The death of Lei Yang, a young man who died after being caught in a vice raid in Changping district, Beijing, continues to make headlines. The police claimed he suffered a heart attack when trying to resist interrogation; but they failed to provide any evidence to support their account. It is time for the prosecutors to intervene, says an editorial on Southern Metropolis Daily:
We do not know whether the police have told the whole truth because they have not provided any evidence to back up their claims. More importantly, even if Lei resisted, that's no excuse for his death while in police custody.
Of course, by answering questions and accepting interviews, the police have shown an open attitude, which is much better than the ostrich policy that authorities often resort to. However, the case should no longer be handled by the police alone.
When someone dies while being questioned by police, a judicial investigation is needed to determine the circumstances. The police are one of the parties involved, so they should not be investigating themselves. Both Lei's family and several legal experts have called for an independent probe into Lei's death.
Of course, the police have something to do. For example, in an interview with China Central Television on Wednesday, they said they recorded the raid with a cellphone and they would "publicize the video at the proper time". If they have a video record of the incident, why do they choose to wait to release it? Only a complete unedited video record can answer all the questions about Lei's death.
While asking for the truth, the public hopes to get an answer not only about this individual case, but also about whether our public power is well regulated and whether people are well protected by the law.
