Justifiable defense...
Justifiable defense!?
In an instant, the entire courtroom erupted, with all the reporters and media showing expressions of shock.
"Justifiable defense?"
"Chen Wei is dead, with his intestines dragged several meters, and this is justifiable defense!?"
"Wait a minute, my mind's a bit muddled, let me think it through..."
"Is this right?"
"..."
Sitting in the audience, Yang Ruoxi's mind was also filled with questions, staring blankly at Xu Liang.
Zhang Cheng was somewhat panicked.
Justifiable defense...
He had somewhat anticipated this, expecting the other side to say it, but he didn't imagine they'd actually have the audacity to do so!
Xu Liang didn't give him a chance to argue, his face tensed, staring at the presiding judge Zhao Yi above.
"Honorable judge."
"The documents I submitted earlier are the records from the examination done at the Fourth People's Hospital concerning Chen Qingqing's victimization seven years ago!"
"At that time, our principal client, Chen Hua, had taken this report, but it was immediately damaged by Zhu Hong upon retrieval."
"Therefore, both parties assumed the document had disappeared...."
This third piece of evidence of Chen Qingqing's victimization was also found at the Fourth People's Hospital.
Seven years ago, after the incident occurred, Chen Hua took Chen Dong and Chen Qingqing to the hospital for their injuries.
But...
Ninety-nine percent of people don't know, according to official regulations, if a young girl goes to the hospital and is suspected of being victimized...
The hospital will mandatorily conduct a physical examination of the girl.
This includes an analysis of bodily fluids, and the police will also be notified.
But unfortunately, Chen Jian repeatedly used false police reports, resulting in Chen Hua not only losing the report but also being crippled, and when the real police arrived, they found nothing.
Zhu Hong and Chen Hua both assumed the report had disappeared.
But...
The hospital retained the records!
"Thus, from this, the case of Chen Qingqing being victimized seven years ago is factual, not a dubious case!"
"And the defendant, Chen Dong, at that time, suffered multiple mental illnesses due to being powerless in front of the assault on his elder sister, Chen Qingqing!"
"Among them, neurocognitive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and dissociative disorder, mainly cause the patient to constantly recall certain memories vividly in their mind."
"And very clearly!"
In short, it can be explained with a single term.
That term is 'like it happened yesterday!'
In Chen Dong's eyes, the events from seven years ago continuously replay before him, with every detail incredibly clear!
"And on June 1st, that night at ten o'clock, when Chen Dong went out to scavenge, he was in such an environment."
"And the deceased, Chen Wei, happened to intrude in front of Chen Dong."
"In the eyes of our client, the two were in the same situation as seven years ago when Chen Wei intended to assault Chen Qingqing!"
Xu Liang presented a set of logic.
His words were highly convincing.
"May I ask all present."
"If someone intended to assault your mother or sister in front of you, would you take action!?"
Would you?
Definitely would!
So...
"Seven years ago and now, in the eyes of the defendant, it's the same case, and he drew his knife not to kill, but to protect himself, so..."
Xu Liang's gaze suddenly fell on the prosecution.
He stared at Zhang Cheng and Zhu Hong, loudly stating:
"The verdict of the first trial should be changed to justifiable defense!"
The same case!?
From a legal perspective, this should be judged as two cases, but if you see it through Chen Dong's eyes...
The crowd fell into deep thought.
"This has nothing to do with our victim!"
"The fact is, our client had no intention of causing harm!"
Zhang Cheng shouted anxiously, quickly denying Xu Liang's opinion.
"Seven years cannot be ignored; this is not the same case!"
Xu Liang's eyes narrowed, instantly standing face-to-face.
"Then dare I ask, has the opposing attorney seen the surveillance footage before the incident!?"
"One second before the incident, it was not our client who initiated harm on Chen Wei, but Chen Wei who approached the defendant!"
"I want to ask the opposing attorney, why did Chen Wei want to approach our defendant!?"
Why?
Could it be he felt he was wrong, that he shouldn't have killed his mother or assaulted his sister seven years ago, so he was walking over now, smilingly, to apologize!?
