Author's lawyer reveals settlement amount, enraging victim's family in Taipei murder case

Buddhist author Wang Yun, also known as Wang Jiangzhen, appeared in court to face charges in connection with the death of a female accountant at the "Shuiyue Caotang" Buddhist hall in Taipei's Daan District two years ago. The Taipei District Court had previously sentenced Wang to 12 years for assault resulting in death in May. Both the prosecution and defense appealed the verdict. Wang, who remains in custody, maintained his innocence during the High Court hearing and requested release on bail, offering NT$6 million. However, his lawyer's public disclosure of a confidential settlement amount for the victim's family ignited fury among the accusers. The victim's sister, present in court, accused Wang's legal team of violating a non-disclosure agreement and demanded a NT$5 million penalty for the breach. The family stated they would not agree to Wang's bail and would pursue the penalty, questioning the lawyer's intent in revealing the settlement figure. They also expressed concern that this public disclosure could jeopardize ongoing settlement negotiations with other defendants in the case.

Regarding the case itself, Wang reiterated his defense that he lacked the intent to cause the accountant's death. He argued that discussions about the accountant during a meeting with other believers were unrelated to her injuries or death and requested a new forensic examination to determine the true cause of death. The High Court is proceeding with hearings for the defendants, with Wang being the sole individual currently detained. The prosecution, however, believes Wang's 12-year sentence was too lenient given his leading role in the case and appealed the acquittal on charges of coercion, arguing it contradicts the evidence. The case was transferred to the High Court in early June, and Wang was ordered to remain in detention for another three months.

Wang's lawyer argued for his release, citing the 70-year-old author's poor health after over 500 days in detention and his cooperation with judicial investigations. The lawyer proposed bail, house arrest, travel restrictions, and electronic monitoring as alternatives to continued detention. The judge indicated that the panel would deliberate on the bail request. The defense also challenged the forensic report, questioning the link between external force and the victim's rhabdomyolysis and bruising, suggesting these could have occurred post-mortem. They requested a multidisciplinary expert team from National Taiwan University's College of Medicine to review the existing forensic findings and conduct a new examination to ascertain the actual cause of death, arguing that the first trial's refusal of a further鑑定 was unfair to Wang.