Chinese Court Sentences Teenager to Life for Classmate's Murder Using Shovel; Another Gets 12 Years

Dec 30, 2024, 06:26 AM

A court in Handan, Hebei Province, China, has sentenced two teenagers for the murder of their classmate, a 13-year-old boy, in a case that has sparked national debate over juvenile justice. The Handan Intermediate People's Court announced on December 30, 2024, that one defendant, identified as Zhang, received a life sentence, while another, Li, was sentenced to 12 years in prison. The incident occurred on March 10, 2024, when the two boys killed their classmate using a shovel, an act described by the court as particularly brutal. The case has raised concerns about the treatment of juvenile offenders in China, as it highlights the severity of juvenile crimes and the legal consequences that follow.