However, a detailed account of the prosecutor’s case that emerged late last week has provided rare insights into the dealings of one of China’s most popular politicians, who was a key figure in the 25-member Politburo before his suspension in April. Part of the account was released by the official Xinhua news agency, while other details came from an Anhui student who sat in on the court’s proceedings. His account was independently verified by a lawyer who was present in the courtroom.Read that again carefully. They're not talking about the lack of transparency regarding the government in China -- contracts, policies, and so on; they're talking about the lengths one has to go to to even know how the trial is being conducted. It's not like state secrets would be laid bare if the proceedings were not held in camera (so to speak); this is just a plain old murder case. But again, this is China we're talking about. There is a good chance that a body double would serve Ms Gu's sentence out.
On a related note, we're once again reminded of the questionable non-merit-based admission policies of Ivy League universities.
