Sleepwalking woman cleared of attempted murder in Hong Kong

Nov 29, 2007, 3:23 GMT

Hong Kong - A sleepwalking woman who viciously stabbed and strangled a friend in Hong Kong was Thursday released from prison after being cleared of attempted murder.

Zheng Wei-dong, 30, was found not guilty of trying to kill her friend after a jury decided Wednesday she had been in a state of 'insane automatism' when she launched the vicious attack.

She was due to be released from prison Thursday and either sent to a psychiatric unit or freed under a guardianship or supervision order after a final hearing in Hong Kong's High Court.

Three psychiatrists testified that Zheng had fallen asleep and acted out a violent dream when she wandered into the room of her friend and attacked her, saying: 'I am the devil and I am killing you.'

She stabbed her friend's neck, almost severing the jugular vein, and then tried to smother her with a pillow in the incident last December, her trial was told.

Zheng, who said she blacked out after offering her friend a slice of pear, denied attempted murder. A seven-person jury Wednesday found her not guilty by reason of insanity.

The defendant's lawyer Michael Arthur, who argued his client posted very little threat to society, said the case was the first sleepwalking case to go before a jury in Hong Kong.