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Murder trial jury disharged in parent killing case
Trial now postponed but no date agreed for its recommencement
PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 13 August, 2014, 12:20pm
UPDATED : Wednesday, 13 August, 2014, 1:01pm
Julie Chu [email protected]
Henry Chau, pictured leaving the High Court last week, allegedly murdered his parents in a flat in Tai Kok Tsui. Photo: Jonathan Wong
The jury has been discharged in the murder trial of two men accused of murdering and dismembering an elderly couple, after a second jury member asked to withdraw because of the psychological impact of the evidence.
The trial of Henry Chau, 30, and Tse Chun-kei, 36, will now be postponed, with no timetable for its recommencement agreed yet.
Before the first witness of the day was due to be called, Deputy Judge Mr Justice Michael Stuart-Moore informed the court that he had received a doctor’s certificate written on behalf of a male juror who was also the jury’s foreman.
Finding that he was unable to continue, the judge then told the remaining three women and two men of the jury that they would all be discharged from their duty.
“I believe it is impossible to continue,” Stuart-Moore said. Under Hong Kong law at least five jurors are needed to sustain a valid verdict in a jury trial.
On the second day of hearings a female juror was released upon request, but no more details were provided to explain why.
On Wednesday, the judge told the jury that two of its members had now said that what they had heard in the case had affected them psychologically.
“You may have the same feeling as well,” Stuart-Moore said to the jurors.
The judge said he was sorry that they had needed to hear some of the evidence of the case, and that he would exempt all of the jurors from juror duty for life.
Chau and Tse denied the murders of Chau’s parents – Chau Wing-ki, 65, and Siu Yuet-yee, 62 – at a flat in Tai Kok Tsui on March 1 last year.
The bodies of the elderly couple were cut up, with the heads stored in two refrigerators and other remains kept in lunch boxes, plastic bags and plastic boxes, the Court of First Instance heard last week.
