Chapter 77: Cross-examination Can Make a Person Faint!? |
Cut off one's tail to survive...
That was right, they were making a strategic sacrifice!
Ever since Xu De submitted the evidence, whether the judge deemed it valid or invalid, nothing could stop the case from turning against them.
Why?
Because everyone knew perfectly well that the evidence was real. Even if it wasn't formally admitted, the judge could still use it against them!
How could he target them? After all, there was no reason to without evidence...
It was very simple.
He simply wouldn't accept their claim of excessive defense!
Zhang Wei had already anticipated this, so...
At the defense bench.
Zhang Wei shouted.
As his words echoed...
Everyone at the representatives' seats and the prosecution bench frowned.
"This is bad..."
At the representatives' bench, Lin Yue realized what was happening. She quickly stood up, turning to Zhang Bingxin, ready to forcefully steer the topic elsewhere.
"Presiding Judge!"
"The court has not yet made a clear ruling on the evidence we submitted. We request to continue the cross-examination!"
"The trial concerning the defendant is also not over. It is far too early to discuss sentencing!"
She saw exactly what the opposition was trying to do.
It was nothing more than abandoning what they had already lost, clinging tightly to the defendant's minor status, and using the law to secure the lightest possible punishment for Liu Jingqi!
The prosecutor, Huang Shi, also realized this and immediately spoke up.
"I second that!"
On the judge's bench.
Zhang Bingxin was caught in a difficult position. For a long while, he didn't utter a single word.
If they proceeded with cross-examination... the defense clearly had no intention of participating, so it would end quickly with absolute certainty.
If they moved to sentencing... the case clearly hadn't reached that stage yet.
Court procedures were very simple: debate, cross-examination, conviction, and sentencing.
The conviction hadn't even been established. How could they sentence her!?
"Presiding Judge, the defense's true intention is that the court should consider Liu Jingqi's age for conviction, not for sentencing!"
Zhang Wei, however, sneered inwardly, shifting his line of attack.
Conviction?
Fine, then convict!
He wasn't afraid of the opposition in the slightest, and for one reason only.
The redline laws weren't just reflected in the sentencing!
Although the laws didn't explicitly state it, when it came to juveniles like Liu Jingqi, the unwritten rule was to charge them with the lightest possible offense, and then give them the most lenient sentence within that framework!
"Presiding Judge, based on the statements made and evidence submitted by the prosecution and the representatives..."
Zhang Wei immediately stated, "There is no evidence to prove that the defendant's actions constitute robbery, extortion, or insult."
"We believe that the defendant, Liu Jingqi, is only guilty of 'Negligence Causing Death' under Article 234 of the Criminal Law!"
"According to the law, the sentence for this crime is three to seven years, and under three years for minor circumstances."
"However, the original text of Article 17 explicitly states: 'A person who has reached the age of fourteen but not the age of eighteen who commits a crime shall be given a lighter or mitigated punishment'!"
"The defendant, Liu Jingqi, is sixteen years old, so the relevant laws for the fourteen-to-sixteen age bracket apply."
"She must be given a lighter punishment!"
His strategy was incredibly clear: erase the charge of intentional homicide from every angle and aim solely for negligence causing death!
As long as the charge of negligence causing death was established, combined with the minor protection laws, a suspended sentence was still achievable.
Even without indulging in best-case scenarios, Liu Jingqi would spend at most three years in prison!
This wasn't arrogance; it was the reality of the situation.
The phrase "lighter or mitigated punishment" in Article 17 might look trivial on paper, but when it came down to actual sentencing, one would realize just how ridiculously powerful those words were.
Put it this way.
Even for intentional homicide, it was enough to commute a regular person's death penalty into a fifteen-year sentence.
Not even life imprisonment...
Life imprisonment was an extreme among extreme sentences!
And life imprisonment nowadays... with all sorts of sentence reductions stacked up, it might nominally be "life imprisonment," but what about reality?
