The families of two slain Chinese nationals are outraged by a deal that would spare the life of the man who has admitted killing them.
"We are extremely upset and dissatisfied with the plea bargain," Yuanzhang Li of Maryland wrote in a letter obtained by the Moscow-Pullman Daily News. "The charges of second-degree murder are designed to end the trial quickly, even though they betray the truth."The letter asks 2nd District Judge Ida Rudolph Leggett be notified of the families' dismay.
"It is even less faithful to justice than the previous bargain attempt," wrote Yuanzhang Li, the cousin of University of Idaho doctoral student Ning Li.
Ning Li and his wife, Xia Ge, were stabbed to death in their Moscow apartment 13 months ago.
Former University of Idaho metallurgy student Wenkai Li, no relation, pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder on Thursday.
Yuanzhang said his family would come to Moscow next month to make their last appeal for the prosecutors to change their minds.
"Nobody can accept this," he said. "How can they tell this news to their parents?"
Latah County Prosecutor William Thompson said changing the first-degree murder charge to second-degree murder accomplishes the initial sentencing goal without the risk or expense of going to trial.