Chapter 895: Chapter 351: Duped Onlookers
Many citizens of Jin City, just to join in the excitement...
rushed to buy scalpers’ tickets, eager to observe the court hearing in person.
The scalpers, seeing profit opportunities, raised the prices accordingly.
The prices skyrocketed.
The price once soared to 1000 yuan per ticket.
But still...
many citizens of Jin City snapped them up.
"These people... are really blinded by greed."
Seeing this, Qin Mu shook his head helplessly.
Daring to engage in such activities right at the courthouse gates...
these scalpers are truly bold beyond measure.
It’s important to know.
Illegally selling scalpers’ tickets is a form of illegal business operation.
If the circumstances are severe enough, it can even violate criminal law.
Even for typical behavior...
it is highly likely to incur administrative fines or control measures.
All you can say is...
in the face of profit, there are still people who can’t resist temptation and choose to take risks.
"Xiao... Xiao Qin, all our seats have been taken; we only managed to get six seats."
After entering the courthouse.
Li Weiguo looked at Qin Mu with a long face.
They arrived...
too late.
The seats for observers had long been taken.
These six seats...
were only reserved for them because the courthouse considered their relation to the plaintiffs.
Those scalpers who pre-booked tickets...
were simply too ruthless.
"For those who didn’t get tickets... it looks like they’ll have to watch the live broadcast instead."
Zhang Qingyuan also sighed, full of exasperation.
Only he and Song Tiancheng and a few other elders managed to get seats for the hearing.
The others...
left the courthouse in dejection.
Then.
Qin Mu led them into the Second Criminal Court.
On the defendant’s bench...
were Qi Lianglei and six others once again.
However, all seven looked gloomy and dejected, sitting silently in their respective seats.
Saying nothing.
No longer arrogant and defiant as before, they were completely different.
"Were they provoked by something?"
Sitting in the observers’ seats, Zhang Qingyuan and the others gathered together, quietly murmuring.
Before long.
It was exactly ten o’clock.
Zhou Quanmin entered the courtroom with the collegial panel and struck the gavel.
Announcing the start of the hearing.
Today, the court will continue to hear the case involving Qi Lianglei, Zhang Chunhua, and five others accused of the crimes of illegal capture of aquatic products, harming endangered wildlife, and encroachment. Following the last hearing, the prosecution has discovered new criminal facts.
Following the investigation, these new criminal facts will now be publicly tried.
After a concise explanation.
Zhou Quanmin directly bypassed the previous hearing content and immediately went to the point.
The prosecutor, upon hearing this, promptly stood up.
Continuing to accuse Qi Lianglei and five others of new criminal facts and sentencing recommendations.
"After days of verification, we have evidence that Qi Lianglei and five others killed illegally caught Chinese giant salamanders, thereby damaging the ecosystem of wild aquatic animals."
"All seven have admitted that after discovering the Chinese giant salamander, they did not release it, but divided and ate it."
"Here is the statement detailing Qi Lianglei and the others’ crimes."
The prosecutor, watching Qi Lianglei and the others, presented the signed statements of all seven.
After interrogation.
All seven have admitted all the criminal facts, without any concealment.
"Defendants, is the content in the statement signed by you?"
After reviewing these statements, Zhou Quanmin reconfirmed.
Qi Lianglei and the others exchanged glances.
Expressions showed some nervousness.
But...
before the hearing, officers had already informed them about the seriousness of the issue.
Being honest can still allow for leniency in treatment.
If they persistently conceal, they will lose the chance for reduced sentences.
"I... I, we... all signed it."
The seven admitted to the statement, with unhappy expressions.
Zhou Quanmin gazed deeply at them, then asked: "On the day of fishing at Jin River, did you forcibly take the Chinese giant salamander home?"
As a judge.
He needed to conduct a final review, that is, repeatedly examining evidence submitted by the police or prosecution.
Ensuring no miscarriage of justice occurs.
If any of the seven experienced forced confessions...
they can completely recant in court and provide corresponding evidence.
"Yes, at the time we thought... it’s just a Chinese giant salamander, shouldn’t be anything serious."
Zhang Chunhua sighed weakly.
"Whose idea was it to divide and eat the fish?"
Zhou Quanmin frowned and continued questioning.
"It was my idea; I didn’t care about protecting endangered species at the time, only thinking that eating a fish wouldn’t be noticed..."
Qi Lianglei bowed his head, confessing his crime.
"Before dividing the Chinese giant salamander, did you know it was an endangered species?"
Zhou Quanmin contemplated and confirmed again.
"We recognized it; after all, this kind of fish has four legs and no scales, making it easily identifiable."
Others also responded to Zhou Quanmin’s question one after another.
Almost every question received a reply.
Their attitude was remarkably positive in admitting guilt and confessing their crime.
Seeing this, Zhou Quanmin nodded slightly.
Killing one Chinese giant salamander would not result in severe sentencing.
But...
