"Dear Criminal Police agents, prosecutors, and judges," Shen Shuwen's letter said,"on behalf of the family members of the victims of the Huayun mountain massacre, I plead for all comrades who are listening to this case to give the criminals MA Liqun, Gong peiwang, and MA juncai a lighter sentence. They will be tried at their discretion, but they must not be sentenced to death!
"I know that my request is a little abrupt, but please believe that I have thought about it carefully before making the decision to plead for the criminal.
"My reason is very simple. Just like the PU Fang incident back then, I don't forgive the criminal, and I don't forgive what they have done to my family. However, I don't want them to pay with their lives!
"As a reporter, 20 years ago, I had the honor of being in contact with the news of the murder of a German family in PU Fang.