Keelung Man Indicted for Manslaughter After Fatal Beer Bottle Attack During Dispute

Prosecutors in Keelung have indicted a man, identified only as Li, for manslaughter in connection with a fatal altercation at a popular stir-fry restaurant. The incident, which took place in May, involved a dispute over debt between the suspect and the victim, identified as a contractor surnamed Li, who was two years his senior.

According to the investigation, the suspect, Li, encountered the victim dining with his ex-wife at the restaurant. He then invited a friend, surnamed Yang, to the location, leading to a heated argument and physical confrontation on the second floor. During the struggle, the suspect allegedly picked up a glass beer bottle and repeatedly struck the victim's head. The bottle shattered, and sharp fragments pierced the victim's left neck, severing a major blood vessel and causing fatal bleeding.

Prosecutors determined that while the suspect had a debt dispute with the victim, he did not possess the intent to kill. They noted that Li stopped attacking once the bottle broke and the victim was injured, and did not pursue the victim with the weapon. Therefore, he was indicted for manslaughter rather than murder. The case will proceed to trial under the National Judges Act, meaning it will be heard by a panel of both professional judges and citizen jurors.

This legal framework, the National Judges Act, is applied to significant criminal cases where a death results from a deliberate crime. The Keelung District Prosecutors Office stated that the case falls under this category, requiring a joint trial by national judges and judges.