Shanghai No. 2 Intermediate People's Court · Full chronicle and history

On the morning of September 1, 2008, the Shanghai No. 2 Intermediate People's Court announced its verdict, sentencing Yang Jie to death for intentional homicide and deprivation of political rights for life. Yang Jie and his defense lawyer did not speak throughout the announcement, nor did they indicate whether they would appeal. Online questions about the closed trial, the qualifications of the appraiser, and the identity of the defense lawyer immediately spread.

On the afternoon of August 26, 2008, the Yang Jia case was heard in first instance at the Shanghai No. 2 Intermediate People's Court; the hearing was postponed to this day because of the Beijing Olympics. The court gave all the gallery seats to the Shanghai Public Security Bureau, more than 20 domestic and foreign media outlets and citizens who came to observe were turned away, and the hearing notice was only displayed on the electronic screen in front of the court. No verdict was announced that day.