Who Made Him a Lawyer?-Chapter 40 - 36: Verdict! Court Adjourned!

Zhang Cheng felt exhausted.

What else could he add?

He used the information from the first trial to fight the second, thinking he would surely win against a regular lawyer, but who would have thought...

"Our side..."

Zhang Cheng’s lips moved for a moment, and he finally took a deep breath and said:

"We still request to uphold the original verdict in the first trial!"

Still want Chen Dong to die?

Presiding Judge Zhao Yi turned his head away, no longer looking at the opponent, with his brows furrowed.

The case had reached this point, and both lawyers had exhausted all their tactics; now he only had two options.

First, declare the verdict.

Second, adjourn the court.

Pass the sentence? Or adjourn the court?

Zhao Yi pondered for a long time, and before he could speak, the clerk behind him said:

"It’s difficult to judge."

"From the information submitted by the defendant, Chen Dong was only guilty of two crimes: ’involuntary manslaughter’ and ’desecration of a corpse.’

The clerk’s face was full of conflicted emotions, frowning and mumbling continuously.

Involuntary manslaughter incurs a sentence of more than three years and less than seven years, while desecration of a corpse incurs a sentence of three years or less, or up to seven years.

From the harm caused by Chen Dong, the penalty for his involuntary manslaughter would be about three to four years.

No need to mention the desecration of a corpse.

In most cases, it’s resolved with compensation and reconciliation!

Hardly ever would the penalty for a dead person result in punishing a living one, even if there is a punishment, it is usually detention or control, ranging from as short as a month to as long as six months.

Looking at it this way.

With cumulative offenses, Chen Dong should normally receive a sentence of four to five years.

"According to common sense, these two crimes are easy to sentence, but..."

The clerk furrowed his brow again.

Presiding Judge Zhao Yi glanced at him, feeling burdened.

He naturally knew what the other party was worried about.

Yet Chen Dong is 17, and indeed suffers from severe mental illness!

The so-called three to four years sentence depends on this basis, the sentence gets reduced entry by entry...

Remove the desecration of a corpse?

The remaining three to four years... how could it be reduced further?

If reduced further, the court might end up compensating Chen Dong for several years...

Finally, Zhao Yi suddenly turned to the clerk and asked:

"Was there an adjournment during the first trial?"

The clerk shook his head.

Holding the materials from the first trial, he could confidently confirm that during Judge Sun Ming’s sentencing, there was no adjournment, just a direct death penalty!

Zhao Yi frowned.

He recalled during the trial, when Xu Liang pulled out evidence from Chen Qingqing, Zhu Hong’s reaction....

Zhao Yi said nothing further, getting lost in thought like a stone statue.

The entire courtroom fell silent.

Though there was no sound, the tension was palpable, even the air felt hotter.

"What to do..."

On the defendant’s bench, Chen Hua’s heart tightened, subconsciously clenching her fists.

Xu Liang said nothing, just sat calmly on the defendant’s bench.

Instead, it was Zhu Hong and Zhang Cheng on the prosecution’s side, feeling uneasy.

"This is bad...."

Zhang Cheng saw Zhao Yi’s demeanor and knew things were going wrong.

If the penalty is difficult to decide, it often fell upon the judge’s discretionary power, upon whose side the judge leans.

Who would Zhao Yi lean towards?

If it were them, there’s no need to think; it would be leaning towards the other side!

Why lean towards the other side?

Zhang Cheng recalled Zhu Hong’s reaction from a few dozen minutes ago, and instantly a surge of blood rushed to his head.

"Why isn’t anyone speaking..." Zhu Hong, still unaware, grew anxious.

Her gloomy eyes looked at Chen Dong, filled with malice, and she muttered, "That little bastard across the way won’t possibly survive, right!?"

Zhang Cheng said sternly:

"Shut up!"

"You dare tell me to shut up? I paid a lot of money to hire you..." Zhu Hong was furious, glaring at him.

Zhang Cheng was in despair, sighing heavily, closing his eyes and saying nothing more.

The whole court trial scene continued in silence.

If it weren’t for Zhu Hong’s constant murmuring, the guards outside the door might think the case had ended.

Until...

In a trance.

Judge Zhao Yi suddenly stood up from the high podium.

As he stood, the lawyers from both sides and all the people in the listening gallery stood up too.

Immediately, a solemn declaration sounded nearby.

"This court, Hanhai City Intermediate Court, subject Chen Dong, born..."

"The defendant legally appealed to this court for a second trial, in 2004..."

"The key point of this case, the defendant’s agent argued that Chen Dong was not yet 18 and suffered from severe mental illness, the cause of Chen Wei’s death... demanded the defendant be acquitted, while the prosecution requested to uphold the original decision, based on.... "

"Now, this court holds that the public prosecution’s accusation of the defendant Chen Dong..."

"In accordance with the ’Criminal Procedure Law’..... the judgment is as follows."

The voice was loud, and under its influence, no one spoke, everyone fully focused on Zhao Yi.

Especially Zhang Cheng, who was already drenched in sweat...

Zhao Yi making this statement meant the opponent was about to declare the verdict on the spot!

And this trial was unfavorable to them!

Sure enough, as he was thinking this.

