China initiates criminal investigation of Bo

China initiated a formal criminal investigation against disgraced former Chongqing party chief Bo Xilai, after expelling him from parliament and simultaneously removing his immunity from prosecution, Reuters reported, citing state-run Xinhua News Agency. Xinhua said that state prosecutors had “imposed coercive measures on him in accordance with the law,” likely meaning that he is now formally detained. Bo is facing allegations of corruption and perversion of the course of justice in connection with his wife, Gu Kailai’s murder of British businessman Neil Heywood. Bo’s lawyer said Thursday that he was unable to confirm whether he could represent Bo in court during the trial. “The judiciary grinds into action only when the outcome has been determined,” said Nicholas Bequelin, a researcher at Human Rights Watch. “There is no indication we will see a genuine trial because Bo knows too much.”