Wife of Bo Xilai faces murder charges

Chinese authorities on Thursday charged Gu Kailai, the wife of disgraced Party member Bo Xilai, with the murder of British business consultant, perhaps paving the way for her to receive a death sentence, Financial Times reported. An official investigation found that Gu and a Bo family employee, Zhang Xiaojun, allegedly poisoned Neil Heywood due to a conflict between the businessman, Kailai and her son, Bo Guagua, over “economic interests,” the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported. Xinhua also said that Gu believed the situation threatened Guagua’s life. Neither the elder Bo nor his son have yet been charged with any wrongdoing, suggesting the ex-party secretary of Chongqing may escape harsh punishment. With regards to Gu and Zhang, however, “the evidence is irrefutable and substantial,” state media said, adding that the two would face charges of “intentional homicide.”