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| Life term for Indian model killer | Life term for Indian model killer |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The son of a governing Congress party politician in India who murdered a model in 1999 has been sentenced to life imprisonment. | The son of a governing Congress party politician in India who murdered a model in 1999 has been sentenced to life imprisonment. |
| Manu Sharma, son of former federal minister Venod Sharma, was convicted of shooting Jessica Lal dead in Delhi. | Manu Sharma, son of former federal minister Venod Sharma, was convicted of shooting Jessica Lal dead in Delhi. |
| The case was reopened after he and eight others were acquitted in February, prompting a public outcry. | The case was reopened after he and eight others were acquitted in February, prompting a public outcry. |
| Campaigners say media pressure over the case has encouraged the courts to take on India's rich and powerful. | Campaigners say media pressure over the case has encouraged the courts to take on India's rich and powerful. |
| I am really happy with the judgement. I really could not ask for more Jessica Lal's sister, Sabrina href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/6190417.stm" class="">India's elite feel courts' heat | |
| The Delhi high court also ordered Sharma to pay 50,000 rupees ($1,100) in compensation to Jessica Lal's family. | |
| "The court said since it was not a pre-planned murder, Manu Sharma will serve a life sentence," RD Rana, one of Sharma's lawyers, told reporters. | "The court said since it was not a pre-planned murder, Manu Sharma will serve a life sentence," RD Rana, one of Sharma's lawyers, told reporters. |
| The prosecution had demanded that Sharma be sentenced to death. | The prosecution had demanded that Sharma be sentenced to death. |
| Two of his friends, Vikas Yadav, the son of another politician, and Amardeep Singh Gill, a former manager with Coca Cola, were sentenced to four years in jail for destroying evidence. | |
| "I am really happy with the judgement. I really could not ask for more," the murdered model's sister, Sabrina Lal, told reporters after the sentencing. | "I am really happy with the judgement. I really could not ask for more," the murdered model's sister, Sabrina Lal, told reporters after the sentencing. |
| Manu Sharma's lawyers say they plan to appeal against his conviction in the Supreme Court. | |
| 'Conspiracy' | 'Conspiracy' |
| Prosecutors said Manu Sharma fired at Jessica Lal after she refused to serve him a drink at a fashionable restaurant in the capital where she was working as a waitress. | Prosecutors said Manu Sharma fired at Jessica Lal after she refused to serve him a drink at a fashionable restaurant in the capital where she was working as a waitress. |
| Several eyewitnesses came forward to the police, but by the time the case came to trial seven years later key eyewitnesses had retracted their statements. | Several eyewitnesses came forward to the police, but by the time the case came to trial seven years later key eyewitnesses had retracted their statements. |
| The trial finally collapsed in February 2006 when the lower court judge said the prosecution's case contained loopholes and there was insufficient evidence to convict. | The trial finally collapsed in February 2006 when the lower court judge said the prosecution's case contained loopholes and there was insufficient evidence to convict. |
| The acquittals sparked public outrage, with protest rallies and a sustained media campaign launched to demand justice for Jessica Lal, who was 34 when she was killed. | The acquittals sparked public outrage, with protest rallies and a sustained media campaign launched to demand justice for Jessica Lal, who was 34 when she was killed. |
| Prosecutors said Ms Lal was shot for refusing to serve a drink | |
| Police appealed against the acquittals and opened an investigation into allegations that there had been a conspiracy to pervert justice. | |
| Several witnesses and police officials involved in the case were questioned. | Several witnesses and police officials involved in the case were questioned. |
| Campaigners said it had been the latest in a long line of cases where members of India's elite had been able to manipulate the law and get away with murder. | Campaigners said it had been the latest in a long line of cases where members of India's elite had been able to manipulate the law and get away with murder. |
| But the pressure mounted over the Jessica Lal case is seen as a turning point in efforts to bring the rich to justice. | But the pressure mounted over the Jessica Lal case is seen as a turning point in efforts to bring the rich to justice. |
| Observers say the sustained media campaigns and public protests resulted in other cases being reopened and convictions secured. | Observers say the sustained media campaigns and public protests resulted in other cases being reopened and convictions secured. |
| In October, the son of a former senior policeman was convicted of raping and murdering Delhi student Priyardishini Mattoo in 1996. | In October, the son of a former senior policeman was convicted of raping and murdering Delhi student Priyardishini Mattoo in 1996. |
| Earlier this month, former Indian cricketer Navjot Sidhu was sentenced to three years in prison for manslaughter after beating a man in a dispute over a parking space. | Earlier this month, former Indian cricketer Navjot Sidhu was sentenced to three years in prison for manslaughter after beating a man in a dispute over a parking space. |
| His acquittal, too, was overturned on appeal. | His acquittal, too, was overturned on appeal. |