A majestic voice echoed at the scene.

"Defendant Chen Dong..."

"Not criminally responsible!"

After speaking, he struck the gavel again.

"Bang!"

"Court adjourned, please exit in an orderly manner."

With those words.

The entire courtroom fell into silence, except for the retreating benches of the judges, the rest seemed as if paused.

No criminal responsibility...

No responsibility...

At the moment the words fell.

The courtroom fell silent for a moment, then suddenly erupted.

"The verdict has been overturned!?"

"No criminal responsibility? Innocent!?"

"Verdict announced in court? How come there’s no recess!"

"Death penalty in the first trial, no responsibility in the second? Can a case be judged like this?"

"Who is that lawyer? Never seen them before."

"..."

The press corps exploded instantly.

Everyone was dumbfounded, staring in shock at the people in front of them.

As for the defendant’s side.

Xu Liang also breathed a sigh of relief, as if a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

"Won..."

Chen Hua next to him was trembling, slumped in his chair, his clothes already soaked with sweat.

From hell in the first trial to heaven in the second, the leap across dimensions made him feel somewhat surreal and unreal.

When Chen Hua came back to his senses.

He felt a bit blurred in front of him, reached out to wipe, only to find that the tears of breakdown wouldn’t come off no matter what.

"Tha...Thank..."

He wanted to express gratitude, but sadly, he couldn’t utter a single word due to choking up.

"Just take a moment to relax."

Xu Liang smiled, feeling at ease, he didn’t mind these things.

However, despite his calmness, someone else was more excited.

A figure jumped down from the gallery.

"Won!?" Yang Ruoxi couldn’t contain her excitement. She jumped next to Xu Liang, her feet continuously stamping on the ground in thrill.

When Xu Liang took the case, she stood by watching.

Back then, she thought maybe he could get a twenty-year sentence, preventing Chen Dong from dying.

But who would have thought...

The other side actually dared to plead not guilty!?

And they actually won!!!

"You..." Yang Ruoxi’s delicate face turned red, speechless for quite a while, unable to say a word.

Xu Liang jokingly said:

"Little Yang, have you realized the difference between you and me now?"

Yang Ruoxi: ?

Her face froze, then she snorted, "Humph."

"I’m in a good mood today, won’t argue with you."

She clasped her hands behind her back, the crossed hands wagging like a dog’s tail, seeming in a very good mood.

She was indeed in a good mood, the first time participating in such a high-level game and actually winning... although she didn’t contribute much, but you just say whether she participated or not!

Thinking of this, Yang Ruoxi paused for a moment, as if realizing something, then sneakily moved closer to Xu Liang.

"Let’s take the people away, I see the other side..."

The other side?

Xu Liang raised an eyebrow, looking towards the prosecutor’s seat.

Only to see Zhang Cheng take a deep breath, then silently pack up his files.

Zhu Hong next to him was already furious.

"I gave you so much money, and you let that little bastard be found innocent!?"

"My son... My son died for nothing, I want him to pay with his life, I want him to pay with his life!"

"Speak, speak up!"

Zhu Hong was already blinded by anger, her fierce nature showing, quickly Zhang Cheng got colored, he didn’t resist, pinched his nose and accepted.

Throwing a fit in court?

Seeing this.

Xu Liang felt a jolt inside, quickly getting up and leaving with Chen Hua, Chen Dong, and Yang Ruoxi.

"Hurry up!"

He squeezed out of the crowd of reporters surrounding him and walked out the passage.

Zhu Hong throwing a fit at the prosecutor’s seat saw this and was instantly infuriated.

"Trying to run!?"

She didn’t care about Zhang Cheng anymore, pushed away the bailiff next to her, and charged in the direction Xu Liang left.

Hearing hurried footsteps behind him.

Xu Liang suddenly felt a stir inside, pulled Yang Ruoxi aside.

The next second, a frail figure appeared staggering in his original place.

Having failed in the sneak attack, Zhu Hong was on the verge of falling and was even angrier.

Her eyes fixed on Xu Liang, utterly venomous, wishing she could devour him.

But upon looking further.

Zhu Hong suddenly sat down on the ground, wailing continuously, while slapping her thighs with both hands.

"Beast, you beast in human attire!"

"My son died a bitter death, he was just a child and got killed, the murderer is still sheltered..."

"You bastards, worse than pigs and dogs... Aren’t you afraid of retribution!?"

Hearing the increasingly filthy curses from the other side, Xu Liang, who was about to leave, couldn’t resist anymore.

He turned his head, using a gentle smiling face to face Zhu Hong.

"Ms. Zhu, right? Don’t worry, I don’t know if I’ll face retribution."

"But you... maybe soon."

"Wha... What!?"

The crying Zhu Hong was suddenly stunned.

In a daze, a sense of nameless fear swept over her, making Zhu Hong’s heart panic.

Retribution?

She is going to face retribution?

What kind of retribution!?

This is a court, with so many reporters...

What kind of retribution can she face!?

Xu Liang didn’t say anything, just smiled.

He was only focused on defending Chen Dong.

Outside the courtroom, hiding at this moment, someone was focused on Chen Jian and Zhu Hong, and...

Someone intent on blowing up with a bunch of people!