Trial Postponed in USC Chinese Student Shooting

Over half a year has gone by since the shooting of two Chinese students and their families still have no peace.

The initial trial for suspects Javier Bolden and Bryan Barnes was supposed to take place on November 20 in the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center. However, the judge decided to post-pone the first trial to January 22, 2013.

A Chinese lawyer Hong Deng followed the case extensively, and said the reason the trial has been pushed back is because the police have not provided enough evidence to prove the two suspects are the murderers.

"The witnesses can move out of the neighborhood, or begin to forget details," Deng said.

Students from the USC Chinese Students & Scholars Association have followed the case closely, sending group members to attend the court cases.

"I hope the trial can bring justice to the two Chinese students more quickly," said Haowang Wang, the president of Southwestern Chinese Students and Scholars Association.

"The defendants are not in a rush to finish the case, since the final decision will be either life imprisonment or death penalty."

Deng explained the defendant can require a 60 days trial to finish the case, but they can also continue to push off the trial in order to collect more evidence.

Bolden and Barnes waiting for the re-election of the Chief Prosecutor. The previous prosecutor told the Chinese community that the suspects' punishment would be either life imprisonment or the death penalty.

"The concern from the Chinese community is whether the new chief prosecutor will fill the promise made by the previous one," Deng said.