China (MNN) — Huang Lemin stood trial August 19 after being arrested on April 23 this year. After the court adjourned at noon that day, members of Lemin's church who were in attendance left feeling dissatisfied with the court proceedings, according to China Aid Association. Hundreds of church members attended. Many described the prosecutors as indifferent and unprofessional, which caused some to wonder if the verdict had already been decided.
Lemin was charged with "intentionally injuring" Yang Hauxi in March. It was a turning of tables after Hauxi and others had attacked Lemin, leaving him with a fractured nasal bone, a cerebral concussion and contusions all over his body. Lemin was on his way to church to repair sabotaged equipment when the attack happened. Church members rushed him to the police station to file a report, but Lemin became disoriented and began losing consciousness before he could complete it.
Hauxi pressed charges in April. Despite the Christians who had witnessed the attack and Lemin's innocence, the police sided with Hauxi and arrested Lemin. More than 1,000 believers at Baixiang Church where Lemin attends signed a petition to the Municipal Bureau for Ethnic and Religious Affairs, Public Security, and other government departments urging them to stop persecution. Christians said that some of the departments have worked on the case, although slowly due to local protection and loyalties among authorities.
Lemin's family has sought reconciliation with his accuser and attempted to make concessions. However, they've found Hauxi's conditions unacceptable.
The Domestic Security Protection Squad of Leqing Public Security Bureau and the prosecutors on the case insist that Lemin should plead guilty or settle the disputes within church are properly solved, they will consider releasing him or being more lenient.
Lemin's attorney defended him for nearly three hours after criminal prosecutions were brought against Lemin one by one. Hauxi accused Lemin of being responsible for a broken lumbar, though an expert testified that the CT scan proved that the lumbar had not been broken on the date of the reported attack. This was the first time an expert had been allowed in the trial, as previous requests by Lemin's attorney for such had been denied.
The Baixiang church asks that you pray for their brother, as the verdict is still out on his case. Pray that justice will be had for both parties and that Lemin will be
released to his family. Lemin sent a letter to his wife earlier this month thanking her and the church for their prayers and encouraging them to continue relying on the Rock of Jesus.
