Beijing (CNN) -- Covering the trial of Bo Xilai, a man once tipped to rise to the summit of Chinese politics, reminded me of the time I reported on a similarly explosive story in the early 1980s -- the trial of the so-called "Gang of Four" in China. This notorious group was led by Jiang Qing, Mao Zedong's widow, and three of her ideological allies. A former movie starlet, Jiang Qing rose to the top tier of the Communist Party leadership thanks mainly to her close ties with the "Great Helmsman," the architect of the infamous Cultural Revolution, a campaign to enforce Communism that led to the persecution of millions of people.
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The so-called "Gang of Four" was led by Jiang Qing, Mao Zedong's widow
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They were accused of plotting to kill Mao and pull off a rebellion
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The trial was widely reported but heavily censored by Chinese officials
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Recent Bo Xilai trial was hailed for its transparency, though some question this
During the televised coverage, the former actress feistily defended herself against charges of treason by claiming that everything she did had @placeholder's approval.