A man who was given life imprisonment for killing a man with his tractor, after driving it into a group of workers sent to demolish his house, is considering appealing the sentence, his lawyer told Southern Metropolis Daily yesterday.

Lu Jingqing was tried at the intermediate people's court of Heyuan, Guangdong province, but is considering appealing to the high people's court, lawyer Yuan Shaomin said.

If the case is reheard, it should be at an intermediate court outside Heyuan to ensure impartiality, he said.

Also, Lu should be released on bail so he can receive treatment for injuries he sustained in the incident, he said.

On May 27, Lu, angered by a government order to demolish his house, which it said lacked a permit, drove a tractor at a group of officials and workers sent to carry out the work. One person was killed and nine others were injured in the incident, Southern Metropolis Daily reported.

Lu was arrested and put in custody. On Nov 25, the intermediate people's court of Heyuan ruled that Lu's act was a serious violation of public security and sentenced him to life.

His family was notified of the ruling on Tuesday. In Yuan's opinion, the ruling was too harsh.

"The local government must take some of the blame for deciding to pull down Lu's house. His family had lived there for 16 years," he told China Daily.

"Also, I don't believe Lu deliberately aimed to hurt anyone.

"As the backbone of his family he was enraged by the government's decision to demolish his home, and he acted without thinking," Yuan said.

(China Daily December 19, 2008)