Child killer appeal date set

Beijing High People's Court will hear an appeal on Nov 19 from a convicted child killer who was sentenced to death for the murder of a 2-year-old girl who was grabbed from her stroller and violently hurled to the ground, according to a court micro blog.

The defendant has changed his trial lawyer for a different appeal lawyer, the micro blog added.

Han Lei received the death penalty for homicide on Sep 25 at the capital's No 1 Intermediate People's Court. He lodged an appeal to the higher court, on the basis that he did not mean to intentionally kill the girl.

Han grabbed the child from a stroller on July 23 and threw her to the ground after arguing with her mother over parking in Daxing district. Following the incident, Han drove away with another man in the vehicle.

The child died two days later from serious head injuries.

Han denied in the first trial that he intentionally killed the girl, explaining that he acted impulsively after drinking.