Hither Green Murder Trial Begins with Prosecution’s Opening Speech
The trial for the murder of Zhe Wang has commenced, with the prosecution outlining the case against Joshua Michals
Hither Green, London, UK, Zhe Wang, Joshua Michals, Murder Trial
Hither Green: A tragic case is unfolding in court. Zhe Wang, a 31-year-old Chinese student, was found with stab wounds in her flat on March 20 last year.
Her boyfriend, Joshua Michals, 24, is accused of her murder. He claims it was an accident while he was defending himself during an attack.
The prosecutor, Henrietta Paget, described the incident as brutal. She emphasized that Zhe was killed in her own bedroom, highlighting the severity of the attack.
Zhe and Michals had been seeing each other for a few months and had become intimate in February. On the night of her death, Michals called emergency services from his flat, claiming Zhe was injured.
He told the operator that Zhe had attacked him, but he only had minor scratches. During the call, he expressed concern that it might be too late to help her.
After hanging up, he called his dad, and when a paramedic called back, he remarked, “it’s all just so f***ed.”
When police arrived, they struggled to find Zhe’s flat. They eventually forced entry and discovered her lying on the floor, face up, with severe injuries.
The scene was horrific, with blood everywhere. Zhe was pronounced dead at the scene, having suffered multiple stab wounds to her face.
A post-mortem revealed she died from a violent assault, including stab wounds and neck compression. Zhe was pursuing her MA in Creative Writing and Education, hoping to become a teacher.
Friends described her as quiet, organized, and caring. She had dreams of completing a PhD and returning to China. Michals, however, denies the murder charge, and the trial is ongoing.