In reality, the required time served was shockingly low... so low that most people would think it was fake.
How much?
At the absolute minimum, no less than ten years!
According to Article 78 of the Criminal Law: "The actual term of imprisonment to be executed after commutation... for those sentenced to life imprisonment, shall not be less than ten years."
In other words, theoretically, even if Liu Jingqi were convicted of a severe crime, she would only need to serve ten years before getting out, and she could even be paroled.
Sentence reductions were difficult to obtain, but only for adults.
For Liu Jingqi, it wasn't difficult in the slightest!
Not to mention...
The judge might not even rule it as the Crime of Intentional Homicide!
"Objection!"
At the representatives' bench.
Xu De frowned, his expression turning serious. He interrupted the other party's momentum, saying in a deep voice, "Presiding Judge, the evidence submitted by our side is already very clear."
"In the evidence, the witness Lu Guangjun explicitly stated that the incident was initiated by Jiang Yu and Qiao Wang gripping the legs of the deceased, Yang Jiale, while Liu Jingqi actively shook her, causing her to lose her balance and fatally fall."
"In summary."
"The actions of the three defendants—Liu Jingqi, Jiang Yu, and Qiao Wang—clearly constitute the Crime of Intentional Homicide under Article 232 of the Criminal Law!"
Conviction...
He still had to push for a conviction. He had already ripped the opposition's defensive evidence to shreds.
Now, as long as a clear charge could be established, their room to maneuver later would be massive!
"Objection!"
At the defense bench.
Lawyer Sun Bing voiced her rebuttal almost the instant his words fell.
"The defendant, Liu Jingqi, had no subjective intent to kill. The statements provided by the police describe this very clearly!"
Although she said that.
However.
Because of Lu Guangjun's evidence, the credibility of the so-called police statements had naturally plummeted.
But then again.
Until new evidence directly refuted them, a drop in credibility didn't matter, because legally, they were still considered valid!
It was just that...
"Objection!"
"Defense, the actions of the three defendants are clearly intentional homicide. There is not a single law stipulating that intentional homicide must stem from subjective murderous thoughts!"
Xu De questioned sternly.
He stood up, taking Huang Shi's place, and began to spar with the opposition.
"Regarding the nature of an 'intentional crime,' Article 14 of the Criminal Law describes the definition perfectly!"
How was an intentional crime defined? Was it defined subjectively?
No.
Intentional homicide... had two defining natures!
First was direct intent. This meant you actively wanted the other person to die, and committing the act constituted the crime.
This was what most people understood.
The second point was common, but public understanding of it was very one-sided. When a conviction of intentional homicide was based on this... it usually left the public stunned and confused.
Even if you subjectively did not want someone to die, the court could still convict you of intentional homicide!
This was...
Indirect intent!
Meaning: fully knowing that your harmful actions would cause the death of another, yet still carrying them out, resulting in a death. That was indirect intent, and it counted as intentional homicide!
For example.
If you hit someone while driving, got out, and found the person unconscious but still breathing. You were terrified, but no one saw, and there were no cameras.
So you decided to hide the body. At that moment, you knew full well that this action would cause the person to die, but you still did it, leading to their death from a lack of rescue.
You didn't actively kill them, nor did you want them to die.
But the legal definition of this behavior...
Was intentional homicide, and the degree of the conviction was no different from direct intentional homicide!
"According to the sequence of events described in the testimony."
"The defendant, Liu Jingqi, clearly knew that her actions would lead to the death of the victim, Yang Jiale, yet she still carried them out."
"Ultimately leading to Yang Jiale's fatal fall."
"Her actions completely align with the interpretation of an 'indirect intentional crime' under Article 14 of the Criminal Law!"
Xu De wasn't long-winded; his words were brief and pierced straight to the core.
"In summary."
"The defendant, Liu Jingqi, explicitly violated Article 232 of the Criminal Law, committing the Crime of Intentional Homicide!"
