Activist, allegedly beaten up by police, facing charges from same 2014 night
JASMINE.SIU@SCMP.COM
UPDATED : Tuesday, 26 April, 2016, 11:57pm
Ken Tsang Kin-chiu appears at Kowloon City Court. Photo: David Wong
Ken Tsang Kin-chiu’s lawyer argued on Tuesday that footage from a night of controversy at the Occupy protest site in 2014 may have been tampered with to undermine the democracy activist, who was reportedly attacked by seven police officers after he allegedly poured liquid on their colleagues.
The idea emerged at Kowloon City Court as the defence continued to contest the admissibility of two Asia Television videos in a trial against Tsang. It was withdrawn after a short adjournment.
Tsang, 40, has denied a police assault charge and four of resisting arrest after allegedly pouring liquid over 11 officers in Admiralty on October 15, 2014.
The disputed videos showed a man in black pouring liquid over police officers and resisting arrest.
There was also footage that captured the alleged attack on Tsang that took place on the same night. The seven officers linked to the attack will stand trial in June.
Defence counsel Robert Pang Yiu-hung SC said it was possible someone provided inaccurate footage to undermine his client, making consideration of the alleged assault on Tsang “unavoidable” in the current case.
While Pang confessed there was no evidence for that, he added: “I believe we cannot exclude what we all know as background.” But he retracted the point after a five-minute break.
Principal magistrate Peter Law Tak-chuen said he would not imagine a motive to explain why one would temper with the videos, but added he was open to considering the suggestion of someone trying to play down the assault on Tsang, if the defence were to invite him to do so.
“We all know, heard about that event,” Law said. “But as a judge, even if I heard about it, I have to exclude it from trial unless it was said in court.” The trial continues.
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1938929/ken-tsang-defence-challenges-video-clips-alleged-assault
