Chapter 483: Chapter 354: Court Session Begins!
"Or are you saying I’ve offended someone?"
Xu Liang suddenly recalled something, then his mind stalled.
There were too many people he had offended.
He didn’t know which angle to consider it from at the moment.
After a long while, he shook his head, kept this in mind, and turned his thoughts to the trial-related matters.
...
...
Time passed by in a flash.
After the sun had turned a few days and nights overhead, the date on his phone switched to...
September 10th!
The day of the first court hearing!
"The trial is about to begin... There really is a lot happening this year. In previous years, I could go a whole year as a reporter with nothing to report, but this year it’s coming up like bamboo shoots after the rain!"
"You don’t say, just on the 20th, an espionage case was wrapped up in Upper City, and now they’re still holding people accountable for it. Then early September rolls around, and it’s a murder trial...."
"Have you all learned about the lawyers for the plaintiff and defendant in this case?"
"Hmm? This is a public prosecution case, so there isn’t a lawyer for the plaintiff. As for the defendant...who is the defense attorney?"
"I don’t know, haven’t you all been writing articles condemning them?"
"I was just following the crowd; you all condemned them, so I did too...."
"I don’t know either, wasn’t it you all setting the tone...."
"..."
The courtroom.
Some reporters had arrived early at the scene, gathering in large numbers with their cameras. Some weaker-hearted individuals might faint from it all.
In a trance, the reporters seemed to stall in their discussion, their faces showing confusion.
"No one knows who the defense lawyer is?"
"Then why are you all condemning him?"
"Forget it. We’ll know once the trial starts...."
As this was said, the room returned to its noisy state.
In the judge’s waiting room.
"Hiss, it’s Xu Liang again. Wasn’t he causing trouble at the provincial offices in Qingshi City, why come back to Hanhai City for nothing... visiting relatives?"
Judge Zhang Bo looked at the case file in his hand with a conflicted expression.
Indeed, the judge presiding over this case, named Zhang Bo, was him.
Xu Liang seemed to find this name familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before.
Though he felt a bit vague.
But Zhang Bo remembered Xu Liang very clearly!
For no other reason than Zhang Bo could never forget, in 2004, a case involving dismemberment where parts were disguised as camel meat for sale, then followed by the murder of three others...
Right under his nose, Xu Liang dug out settlement letters from everyone involved in the case!
A case with a maximum sentence of death, twisted by him into a three-year sentence with a three-year suspension....
Killing three people and getting a three-year suspended sentence!!!
"How have I run into him again, and right after my promotion...."
Looking at the files from both parties in his hands, Zhang Bo felt nothing but toothache.
After a long moment, he took a deep breath and looked to both sides.
"How long until the trial begins?"
Judge Sun Hu beside him checked the time and said, "The trial begins at 1:20 in the afternoon, there’s seven minutes left now."
Seven minutes....
Zhang Bo remained silent, then took a deep breath, rising to his feet.
If it’s good luck, it’s not a calamity, if it’s a calamity, avoid it we cannot.
"Let’s head to the courtroom to prepare for the trial!"
As he said this, Zhang Bo took the lead, heading towards the courtroom.
Zhang Bo simply couldn’t believe it, Xu Liang could really torture him this time!
Moreover, this current shooting murder case is different from Sun Quan’s case; the evidence is conclusive, and it’s a heinous murder case, Zhang Bo could even make a perfect ruling with his eyes closed.
The room for the defendant’s side to maneuver is extremely limited!
Zhang Bo imagined himself as the defendant’s defense lawyer and realized the only thing he could do... was wait for the judge to deliver the verdict.
Waiting for the judge to deliver the verdict!?
As Zhang Bo walked towards the courtroom, a slight curve appeared on the corners of his mouth, his body filled with a subtle excitement.
Finally, he had his day too!
Thinking of this, Zhang Bo’s mood notably improved, even his steps quickened.
Before long, the main entrance of the courtroom appeared before him.
Noticing him coming, the bailiffs on either side of the door hastily opened it.
"Creak~!"
The heavy door was slowly opened, symbolizing the imposing halls of justice, as the gap slowly appeared before Zhang Bo.
