Disappearing Throwers, Difficult Compensation: 20 Years of Breaking theDeadlock in High-Rise Throwing Cases
By [Your Name], SeniorJournalist and Editor
October 27, 2024
The execution of Zhou Mou, the perpetrator of the Changchun High-Rise Throwing Case that resulted in death, on October 21st brought the case to a close. While the case fades from public view, the societal call for stoppingthe killers from above intensifies. For a long time, high-rise throwing and falling objects have been a sensitive issue for the public. Bricks, ashtrays, exercise balls, billboards – various objects fall from high rises, either intentionally thrown oraccidentally dropped, injuring people on the ground, even taking lives. These cases often involve disappearing throwers or unclear responsibility, leaving victims trapped in a cycle of seeking accountability and compensation.
The Difficulty of Identifying Perpetrators
Professor Chen Yongsheng, from Peking University Law School, highlighted in an interview with the Beijing News that the key challenge in resolving high-rise throwing and falling object cases lies in identifying the specific perpetrator.
Legal Progress: From Shared Responsibility to Specific Accountability
However, it’s worth noting thatlegal progress has been made in addressing this issue. From the 2000 Chongqing Ashtray Case where responsibility was shared among all residents of the building, to the introduction of Article 87 of the Tort Liability Law, and further clarification of responsibility division in the current Civil Code and relevant legalprovisions, the law has continuously responded to societal reflection and demands on this issue.
Multifaceted Efforts to Combat High-Rise Throwing
Beyond legal frameworks, multiple cities have launched special campaigns to address high-rise throwing and falling objects. Many residential communities have installed high-rise surveillance cameras and protective nets to safeguard safety from above.
A Case Study: The Changchun Tragedy
On the evening of June 22nd, 2023, 23-year-old Zhou Mou picked up a brick in the hallway of an apartment building near the Wanda Plaza on Hongqi Street in Changchun,Jilin Province, and repeatedly threw it from a high altitude. 28-year-old Lou Mou was struck in the head by the brick and tragically died. This wasn’t Zhou Mou’s first offense. During the first trial, the Changchun Municipal People’s Procuratorate revealed that Zhou Mouhad also thrown two 5-liter buckets of water and three unopened cans of Coke from the apartment on the afternoon and evening of June 17th, 2023, injuring others. Lou Wen (pseudonym), the sister of the victim Lou Mou, told reporters that she knew someone had been hit by thethrown objects a few days before her sister’s death and had reported it to the local police, but the perpetrator was never found. It wasn’t until the evening of June 22nd, after Zhou Mou confirmed he had hit someone, that he turned himself in at the police station. Zhou Mou confessed that he wanted todie but was afraid to jump off a building, so he decided to throw bricks to kill someone and receive the death penalty. The Changchun Municipal People’s Procuratorate also mentioned during the first trial that the defendant Zhou Mou’s motive for throwing objects from a high altitude was…
Conclusion
Thedisappearing throwers and the difficulty in obtaining compensation continue to be major obstacles in resolving high-rise throwing cases. However, legal progress and proactive measures taken by authorities and communities are gradually addressing this issue. The case of Zhou Mou serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of high-rise throwingand the need for continued vigilance and collaborative efforts to ensure the safety of our cities.
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