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March 8, 2014 |
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On March 19 2004, the day before the Republic of China ROC presidential election, 2004|presidential election, President Chen Shui-bian and Vice President Annette Lu were both shot while campaigning in Tainan City|Tainan, in what then appeared to be a political assassination attempt. Their injuries were not life-threatening, and both Chen and Lu were released from Chi-Mei Hospital on the same day without losing consciousness or having surgery. Nevertheless, the attack provoked shock and unease in Taiwan, where political violence of this kind is virtually unheard in recent times. The incident earned Chen and Lu sympathy votes, helping to win them the election on the next day by a mere 29,500 votes. In August 2005, the case was officially closed with all leads pointing to one single suspect, Chen, backed by world renowned forensic scientist Dr. Henry Chang-Yu Lee. President Chen and Vice President Lu were standing in the back seat of an open convertible jeep moving slowly through a crowded street. One bullet struck Chen's stomach and was later found in his clothes; Chen received a flesh wound 8 cm long and 2 cm deep (four inches long, an inch wide, and an inch deep). Another bullet grazed Lu's knee and was found in the jeep. At first both believed that they had been hit by firecrackers, which are common in Taiwanese political parades and rallies. Chen realized that it was something more serious when he noticed that he was bleeding from the stomach and that there was a bullet hole in the window. At around 1:45 pm, Chen reported pain in his stomach, and Lu, in her knee. At 2:00 pm, they were both taken to the Chi-Mei Hospital. At 3:30 pm, the spokesperson for the president, Chiou I-Jen, announced that the "National Security Mechanism" has been activated. At 5:30 pm, both the Pan-Blue and Pan-Green coalitions announced that they would cease all scheduled campaigning activities. At 5:45 pm, the hospital announced that the president suffered a 11 cm long, 2 cm wide gash across his abdomen. At 6:00 pm, two shells were found on the campaign route where the apparent assassination attempt took place. At 9:00 pm, the president returned to his official residence. And finally at 11:00 pm, in a video released to the public, the president urged the Taiwanese people to remain calm and indicated that neither his health nor the security of Taiwan were threatened. The next day's election was not postponed, as Taiwanese law only allows for suspension of election upon the death of a candidate. Chen's opponent, Lien Chan, and Lien's campaign manager Wang Jyng-ping tried to visit Chen on the night of the incident, but were unable to see the president because he was resting. Chen Shui-bian appeared in public the next day when he turned out to cast his vote. Within hours, police announced they were certain that the crime was not political, and that mainland China was not involved. On Internet chat rooms and talk radio, some Pan-Blue supporters conspiracy theory|theorized that the incident was faked in order for Chen to gain sympathy votes. These speculations were, however, considered highly offensive by Pan-Green supporters, and were not condoned by the Pan-Blue leadership until after Chen won the election. Two bullet casings were found by a civilian under a police car after it was driven away. The two casings found suggested that only two shots were fired at the motorcade. Their assembly also suggested that they were fired from home-made guns. It is unclear as to whether they were fired from the same gun, or from different guns. The police did not find or identify any suspect involved in the shooting. There were several people the police wanted to question based on erratic behavior, such as leaving the scene in a hurry, recorded by surveillance camera. A few had shown up when they recognized themselves on the broadcast, but these have proved to be inconclusive. The bullet trajectory proposed by the police was that a bullet struck the windshield, entered Lu's knee, and then fell out. Another bullet fired from the jeep's side struck Chen's stomach and travelled through his jacket and stayed in the back until recovered by the hospital crew. On March 29, three American forensic science|forensic scientists arrived in Taiwan to help with the investigation. They were Dr. Cyril Wecht, a forensic expert, Michael Haag, an expert on bullet trajectory, and Timothy Palmbach, expert on crime scene integrity. Wecht personally examined Chen's belly and concluded it was consistent with a gunshot wound. They were followed by Henry C. Lee on April 9. After examining the jeep, he deduced that the shots were fired from the outside because there were shards of glass on the jeep's floor. But due to the incompleteness of evidence preservation, and the lack of an accurate record on the jeep's speed at the day of procession, he points out that it might be impossible to determine from which direction the bullets entered the jeep. Interior Minister Yu Cheng-hsien announced his resignation on April 4, and National Security Bureau director Tsai Chao-ming stepped down the week before to take responsibility for the shooting, keeping with Taiwanese tradition that government officials take responsibility for problems. On August 24, 2004, the Legislative Yuan approved legislation setting up the "3-19 truth investigative commission" to probe the shooting. According to the number of seats they have in the current 5th Legislative Yuan, each party will appoint members for the new commission. The commission will have the right to interview government officials and demand documents, and will be asked to present its findings to the legislature infinitely without time constraint. As part of the law, no one is permitted to elect silence or to influence the commission's investigation. The commission is also authorized to command a government prosecuting attorney, to unilaterally utilize the disaster reserve funds from the Executive Yuan, and to override court verdicts. Because such a law was suspected unconstitutional, the Pan-Green Coalition opposed the commission. Some Taiwanese nationals actually referred the commission "3-19 truth in-the-making commission." Dr. Henry C. Lee submitted a 130-page report and a CD containing 150 photos to Andrew Hsia, director general of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York on August 29, 2004 He concluded that the incident was not an assassination attempt because "a more powerful weapon than a homemade pistol would have been used." He was unable to make a conclusive report, but indicated his findings would help locate the gun and its factory.http://www.etaiwannews.com/Taiwan/2004/08/30/1093830899.htm On September 9, 2004, three men - Yeh Ho-chiang, 37, Chen Ching-hung, 33, and Huang Chin-shou, 43 - were arrested at an illegal weapons factory near Tainan possessing bullets matching those found at the crime scene. On March 7, 2005, Taiwanese police held a conference about the shooting incident. Two suspects were named; they are Chen Yi-Hsuon and Huang Hun-Ren. Both of them were found dead shortly following the 319 incident. Chen was living in the vicinity and resembled one of the unknown persons shown on police tapes in the hotzone (the yellow coat bold guy). The tape was released by the police on March 26, 2004, and Chen was found drowned at a harbor on March 28, exactly two days later. The connection between Chen and the weapon maker was established by confirming Chen being the 5th hand of a possible weapon; additionally family members of Chen stated that he left a suicide notes, which according to the Taiwanese police's interpretation hinted that he committed the crime, though the notes had been burned by the family, and the interpretation held by the police is at best teneuous. Additionally the family members were reported to have recalled strange behavior of Chen following the 319 shooting. On the other hand, Huang also committed suicide with a gun that made from the same manufacturer as that of the incident, and the bullet found shared traits with the one that hit the Vice-President. On August 17, 2005, the case was officially closed after the investigators concluded that Chen acted alone. However, while there were no large-scale protests, there continue to be lingering doubts among a substantial part of the population. Lien, who happened to be leaving office as KMT chairman on the same day, publicly expressed disbelief. A China Times poll purportedly showed that only 19% of the surveyed persons believe that there had been a sufficiently thorough investigation. Pan-Blue legislators have called for continued investigation of the case, as has one of the victims, Vice President Lu.
Category:History of Taiwan zh:????????????????????? This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "3-19 shooting incident".
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