Chapter 889: Chapter 345: Presenting Evidence in Court
Finally.
At exactly ten o’clock in the morning.
The black screen changed, and the scene of the Second Criminal Court appeared on everyone’s screens.
"Qin Mu! It’s Qin Mu!"
Many people instantly became excited.
They stared unblinkingly at the live broadcast footage.
In the image, one could see...
Qin Mu standing beside Li Weiguo, while seven people stood in the defendant’s dock.
The plaintiff and defendants...
All arrived at the courtroom on time, with no one absent.
In the audience seats.
Except for some elderly people, the other seats were filled with young people.
"Wow, these seven big guys really showed up. Do they actually think they can win?"
"Having dreams is good, just hope they don’t start doubting their lives later."
"This is the first time I’ve seen someone dare to go head-to-head with Qin Mu in court."
"Huh? Why is their lawyer a legal aid lawyer? They’re really underestimating Qin Mu, aren’t they? They didn’t even hire a proper lawyer?"
"..."
The people in the audience were whispering.
Especially...
Upon seeing the identity of the opposing defense lawyer, they all showed surprised expressions.
Facing Qin Mu.
They actually used a free lawyer!
They didn’t even hire a lawyer...
"We wanted to hire one too."
In the defendant’s dock.
Qi Lianglei glanced at the lawyer beside him, feeling somewhat despairing.
This lawyer...
Was painstakingly arranged for them through legal aid.
They wanted to pay for a lawyer too.
But the problem is those lawyers...
Were unwilling to be involved in this case, all saying the risks don’t match the rewards.
Left with no choice.
They could only settle for the free legal aid lawyer.
Fortunately...
The lawyer they found was said to have helped many people who couldn’t afford lawsuits before.
His name is Miao Hang.
He should...
Not be too bad.
"Lawyer Miao, remember to clarify our position when court starts, we mean no enmity towards the opponent."
He looked at Miao Hang, reminding again: "Of course, the most important thing is to ensure we aren’t sentenced to prison, my son is preparing for the civil service exam and has been studying for two years. If I’m sentenced, his future is basically ruined..."
This trial.
Is extremely important to him.
By any means necessary, he cannot lose.
"I’ll... do my best."
Miao Hang’s lips twitched but he didn’t make any promises.
This case...
Any lawyer would hesitate to claim they could win against Qin Mu.
Honestly speaking.
If he hadn’t been unlucky enough to be assigned to Qi Lianglei, he wouldn’t want to take this case either.
"Dong—"
At that moment.
The Judgment Chief, Zhou Quanmin, sitting in the front, struck the gavel and looked sternly below: "Today, this court will hear the case of Li Weiguo accusing Qi Lianglei, Zhang Chunhua, and others of seven people on charges of misappropriation."
"With me, Zhou Quanmin, serving as Judgment Chief, a panel of judges is legally formed to jointly try this case."
After that.
The standard reading of courtroom rules followed.
The clerk stepped forward and solemnly read out the courtroom rules.
Five minutes later.
"Now, the court is officially in session, the plaintiff will now present the case and read the indictment."
Under the hosting of Zhou Quanmin, the trial officially began.
In the plaintiff’s seat.
Upon hearing himself called, Li Weiguo instinctively looked towards Qin Mu.
Qin Mu nodded, immediately stood up: "The cause is this, four days ago, our elderly client was in a certain stretch of Jin River. Due to a lack of water for the purchased fish, he intended to use river water to replace the water but accidentally caused a large number of fish to escape."
"But they were forcibly taken away by Qi Lianglei, Zhang Chunhua, and others downstream."
"After our elderly client learned about the situation, he actively negotiated with the seven individuals, hoping they would return the fish, but the group maintained a bad attitude, constantly saying they wouldn’t return them..."
During the fact-stating phase.
Qin Mu did not embellish anything but truthfully recounted the event.
At that time at the scene...
There were many onlookers who could verify the authenticity of his words.
Qi Lianglei and the seven had no intention of returning the fish, even when the police arrived, they still refused to give them back.
"The behavior of the opposing party illegally occupied our personal property and refused to return it, constituting the crime of misappropriation. Therefore, we earnestly request the court to impose legal sanctions on Qi Lianglei and the seven’s criminal behavior. To sentence Qi Lianglei to six months of imprisonment and to sentence..."
Then.
In terms of sentencing recommendations, Qin Mu provided a relatively reasonable range.
This sentencing...
Isn’t actually heavy, he didn’t deliberately exaggerate the charges against them.
Everything...
Was brought upon by Qi Lianglei and the others themselves.
In actuality.
If they had returned the fish obediently, he wouldn’t pursue them relentlessly.
"To the defendant’s side, do you have any arguments against the plaintiff’s lawyer’s statements just now?"
Zhou Quanmin listened to Qin Mu’s explanation and looked again at the seven people led by Qi Lianglei.
