Confusion between Rheumatism and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Yesterday, Li Cheng was brought into the court. Unlike other prisoners, despite wearing handcuffs on January 2, 2009 (without resources), Li Cheng kept his hands together in prayer with a very calm expression throughout. He claimed that his family's "secret recipe" had cured many people, but when questioned by the judge, he could not even explain the difference between "rheumatism" and "rheumatoid arthritis," nor did he know what "aconitine" was. "This secret recipe has been passed down to me for 48 generations in my family, and there have never been any issues. I only heard about aconitine for the first time after the incident," said Li Cheng.
In March 2011, 25-year-old Xiao Min came to Ping'an Temple to see Li Cheng accompanied by her brother. Li Cheng still gave Xiao Min the medicinal wine he had prepared himself. On July 2 of the same year, after drinking the medicinal wine, Xiao Min suddenly vomited and experienced full-body convulsions. She was sent to the hospital but died shortly after. The forensic examination revealed that Xiao Min died from oral poisoning containing aconitine and hypaconitine. Li Cheng was subsequently taken away by the police. Upon investigation, it was found that Li Cheng did not have medical qualifications.
"I am a monk, and I always thought that healing people was an act of merit. I didn't expect this kind of thing to happen. I am ignorant of the law and didn't know that preparing medicinal wine for others to drink was illegal. After this incident is over, I will certainly do my best to promote legal awareness," said Li Cheng. The court did not announce the verdict immediately. The driver of a BMW surrendered after firing a gun in front of a hotel. Morning Post reporter He Xin.
It is worth noting that in one of the witness testimonies provided by the prosecution, Xiao Min's brother explicitly stated, "I do not request the police to perform an autopsy, nor do I request the police to pursue the legal responsibility of the relevant parties."
Two years ago, Li Cheng came to Walyao Village in Liu Cun Town, Changping District, to serve as the abbot of Ping'an Temple. With the help of his "family secret recipe," Li Cheng would often treat people who came seeking his aid while promoting Buddhism. This so-called "family secret recipe" was actually medicinal wine made from various Chinese herbs.
Abbot's homemade medicinal wine leads to death
The abbot of the temple, while spreading Buddhism, also frequently used his family's ancestral medicinal wine to "treat" people. However, 25-year-old Xiao Min (a pseudonym) died after consuming his medicinal wine. According to the forensic examination, she died from "poisoning caused by ingesting substances containing aconitine and hypaconitine." Due to allegations of practicing medicine without a license, Li Cheng (a pseudonym) was prosecuted by the Changping Procuratorate. Yesterday, the case was tried at the Changping Court.
Belief that the deceased intended suicide
Facing the charges, Li Cheng defended himself. "When she started taking the medicine, I repeatedly warned her not to drink too much and not to eat peaches, plums, or tomatoes while taking the medicine. But that morning, she went to the kitchen herself to find peaches and tomatoes to eat, then the incident occurred," said Li Cheng. He added that Xiao Min had expressed emotional fluctuations twice before her death and had told the surrounding laypeople, "Life is too exhausting; I don't want to live anymore." Additionally, her romantic relationship faced opposition from her parents due to their shared surname.