Zhang Cheng's face looked incredibly ugly at the moment.
He now wanted to devour Zhu Hong.
These things... the other side hadn't shared with him, not even a word!
They even trapped him during the trial process, and that DNA report, Zhu Hong's reaction perfectly verified the truth of the events from seven years ago, leaving him unable to refute...
Though the evidence may be insufficient... the judge has the freedom to exercise discretion!
Zhang Cheng didn't believe Zhao Yi missed Zhu Hong's reaction!
At this time, Xu Liang continued to speak:
"In the eyes of our client, Chen Wei was approaching him just like seven years ago."
"So, resistance is normal."
"In his eyes, if he did not resist, Chen Qingqing would be assaulted, Zhang Cui would die."
"Therefore, judge, based on the defendant's age of 17 and mental illness, another point of contention should be added, that is, whether the defendant acted in justifiable defense!"
"My speech has concluded, it's now the opposing lawyer's turn."
Upon hearing this.
The presiding judge Zhao Yi furrowed his brows.
He felt as if the other party had found a loophole.
In justifiable defense, only if a person's life is threatened can they retaliate, and in such a scenario, killing the other party at most constitutes excessive defense.
From the surveillance, both parties did not meet this condition.
However...
Chen Dong happened to be ill and, in his eyes, Chen Wei was just like his assailant from seven years prior, and indeed he felt threatened!
Zhao Yi contemplated for a long time, finally looking towards Zhang Cheng.
"Prosecution lawyer, please present your statement."
Zhang Cheng's lips moved for a long time, but he was unable to utter a single word.
What could he say?
Seventeen years old, mental illness, justifiable defense...
The other party's evidence was far more comprehensive than his, and their statements didn't at all resemble those of a rookie lawyer.
Even Zhu Hong had worked against him, turning the key testimony of Chen Qingqing's victimization into ironclad evidence.
This....
How could he win?
A trace of despair inevitably grew in Zhang Cheng's heart.
Yet he maintained a glimmer of hope, he took a deep breath, and said in a low voice:
"No matter what."
"When Chen Wei died, he did not display any intention to threaten Chen Dong's life!"
"And yet, Chen Dong personally killed Chen Wei."
"This is a fact, an undeniable fact!"
He was effectively resorting to being unreasonable.
No matter how things are, the person was killed by you, and one way or another, you have to be sentenced to something.
In the past, Zhang Cheng himself would have found it hard to imagine that a top-notch lawyer like him would one day resort to such pettiness...
But if it works, it's fine.
Zhang Cheng considered honestly.
However...
Xu Liang showed a slight smile.
"Opposing counsel, may I ask, have you really seen the case files provided by the police?"
Zhang Cheng frowned, "Wha...what?"
Having fought the trial to this point, Zhang Cheng's mindset was steadier.
He wanted to see just what the other could say to counter his obstinacy.
"Was it truly my client Chen Dong who killed Chen Wei!?"
Xu Liang suddenly posed a question that left everyone stunned.
At the same time.
In the Hongfu District Criminal Investigation Unit.
Watching the TV broadcast, Wang Chao, along with Chen Changchun and Liu Jin, were stunned as they watched the courtroom scene on television.
These words... sound so familiar.
Wang Chao thought for a moment and then suddenly widened his eyes, looking at Xu Liang in disbelief.
Sure enough.
The next second.
Xu Liang, standing at the defendant's bench, shouted mightily:
"It was not Chen Dong who killed Chen Wei, but..."
"Chen Wei himself!"
"It was Chen Wei who killed Chen Wei, not Chen Dong!"
Judge Zhao Yi: ?
Court clerk: ?
Reporter: ?
Yang Ruoxi: ?
With those words, the courtroom was utterly silent.
Zhang Cheng seemed to stand in the wind, looking at Xu Liang, dazed and unable to regain his senses for a long time, feeling a wave of darkness before his eyes.
Bastard...
Do you even know what you're saying!!?
Who let a madman in here!?