The wife of a disgraced Chinese politician was given a suspended death

The wife of a disgraced Chinese politician was given a suspended death sentence today after confessing to killing a British businessman by poisoning him with cyanide in a case that rocked the country’s top political leadership.

A suspended sentence is usually commuted to life in prison after two years.

Sentenced along with Gu Kailai was a family aide who was given nine years’ imprisonment for his involvement in the murder of Neil Heywood, a former family associate, said He Zhengsheng, a lawyer for the Heywood family who attended the sentencing in this eastern China city.

The sentencing closes one chapter of China’s biggest political crisis in two decades, but also leaves open questions over the fate of Gu’s husband, Bo Xilai, who was dismissed in March as the powerful Communist Party boss of the major city of Chongqing.

Bo’s dismissal and his wife’s murder trial come at a sensitive time in China, with party leaders handing over power soon to a younger generation. At one time Bo was considered a candidate for a top position.

The lawyer He said he had to discuss the verdict with the Heywood family and did not know if they would lodge an appeal.

Source AP