Court Observation Recruitment | The Chiu Sung-ch'eng Case: A Murder Case with a Knife, Except There Was No Knife | Investigation Hearing for the Fourth Remanded Retrial Motion
Last edited: 2026-08-25
In 2015, the Taiwan High Court Kaohsiung Branch Court determined that Chiu Sung-cheng held a "pre-concealed fruit knife" and "fiercely stabbed the back of Cheng, who was fleeing with his back turned to Chiu, penetrating deep into the lung inside the chest cavity," resulting in Cheng's death. Chiu was consequently sentenced to life imprisonment with lifelong deprivation of civil rights in a final judgment.
However, numerous doubts remain regarding the court's determination of the criminal facts. The Judicial Reform Foundation commissioned experts to examine the surveillance footage of the scene for crime scene reconstruction and conducted a separate bloodstain analysis for this case, yet the Kaohsiung Branch Court repeatedly dismissed Chiu Sung-cheng's motions for retrial. To this day, Chiu has suffered wrongful imprisonment for 10 years.
In September 2025, the Supreme Court revoked the Kaohsiung Branch Court's ruling dismissing Chiu Sung-cheng's retrial motion for the fourth time, pointing out flaws in the Kaohsiung Branch Court's factual determinations and investigations, which not only ignored expert opinion but also failed to adequately explain the reasons for discounting it.
During the previous investigation hearings for Chiu Sung-cheng's retrial motion, expert witnesses Professor Li Chun-i and Police Officer Lan Chin-lung were summoned for cross-examination. In this upcoming hearing, Chiu will simulate holding a fruit knife to reconstruct and clarify the situation at the crime scene, in the hope of successfully opening the retrial.
At the fifth investigation hearing for Chiu Sung-cheng's retrial motion, expert witness Professor Li Chun-i was previously summoned to testify and undergo cross-examination; this session will summon the second expert witness who helped produce the appraisal report—Police Officer Lan Chin-lung—to testify in court, hoping that through thorough investigation, the retrial can be successfully initiated.
At 10:00 AM on March 13, the investigation hearing for Chiu Sung-cheng's retrial motion will take place in the 4th Criminal Courtroom of the Taiwan High Court Kaohsiung Branch Court. All friends are welcome to attend and show your support.
＊Following the court observation, defense counsel for this case will also share the controversies of the case outside the courtroom. Everyone is welcome to participate.
Court Observation Time
Time
Friday, March 13, 2026, at 09:50 AM
Location
4th Criminal Courtroom, Taiwan High Court Kaohsiung Branch Court (No. 586, Mingcheng 3rd Rd., Gushan Dist., Kaohsiung City)
References
Contact
Legal Specialist Chang Chia-chi
04-2329-2372 #14
jc@jrf.org.tw
This article is an AI-generated translation of the original Chinese text. In the event of any discrepancy, the Chinese version shall prevail.