Temple slayer Qiu Xinghua was executed on Thursday morning after the high court in northwest China's Shaanxi Province handed down its final verdict.

The Provincial People's High Court ruled that Qiu's killing of 10 people was carefully planned, and that he did not suffer from mental illness because his escape from police pursuit demonstrated his ability to carry out rational and independent action.

Qiu, a 47-year-old farmer, admitted killing the temple abbot, five staff and four pilgrims at the Tiewadian temple in Ankang, a city in southern Shaanxi, in July.

Experts have called for a psychiatric appraisal of Qiu, and Qiu's lawyer appealed to the court with testimony that "many of Qiu's family members are mentally ill." But the court rejected the testimony.

The Criminal Law states that people with legally attested mental illness are not liable for crimes they commit when unable to control themselves.

Qiu was sentenced to death by Ankang Intermediate Court on Nov. 19.

The second trial was held on Dec. 8. after Qiu appealed, saying that the abbot had flirted with his wife and that this was an attack on his dignity which he could not accept.

(Xinhua News Agency December 28, 2006)