Prosecutor Huang Shi nodded.
"I second that!"
The credibility of a prosecutor was strong. Even if he did nothing but act as background support, the value he provided to Xu De far exceeded ordinary evidence.
This was the inherent advantage of the profession.
With the exact same evidence, the probability of a judge believing a prosecutor was simply higher, and the degree of trust was deeper.
This was also why countless defense lawyers suffered defeat in criminal cases.
But...
"Objection!"
"Presiding Judge, regarding this case, we explicitly raised a point right at the start of the trial!"
At the defense bench.
Zhang Wei's brain was spinning madly, his face slightly pale. The distinct throbbing pain and dizziness in his head were clear signs of severe mental overexertion.
"Namely, the 'applicable age group'!"
Zhang Wei said, "The 'indirect intentional homicide' the opposition mentioned uses adults as the primary perspective. Within that framework, a person is fully developed, their values are stable, and they have a strong grasp of safety concepts."
"But!"
"The defendant is only sixteen years old!"
Zhang Wei slammed his hand on the table and pointed at Liu Jingqi, whose breathing was somewhat rapid. "Therefore, when determining indirect intent, judgment must be made from the perspective of a sixteen-year-old peer!"
"And obviously, from an adolescent's perspective, they had absolutely no concept of the danger to the deceased when committing the act, nor did they know this would result in Yang Jiale's death..."
"Therefore."
"The defendant, Liu Jingqi, is not guilty of intentional homicide, but clearly of negligence causing death!"
Early in the trial.
He and the prosecution had engaged in a long tug-of-war over the applicable age group concerning Yang Jiale's retaliatory actions.
And this principle wasn't only applicable to legitimate self-defense.
Or rather...
As long as it related to 'consciousness' and 'subjectivity,' the applicable age group had to serve as the foundational perspective!
And from the viewpoint of a sixteen-year-old adolescent, maybe...
The thought of what would happen if Yang Jiale fell really hadn't crossed Liu Jingqi's mind at the time!
But here came the problem...
"Objection, we oppose this!"
Xu De took a deep breath, anger burning in his chest.
The opposition... they were blatantly defending Liu Jingqi by any means necessary, completely disregarding all practical reality!
"The rooftop where the incident occurred is on the sixth floor, dozens of meters above the ground!"
"Even a ten-year-old child knows that falling from such a height is enough to cause fatal injuries!"
"The defendant, Liu Jingqi, is sixteen, and her intelligence is at the level of a normal person."
"From practical experience, she clearly knew her actions would cause irreversible harm to the deceased, Yang Jiale!"
The applicable age group could naturally be used to debate subjective consciousness.
But it couldn't override the fact that what Liu Jingqi did involved basic common sense!
Never mind sixteen, or even fifteen.
If you asked a thirteen-year-old child if someone would die falling from dozens of meters, they would tell you yes with absolute certainty!
Let alone a sixteen-year-old... a sixteen-year-old girl in her third year of high school!
Liu Jingqi absolutely knew that forcing Yang Jiale to stand on the edge of the rooftop and physically scaring her was highly likely to cause her death.
Yet she still chose to do so.
According to the law, if this wasn't intentional homicide, what was!?
"Defense, this is a classic example of completely ignoring reality!"
Xu De's rapid-fire questioning was like a flurry of sharp swords, stabbing at the defense bench from the trickiest of angles!
As he finished.
The entire Second Courtroom descended into dead silence.
Only the faint sound of anxious breathing could be heard; otherwise, not a single soul stirred.
On the judge's bench, the three judges breathed rapidly, racking their brains.
Huang Shi looked gloomy, lost in thought.
At the defense bench, everyone looked awful. They desperately tried to analyze Xu De, hoping to find a weakness to exploit. But when they reached into their briefcases, pulled out the analysis reports, and looked at those six-dimensional charts with all stats maxed out, they remembered...
This man in front of them had no flaws.
