Chapter 896: Chapter 352: The Court’s Verdict, River Guardians
The anticipated conflict...
did not occur.
The "heroes" in their eyes were acting way too cowardly.
This made the trial far less exciting than imagined.
...
Jin City.
Nursing home.
The elderly who couldn’t get a seat in the courtroom...
were gathering in the courtyard at this moment.
Sitting on small stools, watching the live broadcast on the projection screen.
The reaction of the seven...
also disappointed them somewhat.
A defendant like Meng Lei was ultimately too rare.
And Qi Lianglei’s swift submission, without any resistance, spent the entire time seeking leniency from the court.
"Looks like the trial is about to end."
In a corner of the courtyard, Wan Zhongyuan couldn’t help but mutter.
He had arrived at the nursing home early in the morning.
Watching the live broadcast with these seniors, he saw Qi Lianglei and the other’s "performance."
If nothing unexpected happens...
the case should be settled.
The three charges against them are pretty much solidified.
Next...
we just have to wait for the judgment from the collegiate panel.
"I should... they won’t sentence them to ten years, right?"
He pursed his lips, involuntarily recalling the defendants previously taken to court by Qin Mu.
Those defendants...
ended up in jail just because they offended Qin Mu.
The heaviest sentence even reached twenty years.
Now, let’s see how long Qi Lianglei and the others will be sentenced for their three charges.
Actually.
Watching the trial so far.
He felt a bit sorry for these seven people.
If they had been a bit more honest, at most, they would have just had to return the fish and apologize or something.
It wouldn’t have ended up like this.
...
Zizhou.
In a high-end residential area.
Qing Lan sat in front of the computer, also following this case.
This case...
is already well-known in Jin City, with a very wide impact.
When she logged in to the live trial website, there was a slight lag.
Which shows how many people were watching the live stream online.
"Three charges, well-deserved!"
Watching the seven people pleading guilty, she couldn’t help but sneer.
The benevolent fish released by others...
turned around and were caught by them. Ordinary people really wouldn’t do such a thing.
Releasing upstream, catching downstream.
These people aren’t afraid of shortening their lives.
"According to UP’s teaching, they should... get around two years?"
She stared at the trial live stream, blinking.
Couldn’t help but ponder.
With the legal knowledge she learned from Qin Mu, she already knew the sentencing range for these three charges.
Not all three charges constitute serious circumstances, so the sentencing range is different.
Combined...
it’s about two years.
But the performance of the seven is really good, actively admitting their mistakes and accepting penalties.
Their attitude...
is the best she’s ever seen among all defendants.
Plus, the criminal act of all seven wasn’t very heinous...
perhaps they might even get a lighter sentence.
However...
this outcome is already very good.
At least it can deter those uncultured people specifically fishing for released fish.
After this incident, believe it or not.
There will be far fewer people like Qi Lianglei who love taking small advantages.
...
Jin City.
District Court.
Second Criminal Court.
"Dong—"
After two hours of free debate, Zhou Quanmin knocked the gavel.
Seeing that both sides had finished presenting all their arguments.
Nodded and said, "Next, there will be a brief adjournment, and a judgment will be made in half an hour."
After speaking.
He stood up and left the scene with the jury of the collegiate panel.
Heading to the verdict discussion room.
The seven-member collegiate panel began to discuss the judgment plan for this case.
"Let’s discuss, how do you all think it should be judged?"
Zhou Quanmin looked at the other six and was the first to ask.
This case...
seems trivial, but its complexity is beyond imagination.
Qi Lianglei and others are suspected of three charges.
The fish they took...
legally speaking, they are divided into three parts.
One part is the fish that Li Weiguo lost while changing water, which he’s suing for.
One part is the wild fish in the Jin River.
And one is a Chinese giant salamander.
These three types of fish each involve a charge.
"I think, this case shouldn’t have a heavy sentence."
A jury member glanced at the others and seriously said, "After all, it’s just an ordinary civil dispute. Although Qi Lianglei and the seven have various criminal circumstances, they shouldn’t be heavily sentenced."
Zhou Quanmin nodded.
This point he quite agrees with.
However...
In this case, Qi Lianglei and the other six ultimately violated criminal law.
They must be dealt with impartially, to uphold the solemnity of the law.
"First, their actions involved the crime of encroachment, but the amount of encroachment was not high, just reaching the threshold for filing a case."
Zhou Quanmin thought for a moment, then continued: "Secondly, their actions involved the crime of illegal fishing of aquatic products, catching a certain quantity of wild fish resources during the closed fishing season, but the quantity was not large and did not cause serious damage to the ecological environment."
"Thirdly, their actions involved the crime of endangering endangered wild animals."
After analyzing this far.
Zhou Quanmin paused and said seriously, "The stomach of the salamander contained eggs, but only one, and there wasn’t large-scale fishing, so a severe penalty shouldn’t be imposed."
