BEIJING, May.26 (Xinhuanet) -- Cao Genyun allegedly killed his wife by strangling her after a family dispute, the Shanghai No. 1 Intermediate People's Court heard yesterday.

    Cao, a taxi driver, was charged with murder.

    The family of victim Wu Yongmei were seeking compensation of more than 850,000 yuan (US$102,400) from Cao to cover funeral fees, alimony and mental anguish.

    Cao, 37, of Songjiang District, and Wu, from Jinshan District, got married in 2001.

    Both had a 13-year-old son from a previous marriage. The two teenagers lived with Cao and Wu. Family disputes occurred more frequently. Cao's son joined swimming lessons last October and Cao gave the boy 150 yuan to register.

    Wu, 35, found out several days later when she saw Cao's son wearing a new sport suit. She allegedly beat the boy. The next day, she hit Cao's mother with a mopstick when the old woman tried to stop her from beating the boy.

    "I was very angry at that time. I felt sorry for my mother. I thought of divorce and even killing her," Cao had said to police. His son testified that the stepmother often slapped him.

    Prosecutors said in the indictment that the defendant wanted revenge. Prosecutors said he took his wife for a drive around 8pm on November 8 last year. Cao drove his own car on the expressway and allegedly strangled Wu to death with his hands, a scarf and wire. Then he allegedly dumped the body at a construction site in Jinshan District.

    The defendant, however, gave a different version of events in court yesterday.

    He said he and his wife had lived happily.

    "I treated her very well. Every day I picked her up in my car after she finished work," he said in the court.

    Cao said it was Wu who asked him to dinner on the night she was killed. He said his wife also needed to go to a colleague's home in Jinshan.

    They argued because Cao drove on the expressway, which cost 20 yuan, and Wu preferred a different route.

    "She beat me and even tried to turn the steering wheel. I just strangled her to avoid a crash. But I never expected to kill her," the defendant said in court.

    The defendant's lawyer also argued that Cao alleged actions were spontaneous.

    Prosecutors argued that Cao tried to hide the truth after the case. He asked for leave from work the next day, claiming he needed to look for his missing wife. Then he went to his wife's work and asked about her whereabouts. The trial ended yesterday, but the court did not give a date when the verdict would be issued.Enditem

    (Shanghai Daily)