Hanoi (VNA) 🦋– The High-Level People’sCourt in Hanoi on March 8 opened a trial for six defendants filing appeals inthe case of “murder” and “resisting on-duty officers” that happened in Hoanhvillage of Dong Tam commune, Hanoi’s My Duc district, in January 2020.

At the appeal trial, scheduled to last throughMarch 10, there are 11 lawyers defending the defendants and two othersrepresenting the families of the three police officers killed in the case. The defendants lodging appeals consist of LeDinh Cong, Le Dinh Chuc, Le Dinh Doanh, Bui Viet Hieu, Nguyen Quoc Tien, andBui Thi Noi. At the first-instance trial held in Septemberlast year, the Hanoi People’s Court handed down penalties to 29 defendants. Found guilty of “murder”, Le Dinh Cong and LeDinh Chuc were sentenced to death, Le Dinh Doanh life imprisonment, Bui VietHieu 16 years in prison, and Nguyen Quoc Tien 13 years behind bars. With the same offence, Nguyen Van Tuyen receiveda penalty of 12 years in jail. Accused of “resisting on-duty officers”, 23 otherdefendants were given sentences of between 15 months’ probation to six years inprison. Among them, Bui Thi Noi was imprisoned for six years.  According to the first-instance trial’s verdict,this was an extremely serious case in which the defendants’ deeds wereextremely dangerous for society, defied and disregarded laws, brazenlyinfringed upon the State and local authorities’ right activities, and displayedcontempt for the lives and health of others, especially those on duty. Their deeds were extremely brutal and inhumanewhen using petrol to burn the three policemen, the jury said, concluding thatthe six defendants guilty of “murder” were the masterminds behind the crime,and they also led and directly committed criminal acts.  Cong was the leader, who often incitedresistance, organised meetings, and posted video clips and livestreamed onsocial networks in which he threatened to kill 300 – 500 police officers. Healso actively prepared equipment, assigned tasks to other defendants, directedand contributed money to buy petrol and grenades, guided others how to makepetrol bombs and tinder, and directly threw petrol bombs and grenades towardon-duty officers, according to the verdict./.