The seven men exchanged glances with each other.
Having never experienced such a scene, they could only look pleadingly at Lawyer Miao Hang.
"Ahem, respected Judgment Chief, and all judges, I must clarify here that while these fish do indeed belong to the plaintiff, they were not accidentally released into the Jin River; it was a deliberate release."
Miao Hang took a deep breath and, following the pre-planned argument, stated, "Our party believes these fish should be considered abandoned property rather than lost property."
"In terms of property rights, these fish do not belong to any individual."
"Therefore, our party’s acquisition of the fish and the lack of return on our part is reasonable and legal, not an unlawful appropriation of someone else’s property."
"Please, the court, ascertain the facts and grant justice to my client."
Having said what needed to be said for the defense.
He returned to his seat.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Quanmin frowned slightly.
After a brief summary.
He spoke, "The focal point of disagreement in this case lies in whether it constitutes lost property. The trial will proceed to address this point."
Before the opening of the court, he had thoroughly reviewed this case.
After all...
The number of criminal cases in Jin City has been dwindling, and the Judgment Chief handling criminal cases has been idle for quite some time.
In this case.
Though Qin Mu’s description involved unintentionally letting the fish escape.
However...
The area where Li Weiguo exchanged water is near the release point.
This detail is particularly suspicious.
If Li Weiguo truly released the fish, then the case would be entirely different.
The law values logic.
Every detail needs careful examination to determine the truth.
"Now, proceed to the presentation and corroboration of evidence. Please provide relevant evidence to support your claims."
Zhou Quanmin took a deep breath and looked at both parties.
This is a private criminal prosecution.
Without the intervention of the prosecution or public security agencies.
All evidence must be presented by the parties involved.
"Judgment Chief, here are images and videos taken by the onlookers at the time."
Beside the plaintiff’s seat.
Qin Mu immediately stood up and presented a series of evidence: "These can prove that the opposing party caught several barrels of fish from the Jin River and took them home."
"Here is the receipt from our report to the police, at the time they arrived at the scene and made a determination, but the seven people still refused to comply with the police’s decision, quite stubbornly."
"Here is..."
To corroborate his viewpoint.
Qin Mu prepared ample evidence and presented it all at once.
This evidence...
Has formed a complete chain from witnesses, material evidence, and testimonies.
It proves the other party indeed engaged in unlawfully possessing the fish, did not return them, and took them home.
"Furthermore, although our party changed water at the release point, this cannot conclude that our client intended to release the fish."
Qin Mu glanced at the seven people led by Qi Lianglei and stated solemnly, "Our client purchased these fish to supply the kitchen in our courtyard..."
To ensure those involved receive due punishment.
Qin Mu held nothing back.
Li Weiguo, seeing the situation, stood out decisively.
Stating his motive for "changing water" at the release point.
Because the fish at the time appeared oxygen-deprived and were about to die, he worried they would be unsellable halfway through the journey.
So he exchanged water at the release point.
As a result...
There was an accident, a large number of fish escaped.
"When the fish ran away, I tried to catch them, but as a man over seventy, I simply couldn’t."
Li Weiguo sighed, looking helplessly, "So I chose to release the remaining fish into the river, giving others the wrong impression that I was there to release fish."
"But I was genuinely there to change the water."
Li Weiguo’s voice reverberated through the courtroom.
Completely innocent.
But it infuriated Qi Lianglei and the seven people.
The seven of them glared at Li Weiguo, trembling all over.
Unexpectedly, this seemingly honest old man...
Also had a thick-skinned side, saying something so shameless.
"Defendant, do you have anything to say regarding the plaintiff’s evidence?"
Zhou Quanmin nodded and looked at Qi Lianglei and his group.
Qi Lianglei showed a face full of rage, directly retorting, "Nonsense!"
"Everything he says is nonsense!"
"We saw with our own eyes him releasing fish upstream, so we positioned ourselves in advance downstream, waiting for the fish he released to flow down with the current."
"These fish have long been oxygen-deprived, very sluggish, easy to catch."
"We successfully caught them every time!"
"Definitely not what he refers to as ’changing water’..."
Speaking.
He looked at Miao Hang, indicating for him to present the prepared evidence.
Miao Hang chuckled helplessly.
Started submitting the evidence collected by Qi Lianglei and the seven people.
Indeed.
For this trial...
Qi Lianglei and the seven worked hard for three days, collecting some evidence as well.
"Judgment Chief, here is the video our client collected, filmed by the onlookers, showing... Li Weiguo personally admitting he was there to release fish!"
Miao Hang handed the evidence to the tribunal.
The tribunal members paused momentarily before playing the evidence in court.
Indeed.
In the footage.
It captured Li Weiguo "earnestly" persuading the seven people led by Qi Lianglei to return the fish he released back into the river.
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