Chapter 71: The Defense''s Six-Dimensional Chart Tactic! |
"We ask the court to sentence the defendants in accordance with the law!"
After Huang Shi finished speaking, he sat down without another word, his eyes fixed on the defendants'' seats.
The indictment detailed the division of responsibility among the three defendants, clearly delineating the principal offender and the accomplices. Moreover, it was not solely focused on the events of the 17th.
The defendants—Liu Jingqi and the other two—had been throwing their weight around Green Forest 18th Academy for more than a day or two.
The charges of robbery, the Crime of Intentional Harm, and other offenses were all based on evidence gathered during the investigation.
As for whether these accusations were true...
One only had to look.
In the defendants'' seats, the two girls, Qiao Wang and Jiang Yu, were breathing slightly faster. Their hands were tightly clenched, clearly exhibiting the nervousness and guilty conscience of those who had done wrong.
However, the principal offender, Liu Jingqi, was not only unafraid but actually rolled her eyes.
Seeing this scene...
Let alone Huang Shi, even the three judges on the bench furrowed their brows slightly.
"Defendant, this is a court of law!"
Judge Lu Guowei, looking somewhat indignant, issued a direct warning.
"Please correct your attitude!"
Hearing this, Liu Jingqi feigned sitting up straight, though her demeanor still lacked a shred of respect.
Zhang Bingxin had no mind to dwell on this detail. He pondered for a moment.
Turning to look at Huang Shi, he continued his inquiry.
"Prosecution, do you have anything else to add?"
Huang Shi shook his head. "The prosecution has finished presenting the indictment."
At his words.
Zhang Bingxin nodded. He looked at the calm, silent Xu De and fell into brief contemplation.
Following that, his gaze swept past Xu De and landed directly on the defendants'' seats.
"Defense."
"Do you raise any objections to the prosecution''s charges mentioned above?"
Any objections?
Absolutely, without a doubt!
"First."
"We strongly disagree with the prosecution regarding whether the defendants committed any crimes!"
Lawyer Zhang Wei took a deep breath, stood up, and began to control the trial''s rhythm according to his original plan.
After a moment of thought, he spoke. "Respected Presiding Judge, according to the prosecution, the defendants have committed multiple acts of intentional harm and bullying over the past three years."
"However... we did not see sufficient evidence in the police investigation to support these allegations."
Zhang Wei shook his head, his tone firm. He spoke at a moderate pace, but his meaning was perfectly clear.
The defense...
Did not accept the prosecution''s charges!
At the prosecution''s desk.
Xu De and his two companions were fine, remaining calm without any extreme emotional reactions.
But on the prosecution''s side, despite having anticipated this, Huang Shi''s face still turned ugly. Even Zhang Qing and Wang Mang furrowed their brows.
"We have not seen any objective facts found by the police that can directly prove the defendants broke the law!"
"Similarly..."
Zhang Wei turned to look at Presiding Judge Zhang Bingxin again as he continued.
"Neither the prosecution nor the plaintiff submitted any related clues to the court during the evidence presentation period."
"In summary."
"We object to the prosecution''s charges of the Crime of Intentional Harm, robbery, and insult against our clients—Liu Jingqi, Jiang Yu, and Qiao Wang."
As he finished speaking.
The three judges on the bench fell into thought.
They then turned to the prosecution.
"Prosecutor, do you have a response?"
"Yes!"
Huang Shi had been itching to speak. Now that the judge signaled him, he immediately fired off his words.
"Presiding Judge, Judges, we reject the defense''s statements!"
"The Greenwood City Criminal Investigation Detachment previously submitted a piece of evidence to the procuratorate and the court."
"This evidence completely corroborates that the defendants committed illegal and violent acts of long-term bullying against their classmates on more than one occasion!"
"Namely: testimonies made by multiple individuals at Green Forest 18th Academy who do not live together, directed against the defendant, Liu Jingqi."
After arresting Liu Jingqi for the incident.
To prevent collusion, the police immediately conducted interviews with school teachers and students.
Ordinary testimonies might not be very damaging.
But...
"These testimonies... no, this is a logically rigorous, mutually corroborating chain of evidence!"
Huang Shi stood up, holding a document in his hand.
The document was exactly the evidence he was referring to.
"A total of eight people were interviewed, including both students and teachers, who had never met prior to giving their testimonies."
"Yet, their statements regarding the defendant are highly similar. Whether it''s the timeline, objective reality, or connections to the school''s surveillance cameras, everything perfectly aligns with reality!"
For example.
Person A claims Liu Jingqi split his head open.
By itself, this testimony would have little effect. But if he also produced the medical records for wound cleaning from the clinic that day, and if surveillance cameras caught Liu Jingqi heading toward the location Person A mentioned during the time of the bullying...