According to the evidence submitted by the public security authorities, the giant salamander that Qi Lianglei and the six others caught was "pregnant."
Its belly contained fish eggs.
This required a reassessment of its economic, environmental, and ecological value.
Furthermore,
The seven also faced charges of embezzlement and illegal fishing of aquatic products.
Because it was considered the same act,
In terms of sentencing...
A conviction should be based on the most severe charge.
Among the three criminal charges, the most severe is the crime of endangering endangered wildlife.
If the circumstances are minor, the sentence is imprisonment for up to five years, supervision, or detention.
If the circumstances are severe, the sentence is imprisonment for more than five years.
"According to the forensic analysis of the video from the law enforcement recorder by the public security authorities, it was determined that most of the fish belong to farmed species rather than wild species."
Zhou Quanmin took a deep breath and publicly announced an analysis result.
After this period of investigation and differentiation,
The identification of the seven barrels of fish has concluded.
A very small portion are wild species.
The actions of Qi Lianglei and the six others, catching fish during the fishing ban period, indeed constituted the crime of illegal fishing of aquatic products.
However...
They were far from meeting the sentencing standards for the crime of illegal fishing of aquatic products.
No criminal responsibility needs to be borne.
They just need to face administrative penalties and law enforcement management penalties for this illegal behavior.
"Most of these fish belong to farmed released species; did the fish you caught come from the plaintiff’s side?"
Next.
After completing the review on the harm to endangered wildlife, Zhou Quanmin began the next stage of the proceedings.
Upon hearing this, Qi Lianglei and the six others looked at each other.
Although they were unwilling to admit it, they did not dare to confront the judge and the court.
Being under the eaves,
They had no choice but to bow their heads.
If they continued to confront, their sentences might increase sharply.
"They were indeed released by them."
Zhou Quanmin nodded and spoke again, "When you were catching these released fish, were you aware there might be conflicts arising, as well as infringement on the other party’s property rights?"
This matter...
Is too complex.
Both he and the judges on the panel knew it well.
Although Qin Mu and Li Weiguo claimed they were not there for releasing fish, the fact was that their real purpose was releasing fish.
However...
The actions of Qi Lianglei and the six others were quite unethical, so they changed their statement to "changing the water."
Only in this way,
Can they sue Qi Lianglei and others under the premise of lost property.
However...
Although they saw through everything, according to the law, there were no issues with Qin Mu and Li Weiguo’s actions and statements.
As long as they insisted that the fish were not released, they could be judged as lost property.
After all...
Nobody stipulated that fish "lost" at release points were release fish.
This is different from societal understanding of a trash can.
Throwing something in the trash can is a default societal behavior, implying no need for the item.
Therefore, anything scavengers pick up from trash cans can be considered their own, not considered misappropriation.
The original owner cannot use this as a reason to reclaim it.
"Dong——"
After about finishing the review.
Zhou Quanmin tapped the gavel and announced, "Now, entering the free debate phase."
What needed understanding has been understood clearly.
This phase...
Is the opportunity for the defendants to appeal and state their claims.
"Respectful Judgment Chief, and all the jurors."
Beside the defendant’s stand,
A legal aid lawyer raised his head and read from the script: "My clients feel deeply ashamed of their actions that day and have realized their mistakes."
"They wish to plead guilty and accept punishment actively, bearing the corresponding consequences."
"They are willing to buy the appropriate species of fish at their own expense and release them to the river, replenishing ecological balance, and apologize to Li Weiguo, providing compensation..."
As Qi Lianglei and others’ "new generation" legal aid lawyer,
He didn’t dare to perform haphazardly after taking the case.
He directly advised the seven to plead guilty and seek lenient treatment.
This was the best result for him, Qi Lianglei, and the others...
Fortunately, this time Qi Lianglei and the six others cooperated well without making any troubles.
"Just... like this?"
And on the plaintiff’s side.
Li Weiguo blinked as he listened to the continuous repentance and apologies from the other side.
Suddenly, he didn’t know what to say.
This court hearing...
He had not even spoken seriously, and it seemed to be coming to an end.
Qi Lianglei and the six others...
Were as docile as rabbits, without resisting throughout the process.
"My ticket! The scalper told me there would be a good show, and this is it?"
"I was wrong, I really was wrong, I shouldn’t have spent 1000 yuan to watch this live, these seven people are too timid."
"I thought they were real men, but they turned out to be seven cowards."
"Can’t they be braver, take a risk, turn a bicycle into a motorcycle!"
"..."
In the audience seats,
Many bystanders who had spent a lot of money on tickets were feeling somewhat conflicted.
They couldn’t help but grumble.
Displaying expressions of frustration and disappointment.
This trial...
Had been thought to be a spectacular show, but it was calm throughout with no twists or highlights.
The seven did not resist.
Qin Mu even didn’t say a word, and Qi Lianglei and the six others admitted guilt and accepted judgment.
They all had a feeling of being deceived.
Comments