"Rumble!"
As if there were a sound, countless eyes instantly turned towards Zhang Bo, some filled with doubt, others scrutinizing.
Zhang Bo maintained a blank expression, slowly making his way to the bench.
Below, inaudible whispers began to fill the air.
"Hey, why did they switch the judge, where did Zhao Yi, Judge Zhao go?"
"Idiot, Judge Zhao got a promotion. He’s in Qingshi City now, this is Zhang Bo, Judge Zhang!"
"Oh, oh, now I remember... but Judge Zhao’s promotion was a bit too quick, wasn’t it?"
"...."
Zhang Bo ignored these small talks, he sat at the bench, adjusting his posture slightly.
Then he raised his head, examining the empty seats on either side, leaning slightly towards the microphone, and said in a deep voice:
"Now, let the public prosecution and defendant parties enter the court for the hearing!"
As soon as he finished speaking.
A sound echoed from the two waiting rooms, and when the sound ended, both parties instinctively got up, guided by the bailiffs, they headed towards the courtroom.
Before long.
"Click!"
The doors on both sides of the room opened.
Prosecutor Huang Ren, wearing a formal suit, walked in slowly. Beside him were three other prosecutors, surrounding the victim’s family member, Liang Yu, in the center.
As soon as the public prosecution entered, the people in the gallery did not hesitate, immediately pulling out their cameras, continuously recording or taking pictures.
Huang Ren remained expressionless, showing no hint of nervousness.
Skillfully, he walked to the public prosecution’s seat, made some adjustments, then slowly sat down, his back straight.
Until...
Xu Liang also came in, bringing his people to the defense’s seat.
Meanwhile, the defendant, Lv Xiong, sat silently in the dock.
The moment Xu Liang’s face was seen, the people in the gallery were momentarily stunned, then....
"Xu... Lawyer Xu!?"
"Is Xu Liang the defense attorney for this case?"
"Hiss, it turns out the ultimate goal of being a lawyer is just making money... How much did the defendant pay him after all? Shooting and killing a 13-year-old child, yet still willing to defend... "
"To think that I used to write some good articles about him... all for fame, never thought he would defend this beast...."
"...."
The moment they saw Xu Liang sitting on the defendant’s side, faces were filled with complex emotions.
From their perspective, Lv Xiong deserved to die, even a ten-minute firing squad wouldn’t be too much!
But if... if someone like him had an extraordinarily powerful lawyer!?
Most people questioned Xu Liang’s morals, but no one doubted his capability!
If by chance, Xu Liang managed to win an acquittal for Lv Xiong, it would mean a demon who shot and killed a child... would escape the clutches of justice!
As for the chance of something unexpected in the case...
This wasn’t a spy case, nor a steel case.
The investigation by the police was clear.
The bullet hit the heart precisely from behind, even the bullet type was a hunting rifle, and the timing was extremely accurate.
It’s almost certain it was Lv Xiong who committed the murder!
"You...."
Listening to the surrounding whispers, filled with overt hostility.
Su Yu’s heart tightened, and she instinctively cast a worried glance towards Xu Liang, but just as she did, she saw Xu Liang’s indifferent expression, as if he hadn’t heard anything.
It was evident that he hadn’t been affected by these words.
Su Yu paused, finally letting out a sigh of relief.
Meanwhile, on the bench, after observing both sides, Zhang Bo then tapped his gavel.
"Bang!"
As the gavel fell.
"Has the public prosecution gathered all members?"
Zhang Bo’s voice carried an authoritative tone, reaching Huang Ren’s ears.
Huang Ren’s expression didn’t change, nodding, he slowly said:
"Respected presiding judge, all members of the public prosecution are present."
Zhang Bo nodded, then turned to the defense side, speaking in a deep voice:
"Defendant’s bench, are all your members present?"
Xu Liang, dressed in a suit, remained expressionless, merely nodding slightly.
"Presiding judge, all our members are present."
At this, Zhang Bo wasted no further time.
He raised the wooden gavel in his hand.
"I declare, the case is now...."
Zhang Bo said in a deep voice, the gavel in his hand falling with a ’dong’ sound.
"Open for trial!"
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