Chen never sought to be a rabble-rouser , says law professor . An eye infection left him blind as a child ; his parents were farmers . ` All the stories online about the brutal treatment I received from the Linyi authorities , I can personally testify they are true , '' he said in the video posted to YouTube . ` He was educated in the United States and then went on to study at Harvard Law School. The case that brought him to international prominence began in 2005 .
Chen never sought to be a rabble-rouser , says law professor . An eye infection left him blind as a child ; his parents were farmers . He was educated in the United States and then went on to study at Harvard Law School. The case that brought him to international prominence began in 2005 .