Chapter 41: The Prosecution Changes the Indictment! |
November 15.
At nine o''clock in the morning, a prison transport van slowly drove from the Detention Center into the Greenwood City Intermediate People''s Court. After turning into a restricted lane, it vanished from sight.
Several judges waited for the final hour to arrive.
......
At noon.
Inside the Greenwood City Intermediate People''s Procuratorate, several prosecutors changed into black suits paired with bright red ties. Their expressions were exceptionally grave, and the files in their hands were securely bound.
Meanwhile, inside the Yangteng Law Firm.
Attorney Chen Wei''s face was twisted in a dark, suppressed scowl. Having been dragged through the mud at the peak of public scrutiny as a background prop for several days, his mood had soured to the absolute limit.
He organized his aggressive line of reasoning, smiled coldly, and stepped into his car to head toward the court.
Jinmao Law Firm.
Xu De stood clad in a sharp suit, his expression completely calm, as though the looming trial before him were not some terrifying beast.
He casually hailed a taxi and spoke to the driver.
"Driver, to the Intermediate Court, please."
......
At 1:30 PM.
The media reporters of Greenwood City, who had been quiet for a long time, began to stir. The women touched up their makeup, the men adjusted their attire, and the photographers repeatedly checked their equipment to ensure everything functioned perfectly.
At 2:00 PM.
Hundreds of people filed into Courtroom One of the Intermediate People''s Court, scrambling to secure a good vantage point.
The reporter Zhang Xia was among the crowd, but this time she sat in the very front row, closest to the judicial zone.
Zhang Xia glanced back at the gallery.
With a single turn of her head, a massive wall of human heads flooded her vision, creating a suffocating sense of pressure.
''There are even more people here for this hearing than the first one!''
Zhang Xia thought to herself. Turning back to the judicial zone, she stared at the cluster of empty chairs, and a sudden wave of nervousness washed over her.
After public opinion fermented from the results of the first hearing...
It was clear that far more people had been drawn to the case!
The four hundred plus seats were completely inadequate. The excess crowd could only stand at the very back to watch, yet none showed any intention of leaving.
However, numbers had no direct bearing on the legal outcome.
Whether the man lived or died, and what direction this case would take... would all be decided today!
Meanwhile.
Right beside Zhang Xia.
"It''s already 2:30. When is everyone showing up?"
A man looked at the eerie quiet of the judicial zone, which resembled a still life painting, a trace of doubt flashing across his face.
This man was Wang Chao.
Indeed, Wang Chao had come as well. As a future partner of the firm, he needed to see for himself whether the firm''s leader was truly worth following.
"Shh—"
Lin Yue, sitting to his side, made a silencing gesture. But even before she could finish the motion...
Her eyes locked onto the main side door of the judicial zone, her heart skipping a beat as her face instantly turned solemn.
"They''re here!"
The moment the words left her mouth.
"Creak—"
The heavy groan of a door being pushed open echoed through Courtroom One, ringing clearly in everyone''s ears.
Instantly.
The previously restless courtroom fell dead silent. Everyone held their breath and stared intently at the judicial zone.
At the side door of the judicial zone.
Several men dressed in professional suits with bright red ties dangling from their collars appeared at the threshold.
The prosecutor, Hu Guang, raised his head. His emotionless eyes lifted, sweeping across the sea of hundreds of dark eyes staring back at him.
He immediately retracted his gaze.
"Tap, tap..."
Leather shoes clicked against the floor.
The three prosecutors walked toward the public prosecution bench under the collective gaze of the crowd, followed closely by the plaintiffs, Li Youcai and Liu Cui.
And beside them was Chen Wei, the victim''s litigation agent.
The three of them took their seats.
''The prosecution has arrived.''
The crowd''s minds stirred, but before they could ponder further.
The next second, the door near the defense bench swung open, and a solitary figure appeared.
Xu De glanced at the prosecution. Aside from that single look, he showed no other expression, walking toward the defense bench completely unbothered.
Just like last time, he stood alone at the defense table, appearing small and isolated.
''The defense is here too... and just like last time, there''s only one person,'' Zhang Xia noted internally.
Following Xu De, the defendant Wang Qiang was brought into the courtroom.
The man looked no different from before. His frame was frail and gaunt, clad in a yellow detention uniform, his hands bound by handcuffs. Flanked by two bailiffs, he was escorted to the center chair facing the judicial bench.
