A Chinese court on Monday suspended the death sentence of Gu Kailai, the wife of a disgraced Communist Party leader, after finding her guilty of murder in the death of a British businessman, a family source said.

Gu's death sentence is likely be commuted to a life sentence, if she doesn't commit any crimes during a two-year reprieve, as is customary in the Chinese legal system. Her sentence could be even further reduced for good behavior.

She was jailed immediately following the verdict.

Gu and a former household aide went on trial August 9 on charges of poisoning 41-year-old Neil Heywood.

Near the end of that day's court proceedings, she said according to state-run news agency Xinhua that she "accepted all the facts written in the indictment" - including poisoning the Brit at a time when she thought her son's life was in danger.