Most net users say the killer deserves sympathy. They say it must be difficult for the villagers to find a legal way to penalize the local official and that's what drove the villager who hired Zhang to take such extreme measures.

Some say he is a hero for defending people's interests and say he shouldn't be punished. Other people say the court and police should listen to the people and carry out further investigations into this case.

They say the fact that there are so many people speaking up for the killer, suggests there is more to this case. Some are also calling for other officials who covered up the wrong-doings of their murdered colleague to be punished.

Other commentators take a different line, saying that Zhang is too young to be executed. There are calls for his mother to be held responsible instead.