Chapter 133 - 90: Bloody Strangulation

"Bailiffs, bring the defendants into the courtroom!"

A voice full of authority resounded.

A few bailiffs tensed up and quickly headed out.

「A short while later...」

Several handcuffed individuals walked in, each flanked by two uniformed bailiffs.

It was none other than Liu Jingqi, Jiang Yu, and Qiao Wang!

The three of them had vastly different expressions.

Liu Jingqi’s expression was terrifyingly dark. Her sanpaku eyes, showing the whites beneath the iris, were unsettling. The moment she stepped into the courtroom, her gaze shot toward the plaintiff’s gallery. She scanned the area but didn’t find any sign of Yang Huan.

A hint of anxiety hung in Jiang Yu’s and Qiao Wang’s eyes. They kept their heads down as they walked toward the dock, the immense pressure evident in their slumped shoulders.

"SQUEAK~"

The three of them sat in the dock, right in the center of everyone’s view.

A bailiff immediately announced, "The defendants are present!"

The presiding judge, Zhang Bingxin, took a deep breath and then slowly began to speak:

"This case was adjourned for review on December 17, 2002, due to unclear circumstances regarding the evidence submitted by the victim’s litigation agent."

"Upon review, the evidence has been verified as authentic."

"The trial will now continue."

As he spoke, Zhang Bingxin didn’t hesitate, turning to look at the prosecution.

The previous session was adjourned when the defendants were cornered and unable to respond in time. Therefore, as the trial resumed, it was natural to allow the prosecution to restate their case.

Zhang Bingxin began, "Counsel for the prosecution."

"As this trial resumes, does your side wish to restate your charges?"

As he finished speaking, all eyes instinctively turned to Huang Shi at the prosecutor’s table.

Prosecutor Huang Shi paused for a moment.

The prosecutor’s charges, so to speak, are about assigning guilt for a crime. The court’s role is then to determine the penalty based on that crime.

Securing a conviction for Liu Jingqi and the other two had been difficult in the last session. But now, after the adjournment and the verification of evidence...

’Making the charges stick won’t be difficult at all!’

"Your Honor, members of the judiciary."

"The prosecution has no intention of amending the indictment. Regarding the defendants Liu Jingqi, Jiang Yu, and Qiao Wang, our position remains the same as in the first hearing."

"In this case, defendants Jiang Yu and Qiao Wang were accomplices and should bear secondary responsibility. However, according to the evidence submitted by the police, they clearly violated Articles 234, 263, and 238 of the Dongguo Criminal Law..."

"In summary, we charge defendants Jiang Yu and Qiao Wang with intentional injury resulting in death, robbery, and illegal detention..."

Jiang Yu and Qiao Wang were accomplices; they did not possess the intent for premeditated murder.

Of course, if one were to stretch the definition and push the line, it might be possible to force a charge of indirect intent. However, it would be largely meaningless, having no significant impact on the application of the law or the final verdict.

As for the third defendant...

Thinking of this, Huang Shi paused. His brow furrowed as he continued in a grave tone:

"In this case, defendant Liu Jingqi was the mastermind. According to the police investigation conducted at No. 18 High School, Liu Jingqi was the principal party in all crimes committed by the trio."

"Furthermore, the core of the conflict that led to the deaths of the victims, Yang Jiale and Zhao Li, also centered on defendant Liu Jingqi."

"Based on the evidence submitted by the victim’s litigation agent during the first hearing, it is clear that..."

As he spoke, Huang Shi’s tone suddenly grew heavier, and he emphasized:

"Defendant Liu Jingqi, in the course of committing these crimes, clearly acted with indirect intent to kill. She also, on multiple occasions and without reason, subjected her classmates to long-term extortion, bullying, intentional injury, intimidation, and robbery..."

"In summary, the prosecution believes..."

"Defendant Liu Jingqi clearly violated Article 274 of the Dongguo Criminal Law for ’Extortion,’ Article 234 for ’Intentional Injury,’ Article 263 for ’Robbery,’ Article 238 for ’Illegal Detention,’ Article 293 for ’Creating a Disturbance’..."

"As well as Article 232 of the Criminal Law..."

Huang Shi uttered the final, and most crucial, charge.

"Intentional Homicide!"

"The facts of the defendant’s crimes are clear, and the evidence is solid and sufficient."

"The procuratorate has filed this public prosecution in accordance with the law and requests that the court punish the defendants in accordance with the law!"

The charges against the three individuals were listed with absolute clarity, the reasoning was sound, and the division of responsibility was fair.

Although something similar had been said during the last session, this time, thanks to Xu De’s evidence, it was all clearly more detailed!

The long list of statutes echoed through the courtroom, seeping out from under the doors and making the onlookers outside twitch with apprehension.

’Good heavens...’

’She’s committed nearly every major felony in the Criminal Law!’

’If this were a normal person... could they even survive this? The lightest sentence would have to be a suspended death sentence!’

But it was obvious.

Liu Jingqi’s "get-out-of-death-row-free card" was no joke. Even with the prosecution piling on charges, a lawful punishment wouldn’t even land her a twenty-year sentence!

From a normal death sentence down to a maximum of twenty years...

The difference was an insurmountable chasm!

"Alright."

At the judge’s bench, Zhang Bingxin took a deep breath, digesting everything the prosecutor had said.

Then, he pondered for a moment.

Instead of immediately turning to the defendant’s dock, he turned his head toward a corner that often went unnoticed: the Victim’s Litigation Agent’s seat.

Zhang Bingxin looked at Xu De and suddenly asked:

"Counsel, does your side have an objection to state?"

Xu De paused, then shook his head.

"Your Honor, we are in agreement with the charges put forth by the prosecution."

He chose not to play his trump card just yet.

’In a criminal trial,’

’you need two skills: first, gathering evidence, and second, using that evidence.’

’The latter is sometimes even more important than the former!’

’A trial isn’t a place where you can just flip the table because you have evidence. You first have to understand what the other side’s words are meant to achieve, and what your own evidence can accomplish in response.’

’So what’s the purpose of the ace I’ve been hiding up my sleeve?’

’It’s to destroy her get-out-of-death-row-free card!’

’Other than that, it doesn’t have a clear role in securing the conviction. But a conviction isn’t the same as sentencing. The sentencing is my true goal, and the evidence is just one of the means to achieve it!’