Fearful of facing millions of dollars in compensation, resulting in two young people being wronged for 30 years. American media: "Detective" Li Changyu is charged with forging murder evidence at the police station | Towel | Li Changyu
Li Changyu, a criminal forensics expert known as a "detective", may suffer a heavy blow to his lifelong reputation.
According to reports from the Associated Press and the Hartford Daily, a federal judge in Connecticut, USA, ruled on the 21st local time that Li Changyu, an 84 year old emeritus professor at the University of New Haven who is renowned for his criminal expertise, must be responsible for forging evidence in a murder case in the 1980s. According to reports, this case resulted in two young people under the age of 20 being imprisoned for more than 30 years. Once convicted, Li Changyu may have to pay tens of millions of dollars in compensation for this.
Li Changyu
This homicide occurred on December 1, 1985, at the residence of Carl Chen, a 65 year old resident of New Milford, Connecticut. He was stabbed 27 times and the scene was very bloody. Two teenagers with a history of drug use, Boqi and Hanning, were listed as suspects by the police, but no blood was found on their clothes or cars. The hair and fingerprints found at the scene did not match those of the two individuals after comparison.
The important reason for the conviction was the evidence provided by the prosecutor Li Changyu, which was a white towel with blood stains in Carl's home. Li Changyu later testified that the towel was found in the bathroom, not far from the crime scene. The perpetrator may have touched the towel while cleaning the scene after the crime, and the stains found on the towel match the bloodstains.
Boqi and Hanning
In 1989, the jury sentenced Hanning and Boqi to serve 50 and 55 years in prison respectively, at the ages of 17 and 18. After serving more than 30 years in prison, both were suspended and released in 2018 and 2019. The court declared two people innocent in 2020.
Regarding the towel with key evidence, Federal Judge Boden pointed out that Li Changyu did not establish any written documents to record the tests or analyses conducted or not conducted by the laboratory on the towel; When the two defendants appealed, the stains on the towels were retested but showed no signs of blood. Even the Connecticut Supreme Court later mentioned that towels tested negative for blood stains.
After the injustice was settled, Boqi and Hanning sued the New Milford town, Connecticut police, New Milford Police Department, and Li Changyu, accusing the aforementioned units and individuals of fabricating evidence and maliciously prosecuting.
Li Changyu defended his actions during the investigation in 2020. "In my 57 year career, I have investigated over 8000 cases but have never been accused of any misconduct or intentional perjury."
Boqi and Hanning
After the judge's ruling, the case will be submitted for trial. Before sentencing Li Changyu, the jury discussed the issue of compensation, which could amount to tens of millions of dollars.
Elizabeth, spokesperson for the Connecticut Attorney General, defended Li Changyu and the police, stating that she is reviewing the decision and evaluating the next steps. Li Changyu has not yet responded to the judge's ruling.
At the time of this case, Li Changyu had not yet achieved fame. He became famous as a defense expert witness in the 1995 Simpson Wife Murder case.