The crowd watched silently, their minds racing with speculation.
A long moment passed.
Suddenly, the court clerk spoke, a sharp exclamation echoing in everyone''s ears: "All rise!"
Clad in their judicial robes, Zhang Bingxin, Sun Dong, and Liu Jianguo slowly stepped into the courtroom.
The three made no unnecessary movements, their expressions grim and their eyes solemn, radiating an aura of authority that imposed a heavy pressure on the room.
"Tap, tap, tap..."
Their footsteps moved toward the elevated judicial bench.
"Scritch."
Zhang Bingxin sat in the highest center seat of the judicial zone, the chair symbolizing the ''Presiding Judge.'' On the desk before him lay a gavel.
He looked up, scanning the personnel on both sides. After confirming that both parties were fully prepared, he reached out, gripped the gavel, and raised it.
"Bang!"
The gavel struck, producing a crisp, sharp crack that made everyone''s hearts skip a beat, as if the blow had landed directly on their chests.
The next second.
Zhang Bingxin stood up, his booming and solemn voice echoing through the room.
"This case is prosecuted by the Greenwood City Intermediate People''s Procuratorate. The public prosecution organ has now amended the criminal charges..."
At this point.
He paused slightly before his voice rang out once more.
"The scope of this trial is as follows: the defendant is suspected of the Crime of Causing Death by Excessive Self-Defense and the Crime of Intentional Harm..."
"Public prosecution was instituted to this court on October 10, 2002. In accordance with relevant regulations, the Criminal First Division of the Greenwood City Intermediate People''s Court hereby opens this public hearing."
"For this trial, Judge Zhang Bingxin shall serve as the Presiding Judge, with Liu Jianguo and Sun Dong serving as judges..."
"I now declare..."
As he spoke.
Zhang Bingxin''s voice suddenly gained a touch of absolute firmness as he spat out four words.
"Court is now in session!"
The case... had officially begun!
Moreover, this second hearing was fundamentally different from the first.
"The prosecution actually changed the charges in the indictment?!"
"They went from charging him with intentional homicide to causing death by excessive self-defense..."
"Tsk, it looks like the defense lawyer''s performance in the last hearing really rattled them. Even the indictment has changed..."
"......"
The moment the session was declared open, the gallery erupted into a quiet frenzy.
The indictment had changed!
What did that imply?
It meant that the prosecution''s entire stance from the previous hearing had been completely overturned!
One had to realize that during the last trial, the defense had not even presented any substantial evidence, yet they had already managed to force such a concession...
''I wonder what he has up his sleeve this time...''
Zhang Xia stared at the man on the defense platform, her hands clenching tightly. Then, she shifted her gaze to the defendant''s box, looking at Wang Qiang''s frail back as the thought crossed her mind.
The commotion below the stage was not loud.
It did not cross into the judicial zone to disrupt the proceedings. Zhang Bingxin maintained a stern face, devoid of any emotion.
He turned his head toward the prosecution.
"The public prosecution may now read the indictment."
The moment the command fell.
Prosecutor Hu Guang stood up. Holding a document in his hands, he rose slowly and spoke.
"Respected Presiding Judge, members of the tribunal, I am the public prosecutor, Hu Guang."
"The defendant, Wang Qiang, fifty-two years old, born on April 17, 1950, was placed under arrest on October 2, 2002."
"Upon reinvestigation by this procuratorate, the indictment is hereby amended: The defendant, Wang Qiang, due to his daughter Wang Mei being illegally controlled, confined, and raped by the deceased, acted under extreme emotional distress. During the course of self-defense, a conflict ensued which resulted in the death of the deceased."
"In summary, the actions of the defendant, Wang Qiang, violate Article 234 of the Criminal Law, committing the—''Crime of Intentional Harm!''"
"At the same time, his actions violate Article 20 and Article 233 of the Criminal Law, constituting..."
At this point.
Hu Guang paused. Then, his gaze sharpened, and the words burst from his lips:
"The Crime of Causing Death by Excessive Self-Defense!"
"The facts of the defendant''s crime are clear, and the evidence is reliable and sufficient."
"This procuratorate institutes this public prosecution in accordance with the law, requesting the court to penalize the defendant according to the law!"