5,231 DAYS IN JAIL:Cheng was happy to be reunited with his mother in time for Mother’s Day after 14 years in prison. He is to be retried after new evidence surfaced
Taipei Times
Date: May 04, 2016
By: Jason Pan / Staff reporter
The Taichung Branch of the Taiwan High Court yesterday ruled that death-row inmate Cheng
Cheng Hsing-tse, right, embraces his mother in Taichung yesterday following his release from death row yesterday pending retrial. Photo: Hsu Kuo-chen, Taipei Times
Hsing-tse (鄭性澤) should be released on bail pending a retrial on the charges that have seen him imprisoned for 14 years, including 10 on death row.
The 49-year-old Cheng, who has always maintained his innocence, walked out of the Taichung Prison in the afternoon and was met by family members and supporters, including representatives of the Taiwan Association for Innocence and the Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty.
After 5,231 days of incarceration, Cheng said: “This taste of freedom is a really great feeling.”
“I have been imprisoned for the past 14 years, but now I am so happy that I can spend this Mother’s Day with my family,” he said as he embraced his mother.
Some supporters came with sunflowers and handed one to Cheng, as they hailed his release as a victory for human rights and shouted: “Cheng is innocent of the crime” and “We don’t want to have any more wrongful convictions.” [FULL STORY]