Just as everyone—
Just as the nerves of the dozens of people in the Second Courtroom were stretched to their absolute limit...
Bang!
"Given that there are still disputes over key facts in this case and further verification is needed, I now announce..."
On the judge's bench.
Presiding Judge Zhang Bingxin raised the gavel high and slammed it down. Following that,
His voice seemed to echo in the depths of everyone's hearts.
"Court is adjourned!"
The moment those words fell.
Everyone paused slightly, and then, their taut nerves finally relaxed.
To be honest, in a normal case, no one wished for an adjournment, because dragging out the timeline was unfavorable to everyone.
But...
At this moment, the shared consensus was...
Finally, court is adjourned!
Even the court clerk let out a long breath of relief. Soon after, the suppressed exhaustion swept over their body like a tidal wave, draining them of all energy.
"Everyone, please exit the courtroom in an orderly manner."
On the judge's bench.
The three judges, looking as if they had aged several years, stood up with exhaustion plastered on their faces. Zhang Bingxin made the weak announcement before heavily walking away.
At the prosecution bench.
Huang Shi and the others also felt unprecedentedly weary. He packed up his things and walked out alongside Xu De.
Outside the Second Courtroom.
The reporters stared eagerly at the main entrance, countless cameras aimed at the crack in the door.
They were waiting.
Waiting for the session to conclude!
This was a closed-door trial, but that didn't prevent the details of the case from being made public later... They needed to know what on earth had been discussed during these grueling hours!
Their breathing was rushed, an insatiable curiosity scratching at their hearts.
Until...
Creak—
The main doors of the Second Courtroom suddenly opened.
Several figures appeared before the crowd. It was the prosecutor and Xu De.
In an instant.
The crowd surged forward, surrounding them like a tsunami.
A cacophony of anxious questions immediately drowned them out.
"Prosecutor Huang! What happened in there just now? Why did the trial seem to spiral out of control!?"
"Lawyer Xu, are you confident about winning this case?"
"What stage is the case at right now? Can we get a few more details!?"
"Hello, could we get an exclusive interview..."
The reporters went crazy, ignoring all order, desperate to squeeze to the front for answers.
It couldn't be helped.
This case was truly maddeningly suspenseful; they were itching to just rush into the courtroom and watch it themselves.
After all...
They really couldn't imagine what on earth could have happened to push the prosecution, defense, and representatives to disregard courtroom order and engage in a high-intensity, hours-long legal bombardment!
That was several full hours of non-stop debate!
Just listening to it through the door made their heads throb...
And right as the interviews began... reporter Zhang Xia peered through the gaps in the crowd, casting her gaze into the courtroom.
And it was this unintentional glance...
That left her completely stunned a second later.
She saw...
At the defense bench.
A pale Zhang Wei, whose entirely taut muscles had just relaxed. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but the side effects of having his mental stamina forcefully wrung dry by Xu De for hours surfaced... right at this moment!
First, it was an irresistible wave of oxygen deprivation. Zhang Wei felt dizzy, his temples violently throbbing.
Following that, blurry black spots began to swarm his vision. Tinnitus rang in his ears, his weak limbs made it hard to stand, and even his consciousness was rapidly dissipating!
Zhang Wei stumbled for a moment, and then his vision went completely black.
The next second...
Thud!
Zhang Wei pitched forward, collapsing onto the ground unconscious.
This was...
In a daze...
An exclamation of absolute shock rang out from inside the courtroom.
"He fainted! He fainted!"
"Quick, call an ambulance! The defense lawyer fainted!"
"The infirmary! Get the doctor from the infirmary! The defense lawyer passed out!"
Watching this scene unfold, Zhang Xia stood frozen in astonishment.
Fainted... he fainted?
A cross-examination could actually make someone faint!?
She whipped her head around, staring at Xu De and the prosecutor with utter disbelief, crying out from the very bottom of her heart:
"This case..."
"What on earth did you guys do in there!?"