Then, this becomes a highly credible chain of evidence.
And there were...
"A full eight people with similar accounts!"
Huang Shi spoke sternly, his eyes fixed on Liu Jingqi.
Even though she was only sixteen and he couldn''t demand her life, within his power... he would make her pay the heaviest price possible!
Thinking of this, Huang Shi''s voice rose two pitches.
"Furthermore, the testimonies of these eight individuals corroborate each other. The police have verified this, and there are exactly twenty-seven pieces of corroborating evidence!"
"We ask the Presiding Judge to review this clearly."
Having said his piece.
Huang Shi returned to his seat.
The three judges on the bench began to carefully read the evidence, whispering to each other occasionally.
The courtroom suddenly fell quiet.
In the defendants'' seats, Liu Jingqi''s gaze toward Huang Shi gradually grew hostile, her brows knit tightly.
Of course, what dissatisfied her even more was... that eight people actually dared to testify against her!
Liu Jingqi began trying to figure out who these eight people were, even starting to plot what kind of revenge she would take on them once she got out!
A long while later.
Zhang Bingxin exhaled a heavy breath. He had finished reading.
It was like watching a meticulously woven surveillance tape; the statements corroborated each other, and the answer to every single person''s words could be found in the testimony of a second or even a third person.
In this way...
The indictment''s charges regarding the defendants'' bullying behavior prior to the incident could absolutely be upheld!
However.
"Defense, do you wish to offer a rebuttal?" Zhang Bingxin looked toward the defendants'' desk.
"Presiding Judge, these are merely testimonies!"
Zhang Wei immediately spoke up, his fluency suggesting he had planned this in advance.
He stood up, pointing at the exact same evidence in his hand, and said in a deep voice, "And it''s a set of testimonies completely lacking any substantive evidence!"
"Moreover, the prosecution believes that the more people making an accusation, the more effective the corroboration in their verbal logic. But the truth is exactly the opposite."
"In our view, this is clearly..."
"An exhaustive method!"
There is a very interesting concept within the theory of exhaustive methods.
It states that if you put a monkey in front of a typewriter and let it hit the keys completely at random, as long as you give it an infinite amount of time, mathematically speaking, it will ''almost certainly'' type out any given text.
Even a masterpiece like the Complete Works of William Shakespeare, or Hamlet.
But the reality is, can a monkey actually type that out?
"Presiding Judge."
"When the number of reference individuals exceeds three, even a lie can find matching corroboration in the testimonies of the other few people!"
Zhang Wei''s words were sharp, and his method of counterattack left no room for rebuttal.
"We are currently in the Second Courtroom."
"Outside, there are at least thirty reporters. These reporters are probably making guesses about the trial right now."
"Among them, there is an extremely high probability that a guess similar to the current situation will appear!!!"
This was the flaw in the evidence.
For example.
If you ask a billion people to make up a lie at the same time, there will inevitably be dozens or even hundreds of people who tell the exact same lie, perhaps even with identical details.
So, could you say that the lie actually happened?
"No!"
"Unless there is substantive, objective evidence!"
Zhang Wei flatly denied it, leaving no room for the opposing side to argue.
"And the police, as well as the prosecution, have never submitted any such evidence!"
As these words fell.
On the prosecution''s side.
Prosecutor Wang Mang couldn''t hold back and immediately shouted angrily, "The defendants'' acts of bullying others can be traced back four years!"
"What kind of evidence can be preserved for a full four years without any protective measures!?"
Zhang Wei reacted extremely quickly, immediately shouting back, "That is no excuse for your side to make baseless accusations against someone!"
A surge of anger rose in Wang Mang''s throat.
"You!"
Zhang Wei didn''t give him a chance to continue, instantly turning to look at Zhang Bingxin.
"Presiding Judge, the above is our first point of contention, namely: there is no substantive evidence to prove the defendants ever engaged in bullying."
"Aside from this, we have a second point to argue!"
Presiding Judge Zhang Bingxin nodded. He cast a frowning glance at the prosecution and warned, "Prosecution, please observe courtroom discipline and do not rashly interrupt others'' arguments!"
At those words.
Even though Wang Mang was indignant, he could only shut his mouth in frustration, sitting in his seat and glaring hostilely at the opposing side.
Substantive evidence... Where were they supposed to find substantive evidence!?
Liu Jingqi''s bullying mostly involved using her hands to leave bruises on others. Some victims didn''t even go to the hospital, and even if they did, how could you prove it was caused by Liu Jingqi?
It wasn''t like she was stupid enough to beat people up right under surveillance cameras!
Zhang Bingxin took a deep breath, looked toward the defense, and nodded his permission.
"Defense, please continue your presentation."
Meanwhile.
Outside the courtroom.
"What are they saying in there? Why does it sound like the prosecution is cross-examining the evidence?"
