Hualien: The Taipei District Court handed down a life sentence to the owner of a Taipei technology company on Thursday for the fatal stabbing of an employee, along with a lifelong deprivation of civil rights.

According to Focus Taiwan, the court identified Tseng Chih-hsin, head of Yun Yun AI Baby Camera Co., Ltd., as guilty of a serious crime, highlighting the significant impact on the victim's family and the trauma caused to other employees. The court emphasized that Tseng had not received forgiveness from the victim's family, which weighed into the sentencing decision.

The verdict, rendered by a mix of six citizen judges and three professional judges, marks a significant application of Taiwan's citizen judge system. Importantly, the ruling is subject to appeal.

The court's decision outlined the events leading to the crime, noting Tseng's long-standing work-related disputes with the victim, Liang, who served as the company's chief technology officer. On March 6, 2025, after Liang posted about company operations in an internal social media group and expressed intentions to resign, Tseng arranged a meeting with Liang and the human resources head for the following day.

During this meeting, Tseng concealed a chef's knife in his vest, left the room briefly, and upon returning, stabbed Liang multiple times in the head, back, and neck. The human resources head intervened, called for help, and with the assistance of others, disarmed Tseng and prevented his attempted suicide, according to the ruling.

Liang succumbed to his injuries despite being rushed to the hospital. The judges noted Tseng's actions stemmed from personal distrust, blaming Liang unilaterally without seeking lawful resolutions to their disputes.

While the court acknowledged Tseng's adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression, as well as his expressed remorse, it concluded that the risk factors, such as his unrealistic expectations for the future, posed a potential threat for reoffending in similar circumstances.