重庆女“黑老大”谢才萍被判刑18年
谢才萍在宣判结束后被带出法院
They called her Chongqing's 'godmother of the underworld,' according to Xinhua. But on Tuesday, Xie Caiping's alleged criminal reign formally ended, as she was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
人称重庆女“黑老大”的谢才萍所控制的非法组织正式瓦解。据新华社报道，她周二被判处有期徒刑18年。
The lone woman in Chongqing's big corruption trial, Xie was found guilty of crimes including running a criminal organization. Another 21 people were handed lesser sentences for their roles.
谢才萍是重庆涉黑案中唯一的女性。谢才萍周二被定罪，罪名是与其他21人合伙经营黑社会性质组织。其他21人判刑较轻。
Xie is the sister-in-law of the case's biggest catch, Wen Qiang, a former No. 2 in Chongqing's police department and its Justice Bureau director.
谢才萍是文强的弟媳。文强曾是重庆市公安局副局长、司法局局长，是重庆打黑除恶专项行动中落马的级别最高的官员。
The trials - part of a major crackdown on organized crime and official corruption in one of China's biggest cities - opened last month to heavy security and little public access in Chongqing and other locations where they are taking place.
上个月，在森严的安保和很少公众旁听的情况下，此案在重庆和其他涉案城市开庭审讯。审讯是中国最大的城市之一重庆对涉黑案件打击行动的一部分。
Wen is slated to go on trial later this month in a city that hasn't yet been identified, much like the corruption trials of top Shanghai officials in 2008 that were held in places such as Tianjin. Chen Liangyu, Shanghai's former Communist Party secretary and the top official in that case, was also jailed for 18 years.
文强本月晚些时候也将受审，审判城市尚未确定。2008年对上海社保案涉案高官的审讯也是如此，当时是在天津等地进行。上海前市委书记、级别最高的涉案官员陈良宇被判处有期徒刑18年。
China's Internet has been filled with debate about the man behind the crackdown, Chongqing Party Secretary and Politburo member Bo Xilai - and his reasons for launching it. More than 300 people in Chongqing have been prosecuted since June for a range of offenses, while others await prosecution on charges that include murder and organizing taxi strikes.
互联网上有关打黑行动背后之人──重庆市委书记、中共中央政治局委员薄熙来──以及他发起这次行动的原因的讨论仍在继续。自6月份以来，重庆已有300多人因各种罪名被起诉，还有些人在等待起诉，罪名包括杀人罪和组织出租车司机罢工。
According to Xinhua, Xie was convicted of leading a criminal gang that ran gambling and drug dens, as well as illegally imprisoning people and bribing officials. The group reportedly earned the equivalent of $293,000 in a little over four years. She was fined about $149,000.
据新华社报道，谢才萍组织领导了一个黑社会性质组织，开设赌场、容留他人吸毒、非法拘禁、贿赂官员。据报导，该组织在四年多一点儿的时间里，非法获利人民币200万元（合29.3万美元）。谢才萍被处以人民币102万元的罚款。
The official news agency carried no comment or plea from Xie. Others convicted along with her in Chongqing No. 5 Intermediate People's Court got sentences ranging from a year to 13 years.
新华社没有刊登谢才萍的置评或抗辩。重庆市第五中级人民法院判处其它被告有期徒刑1到13年不等。
James T. Areddy
