Lecture | A Knife-Free Murder Case Involving a Knife: Wrongful Conviction Rescue and Forensic Science Practice through the Chiu Sung-cheng Case

Ten years of wrongful imprisonment, beginning with a nonexistent knife.

When court findings contradict professional forensic results, whose conclusion is the "truth"?

In 2015, the court concluded that Chiu Sung-cheng stabbed a victim surnamed Cheng with a "concealed fruit knife," sentencing him to life imprisonment in a final judgment. Nearly ten years have passed since then.

However, the fruit knife allegedly used as the murder weapon was never seized at any point in this case. Furthermore, after the Judicial Reform Foundation commissioned experts to conduct forensic examinations, it presented several key pieces of new evidence that undermined the judgment: surveillance footage showed that Chiu Sung-cheng was holding a mobile phone, not a weapon, and the clothing he wore that day made it impossible for him to conceal any weapon.

More crucially, the closest distance between the two individuals remained over 150 centimeters, far beyond the range of any knife attack, and suspicious stains on his clothing were confirmed through forensic analysis not to be blood at all.

Although all of the scientific evidence points to his innocence, Chiu Sung-cheng's applications for retrial have been repeatedly dismissed by the Taiwan High Court Kaohsiung Branch Court.

Fortunately, through the efforts of the pro bono defense team, the Supreme Court in September this year revoked the rulings of the Kaohsiung Branch Court for the fourth time and, unusually, strongly criticized the lower court for "failing to state reasons for disbelieving" the expert opinions and for "failing to thoroughly investigate" key evidence.

The Chiu Sung-cheng case is not only a wrongful conviction currently under rescue efforts, but also highlights the judicial system's hesitation and distrust when confronting scientific evidence. This time, we have invited attorney Chiang Sheng-chien, a member of the pro bono defense team for the Chiu Sung-cheng case, to share in-depth practical insights into the rescue efforts in this case, as well as the practical difficulties of extraordinary relief proceedings.

We invite you to join us in paying attention to this case and considering how the judicial system should confront its own errors when evidence and factual findings do not align.

An investigative hearing for the fifth retrial of this case will be held at the Taiwan High Court Kaohsiung Branch Court at 10:00 a.m. on October 31.

After the hearing, the pro bono attorneys in this case will also be invited to explain the details of the day's proceedings. You are welcome to sign up for court observation of this case as well.

Sign Up for Court Observation

Event Time

Thursday, November 27, 2025, 19:00–20:30 (Registration begins at 18:30)

Event Location

Auditorium 516, College of Law, National University of Kaohsiung (No. 700, Kaohsiung University Rd., Nanzih Dist., Kaohsiung City)

Speaker

Chiang Sheng-chien ｜ Attorney at Law, Hao-Ting Wei-Jen Law Firm; Pro Bono Defense Attorney for the Chiu Sung-cheng Case

Moderator

Chang Chia-chi ｜ Legal Specialist, Judicial Reform Foundation

Organizer

Judicial Reform Foundation

Co-organizers

Department of Government and Law, National University of Kaohsiung; Taiwan Association for Human Rights, Southern Office

Supporting Organization

Student Association of the Department of Government and Law, National University of Kaohsiung

Event Contact

Ms. Chang, Legal Specialist 04-23292372#12