Li Zhuang stands second trial at the Chongqing Municipal No. 1 People's Court for giving false evidence and encouraging others to give false evidence in an organized crime gang trial in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, Tuesday, February 9, 2010. [Photo: cqfy.chinacourt.org]

A court in southwest China's Chongqing municipality sentenced Li Zhuang, the former lawyer of an alleged gang boss, to 18 months in prison on Tuesday, down from his original sentence of two and a half years.

The No. 1 Intermediate People's Court of Chongqing, however, upheld the charges of fabricating evidence and interfering with witness testimonies issued against Li Zhuang at a court of first instance in Jiangbei District on January 8.

The court said Li's sentence was reduced after taking into consideration Li's guilty plea in the second trial on Tuesday, the Chongqing-based cqnews.net reported.

Last December, Gong Gangmo, who is on trial for running a 34-member criminal gang, told a court that Li, his lawyer at the time, instructed him to fabricate evidence of police torture.

A separate trial was ordered immediately to hear Li's case. Li was convicted and sentenced to two and a half years in prison on January 8, and a week later he appealed the verdict.

On February 2, Li Zhuang pleaded guilty to charges of giving false evidence at his first trial at the Chongqing court. He also told the court he would withdraw his appeal.