By Associated Press
Santa Ana, Calif. — A Taiwanese woman accused of killing her husband’s mistress and 5-month-old son may face a fourth trial after a judge declared a mistrial.
After six days of deliberations, the jury returned on June 18 deadlocked on whether Li-Yun “Lisa” Peng, 51, was guilty of murdering 25-year-old Ranbing “Jennifer” Ji and her son, Kevin. Jurors were split 8-to-4 in favor of convicting Peng of second-degree murder.
Peng has been involved in a seven-year legal battle that has resulted in two hung juries and a conviction, which was thrown out on appeal.
Orange County Superior Court Judge William R. Froeberg scheduled a June 29 hearing to determine whether there will be another trial. Peng’s attorney, John Barnett, said his client was disappointed that she wasn’t acquitted and would file a motion to dismiss the charges.
Peng is accused of the August 1993 slaying of Ji and her son by Peng’s husband Tseng “Jim” Peng. Ji and her son lived in Mission Viejo. Ji was stabbed 18 times with a kitchen knife and her son was smothered to death.
Barnett portrayed Jim Peng as the killer because Ji wanted him to give her $1.1 million in cash and real estate to end their relationship.
But prosecutors said DNA evidence linked the defendant to the murder. Deputy District Attorney Robert Molko said Peng bit Ji just before her death. But some jurors didn’t know when the bite occurred.
The case has captured headlines in Asia and inspired a movie and book. Peng’s first trial ended in deadlock but a jury found her guilty in a second trial. She was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in 1996.
But an appellate court overturned the conviction that was later upheld by the state Supreme Court because there were allegations authorities ignored Peng’s request for an attorney during questioning, had her husband question her in her native language and subjected her to hours of “threats, intimidation and bullying.” |