Originally.
The penalty for endangering endangered wild animals was very severe, but it was meant for those who poach indiscriminately.
Those who cause the greatest harm to wild animals are these people.
And not Qi Lianglei and the others.
"I agree, but punishment must still be given, as they violated criminal law after all."
"This case is quite complex, and there needs to be a balance that both serves as a deterrent without being overly harsh."
"Harsh is indeed not the case, their actions truly violated criminal law and must not be condoned."
"However, their attitude of admitting guilt is fairly good, and they are willing to compensate, which is worth encouraging and advocating."
"..."
The members of the tribunal all spoke, expressing their own opinions and viewpoints.
The majority...
still agreed on a lighter punishment.
"In that case, let’s discuss the sentencing plan."
Zhou Quanmin nodded, also approving of this direction in sentencing.
Summing it up in one sentence.
Can issue a lighter sentence, but cannot exempt from penalty.
"Administrative penalties are a must, to be enforced and supervised by the environmental department, besides the encroachment crime... the compensation to Li Weiguo is necessary."
Immediately.
Two judges slowly spoke, proposing some suggestions.
Upon investigation.
It can now be determined that the fish taken by Qi Lianglei and others essentially belonged to Li Weiguo.
But legally.
Qin Mu’s accusations have legal grounds, these fish do not fully qualify as abandoned property.
"In addition to compensation, some ecological restoration is required."
"In terms of sentencing, it should not be primarily custodial."
"If probation is given, certain weekly required measures should be added during the correction education stage..."
"..."
Before long.
The tribunal reached a consensus, making a relatively reasonable judgment.
As time went...
Half an hour passed.
Zhou Quanmin led the tribunal members and reappeared in the courtroom.
Striking the gavel.
Declared solemnly: "After two rounds of trials, this court, under my stewardship as Chief Judge, and as organized by the tribunal, has found the facts and determined that Qi Lianglei, Zhang Chunhua, and the other five in a certain section of Jin River engaged in illegal fishing, endangered endangered wild animals, and encroached on others’ fish."
"The facts of the case are clear, with no doubts throughout."
"This court believes that the actions of Qi Lianglei and the other seven constitute the crimes of encroachment, illegal fishing of aquatic products, and endangering endangered wild animals."
"But given their good behavior during the case investigation stage and their active admission of guilt, which is commendable; and considering their conduct during the trial phase..."
"Therefore, this court hereby pronounces the following judgments:
"Sentencing Qi Lianglei for the crimes of encroachment, illegal fishing of aquatic products, and endangering endangered wild animals, to two years imprisonment and three years probation. Ordering compensation to the plaintiff Li Weiguo for the fish loss, and redressing the endangered wildlife actions by releasing 200 fish back into the Jin River."
"Sentencing Zhang Chunhua for the crimes of encroachment, illegal fishing of aquatic products, and endangering endangered wild animals, to one year and nine months imprisonment and two years probation.
During the probation period, must actively follow the arrangements of the corrective community, maintain the water resource ecological environment of the Jin River basin, perform regular patrols, prevent others from damaging water resources, and engaging in illegal activities like fishing aquatic products..."
"Sentencing..."
Five minutes later.
A long list of judgments was finally read out.
In this judgment document.
The court not only imposed the deserved punishment and compensation.
But also required them during the probation period to take on the duties of "river guardians," protecting the water resource environment.
If similar aquatic product fishing activities are encountered...
Should actively report, stopping such destructive actions.
"No... No imprisonment?"
At the defendant’s bench.
Qi Lianglei and the other six listened to their sentences and all showed expressions of disbelief.
Probation!
Although they are not very familiar with probation, they know it means no imprisonment is needed.
Their actions...
mysteriously committed three crimes.
They had already lost hope.
"Lawyer, thank you..."
The seven couldn’t help but turn their heads, looking at their defense lawyer.
They...
are very satisfied with this result.
As long as there’s no imprisonment, everything is alright.
As for the so-called community corrections and water resource environment protection, those are trivial.
They have fished for so many years and know well the practices of those "peers."
Absolutely one report precisely hits the mark!
Possibly...
may even end their sentence early for good behavior!
"They... why are they so happy?"
At the plaintiff’s bench.
Li Weiguo glanced at his mouth, looking at the defendants’ bench, somewhat confused.
This isn’t any sort of not guilty verdict.
Though they don’t have to go to prison, probation is not that easy.
Both physically and mentally, long-term transformation is needed.
Qin Mu shook his head.
He also doesn’t quite understand the mindset of these people.
Originally, things could have been settled peacefully.
But they just had to go to court with him, leading to this situation.
Blame it solely on...
Their "legal awareness" being too strong, only wanting to gain advantage and unable to endure any loss.
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