Lawyers for woman who killed official say case is hopeless

Lawyers representing a pedicurist who killed an official in Hubei's Badong county have left the area, blaming official intervention and warning that 'justice is impossible'.

Deng Yujiao, 21, stabbed an official to death with a fruit knife after he demanded sex in a case that has become a national scandal and prompted central government censors to gag mainland media.

'The situation in Badong has become too complicated and tense. Various signs indicate that Deng's case, a simple criminal case, was manipulated and politicised ... and we have no way to continue our legal services here,' said Pu Zhiqiang, a renowned human rights lawyer speaking on behalf of Deng's two volunteer lawyers, Xia Lin and Xia Nan .

'Justice is impossible, so we decided to withdraw temporarily but we will come back anytime she needs.'

Mr Pu last night explained that his team's withdrawal was the result of official intervention into their legal services to Deng and her mother Zhang Shumei . He criticised local police for creating obstacles in the town and for gagging the media.

Last weekend it was announced by local authorities that the lawyers were sacked by Ms Zhang.

The lawyers dismissed this, claiming Ms Zhang had even called them to deny it and that the sacking followed their claim that evidence showing attempted rape had been concealed.