A California judge has expunged the felony conviction of Berkeley engineer David Xu, who was caught on hidden-camera footage poisoning colleague Rong Yuan's drinking water with a toxic metal. The ruling has reignited debate over accountability in cases involving workplace safety and criminal justice.
The Alameda County court granted Xu's request on Monday, 12 October 2026, despite prosecutors' objections. Xu has completed two years of probation, but Yuan, who says she continues to suffer serious health problems, has condemned the decision as unjust.
