According to the news released by China News Agency in Changchun on November 26 (reported by Zhong Xin), four Falun Gong practitioners in Changchun, the capital city of Jilin Province, wanted to help their fellow practitioner Ms. Xiao by using force to get rid of the so-called "fox spirit" from her body this April and were held responsible for the consequent death of Xiao. Changchun Intermediate People's Court processed the case recently and produced first-instance sentence.

    The court made investigations and concluded that the victim and four defendants, Yu Xuewei, Wang Haipeng, Gao Hongqing, and Jin Mingdong, were Falun Gong practitioners. At one o'clock on the afternoon of April 7 this year, and at the home of Yu's, four defendants discussed and believed that Ms. Xiao was haunted by a "fox spirit", which would greatly affect her cultivation. Accordingly, Yu and Gao proposed to remove the demon by beating Xiao. The two slapped Xiao in the face and head with slippers. Then Yu Xuewei, Gao Hongqing, and Jin Mingdong put bottles containing frozen things and hot water in turn on the chest and stomach of Xiao's. Jin also pricked Xiao in the philtrum, a vital acupuncture point in the middle of upper lip, with a sewing needle; then Gao and Jin bound the hands and feet of Xiao with bed sheet.

    At five o'clock on the afternoon that day, Yu Xuewei sent for Wang Haipeng. Wang joined others and kicked hard at Xiao on the head, chest, stomach, and back. After four hours of brutal beating by the four of them and at five o'clock, Xiao was found unconscious without breath. They called 120 for help, but the rescue came too late and Xiao was announced dead by the medical staff. According to the results of medical examination, Ms. Xiao died of hemorrhagic shock and broken liver, kidney, and lungs due to external force.

    According to the court decision, Wang Haipeng was condemned to death sentence suspended for two years with all his political rights deprived for lifetime; Yu Xuewei and Gao Hongqing were sentenced to lifetime imprisonment with political rights being deprived for lifetime; Jin Mingdong was sentenced to 15-year imprisonment with his political rights deprived for 5 years. Furthermore, the court also ordered the four defendants to share the civil liabilities by compensating a total of 280,000 yuan to the relatives of Xiao.