High Court upholds Feng conviction for rape
The Taiwan High Court sentenced former New Party legislator Elmer Feng (馮滬祥) on Wednesday to six months in prison for the rape of his Filipina housekeeper in November 2003.
The High Court convicted Feng of sexual assault, saying he had abused his position of power, because he had employed the victim as a maid. Judges handed down a one-year prison sentence, which can be reduced by half to six months under a commutation bill passed in 2007. Feng may also pay a fine in lieu of serving his prison sentence.
Judges found Feng guilty of the charges against him because prosecutors and forensic scientists found DNA on the maid’s underwear that matched Feng’s. Judges also said there was no way to prove the authenticity of Feng’s claims that he was framed by his former housekeeper.
Feng told judges that his former maid, identified only as Rose, had framed him by taking semen from a condom he had used when having intercourse with his wife and smearing it inside her underwear.
Immediately after the alleged rape, Feng paid her NT$800,000 (US$25,000) and sent her back to the Philippines.
The Taipei District Court originally sentenced Feng to four years in jail. He then appealed to the High Court. After the original verdict was upheld, Feng appealed to the Taiwan Supreme Court, where his defense presented a statement from forensic expert Henry Lee (李昌鈺) casting doubt on the pattern of the semen stains.
The Supreme Court then returned the case to the High Court for a new trial. In January last year, High Court judges decided to uphold his four-year sentence.
Feng then filed another appeal of the ruling to the Supreme Court, which again returned the case to the High Court.
The ruling is not final and Feng said he would appeal.
More Info: http://www.taiwanheadlines.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=174906&CtNode=39
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