Love, Justice & the American Way

• Source: Global Times
• [22:52 November 22 2009]
• Comments

Love story that ends in heartache: alleged facts

July 7, 1998

Julie Harms and Liu Shiliang meet at a post office in Hefei, capital city of Anhui Province, where Liu has been a security guard for two years. Their unlikely love story is later heavily reported by domestic Chinese media.

May 13, 2007

Harms is told by her fiancé's father that they've invited workers to decorate their bridal house in Wuhe, a small county subordinate to the prefecture-level city of Bengbu in Anhui Province.

May 14, 2007

Liu Lianjie, son of Liu Shixun who lives in the same village, is stopped from climbing and stealing birds' eggs from Liu Shiliang's elder brother's house. Harms is told her fiancé's second brother and his son, who live next door to his parents, are severely beaten and their house ransacked by Liu Shixun in revenge for his son.

8pm, May 15, 2007

On their way home Liu Shiliang and seven classmates are allegedly beaten with wooden clubs by a group of villagers who say Liu and his friends were coming for revenge. Liu suffers brain damage and is sent to hospital.

May 30, 2007

Liu is discharged from hospital and goes with Harms to the provincial bureau of civil affairs to register for marriage. They are told to register later as Liu's surgical scars detract from his photo.

Harms and Liu then go to live in Shenzhen.

December 25, 2007

Liu Shixun, the villager who hit Liu Shiliang, is arrested.

February 15, 2008

Liu Shixun's family lodges a complaint against Liu Shiliang at the local court.

February 29, 2008