide," "changes after death" and "changes in a corpse."

The decision cited records and witness testimony describing earlier impulsive and violent behavior, social difficulties and a lack of insight into his illness. Medical records said he needed long-term treatment and remained at risk of harming others. His 72-year-old mother told investigators that she had been unable to make him accept treatment or supervise him around the clock because of their differences in age and physical strength, as well as her responsibility for caring for her own elderly mother.

The court said Gu's conduct had seriously endangered public safety and that he could pose a continuing risk. It ordered compulsory medical treatment and confiscated the meat tenderizer and a silver-colored knife seized in the case.