"Cross-examining? What evidence can the prosecution cross-examine? Isn''t this case pretty clear-cut?"
"Hold on, if you think about it... the defendants might really not be convicted."
"Of course, I''m referring to the part unrelated to Yang Jiale."
"..."
In front of the main doors of the Second Courtroom.
The crowd stood at the entrance, listening to the intermittent voices slipping through the poor soundproofing, looking incredibly anxious.
The courtroom doors in front of them seemed to have transformed into Pandora''s Box, holding immense temptation, yet they could only watch helplessly, unable to open them.
But even so.
The voices drifting out were enough for the crowd outside to discuss.
"What do you mean they can''t be convicted? They killed someone and can still get off!?"
"Not all cases are like the Lijia Village case!"
Someone said with a frown.
The only reason Wang Qiang from Lijia Village had such a hard time getting an acquittal was entirely because Xu De clung desperately to the special circumstances of legitimate self-defense.
Plus, there was a good reason for it, so the judge broke the long-dormant precedent of not-guilty verdicts.
But...
The dormant law referred to legitimate self-defense.
Not an acquittal!
Although the behavior of Liu Jingqi and the other two was incredibly heinous, even causing a human tragedy that led to the loss of two vibrant lives.
But... arguing for an acquittal here was, in theory, much simpler than in Wang Qiang''s case!
"The defendants'' acts of murder and bullying cannot be cross-examined!"
An old reporter spoke in a low voice, his brows heavy.
The acquittal Zhang Wei was aiming for wasn''t the kind Xu De had achieved, but a relatively ''easy'' and not uncommon type of acquittal.
Namely...
Breaking the chain of evidence!
As long as there wasn''t enough evidence to point to them, the so-called charges and prosecution would naturally be dismissed.
Once dismissed, with no one to try them, the defendants would be not guilty.
"But..."
The person wanted to say more, but unfortunately, a reporter closer to the door suddenly changed his expression.
"Shh!"
The reporters in the front repeatedly made ''hush'' gestures and perked up their ears.
"There''s movement again!"
Inside the Second Courtroom.
During the trial.
The Second Courtroom had already lost its initial coldness.
In the trial area, the smell of gunpowder between the prosecution and the defense was growing stronger.
Looking at the prosecution''s desk, at Huang Shi who had been rebuffed by the opposing side''s ''exhaustive method theory,'' Lin Yue, who had extensive team experience, shook her head and whispered, "Prosecutor Huang is being targeted."
"Zhang Wei''s legal team must have specifically studied his behavioral tactics. It''s obvious they are launching pinpoint attacks against his flaw of only relying on evidence to speak."
Because of her upbringing, she could view things from a very high vantage point. Just as the trial began, she could tell that Zhang Wei wasn''t here to cross-examine evidence.
He was aiming to exploit Huang Shi''s weaknesses!
"Interesting." Xu De smiled as he looked at the opposing side.
And at this moment...
At the defense desk.
Zhang Wei nodded, a calm smile appearing on his face as he continued to speak. "Second..."
"Regarding the prosecution accusing the defendants of intentional harm and intentional homicide, resulting in the death of the victim, Yang Jiale..."
"We do not agree!"
As these words fell.
"Objection!"
Suddenly, a voice rang out.
"Apologies, Presiding Judge, I do not mean to interrupt the opposing counsel''s presentation."
It was Xu De who suddenly spoke, not giving the other party time to continue. He said, "Defense."
"Previously, you raised the point that the prosecution could not produce evidence. So... right now, I would like to ask."
"Can your side produce substantive evidence to support your second point of contention?"
Zhang Wei''s intention was very clear to everyone.
He was merely trying to use ''possibilities,'' and relying on the fact that the victim was already dead and the only people related to the case were the defendants, to falsify the facts.
Since he was vainly attempting to alter things verbally, then...
What substantive evidence could he possibly produce!?
One must know that although there were no surveillance cameras on the rooftop... the evidence gathered by the police from the messy scene could absolutely prove that Liu Jingqi''s harmful actions toward Yang Jiale possessed ''intentionality''!
Empty words... how could they possibly wash that away?
Hearing this.
"The victim''s litigation representative is correct."
Lawyer Zhang Wei, however, did not show any urgency or dissatisfaction at having his train of thought interrupted.
Instead, the subject suddenly shifted. He said, "We..."
"...have a witness and physical evidence!"
A witness?
Xu De suddenly paused. He raised an eyebrow, then lowered it, narrowing his eyes as he looked at the other party thoughtfully. "A witness?"
"May I ask... what witness?"
Zhang Wei replied, "The deceased Yang Jiale''s teacher, the homeroom teacher of Class 4, Grade 12 at Green Forest 18th Academy, Lü Guangjun!!!"