On 2 Apr. 2024, China’s Supreme People’s Court released five typical cases of crimes against public security, aiming to further clarify trial criteria in response to common problems in judicial practice.
Take the first case as an example, which involves the identification of the crime of endangering public security by dangerous means. The perpetrator intentionally threw empty beer bottles and glasses from a high-rise building, knowing that there was a playground where students were exercising. This act caused serious injuries to the victims. As a result, the perpetrator was sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment.
The above case has clarified the criteria for identifying the act of throwing objects from a height as the crime of endangering public safety by dangerous means. According to this case, the court should comprehensively assess the severity of social harm caused by the act, accurately judge the nature of the act, and decide on the appropriate punishment by taking into account such factors as the subjective motivation of the offender, the place where the object is thrown, the specifics of the case, and the harm caused.
Photo by Road Trip with Raj on Unsplash
Contributors: CJO Staff Contributors Team
