Modesto meat cleaver murder trial rescheduled

A trial initially scheduled to start this month was rescheduled to start Sept. 28 for a Modesto man accused of bludgeoning his boss to death with a meat cleaver four years ago.

Zhi Jian Mei, 32, is accused of killing Wing Ming Chan, 47, of Modesto. The defendant appeared in court Monday morning. Mark Sullivan, Mei’s defense attorney, told the judge that the rescheduled trial should last four weeks.

Mei has been charged with murder and robbery, along with enhancements of using a deadly weapon during the crimes. Chan’s death occurred sometime after 9 p.m. May 4, 2011, at his restaurant, China Gourmet, in the Century Center shopping plaza on Oakdale Road in Modesto.

Stanislaus Superior Court Judge Nancy Ashley on Monday also scheduled Mei to return to court Sept. 15 for a trial readiness hearing. The defendant remains in custody at the jail awaiting trial.

This story was originally published April 13, 2015 at 3:48 PM with the headline "Modesto meat cleaver murder trial rescheduled."