Hong Kong court tells jury to acquit 14 in alleged triad gangster murder case

A Hong Kong court has ordered the acquittal and release of 14 defendants charged in connection with the alleged murder of a former triad gangster five years ago. The High Court directed the jury to acquit the defendants after ruling that prosecutors failed to prove the deceased sustained fatal head injuries from deliberate assaults. The court found the evidence too weak to infer the circumstances of the alleged offense, which occurred between June 25 and 26, 2021. Prosecutors had accused 13 individuals of participating in a joint enterprise to kill the 27-year-old victim at his gym in Tai Kok Tsui. The court's decision implies the fatal injuries may have resulted from boxing bouts at the gym rather than an intentional attack.