Chapter 188: Filing for Supervisory Review, the Prosecution: I Recommend the Death Penalty, Su Bai: I Will Conduct an Innocence Defense

The materials had been organized.

The preliminary preparation work regarding Chen Bin’s case had already been completed to approximately the fullest extent.

Hoo…

After exhaling deeply, Su Bai organized some of the materials and had Li Xuezhen deliver them to the supervisory review department in Beidu.

Li Xuezhen’s eyes lit up: ???

Looking at the related materials that Su Bai handed to her, Li Xuezhen was slightly stunned, and her eyes were full of surprise.

She spoke in an uncertain tone:

“Lawyer Su… the trial has not even started yet, and we are already initiating supervisory review?”

“This… is that permissible?”

“Mm! of course it is!”

“We need to accelerate the progress, after all we are not familiar with the supervisory review department in Beidu.”

Su Bai smiled.

Li Xuezhen’s small face nodded seriously and forcefully:

“Alright Lawyer Su, understood!”

Looking at Li Xuezhen’s departing back, Su Bai nodded with satisfaction.

Who said that supervisory review can only be initiated after trial?

Before trial, as long as you have collected the materials, you can still initiate supervisory review, and there is no problem whatsoever!

After all…

This case was not only about the prosecution accusing Chen Bin.

If it had not been for certain matters in the middle, this case would have been impossible to occur at all, so…

Initiating supervisory review one step earlier was not a major problem.

Moreover.

Raising the review in advance was also good, in order to accelerate the progress and save time.

And improve litigation efficiency.

Because Chen Bin’s case produced enormous social impact, and it also involved two deaths and three serious injuries.

Therefore the litigation regarding Chen Bin was directly tried by the Beidu Intermediate Court.

After all procedures were fully prepared, the Intermediate Court notified all parties of the trial time and the specific related matters.

Because Chen Bin’s case had received relatively high social attention, it was conducted as a livestreamed trial.

Moreover.

Before the trial, there had already been a small amount of intense discussion on the internet regarding this trial.

Very soon, the time approached the trial.

On the day of the trial.

The trial time had originally been set for ten o’clock in the morning.

At approximately nine thirty, Su Bai appeared in front of the trial court together with Li Xuezhen.

Of course there were also people who had arrived earlier than they had.

At the entrance of the court, at this time, many media personnel were already standing.

Before this case was tried, it had already had a certain degree of popularity online, and its popularity was even greater than that of the Qi Feng case.

Because one concerned one’s own self defense, and one concerned causing death for the purpose of protecting a relative.

The possibility of both occurring in reality was very great, and ordinary people all had a very strong sense of identification with them.

Compared with self defense, the topic of protecting a relative from being humiliated had greater impact.

Therefore this case was highly representative and also a case with very high popularity.

Upon seeing Su Bai arrive at the court entrance, many media personnel instantly rushed over.

They were all not unfamiliar with Su Bai.

After all…

Sometimes Su Bai would appear on trending searches from time to time, and now within the lawyer circle, Su Bai was equivalent to a traffic code.

They were even now taking past livestream footage of court hearings that Su Bai had conducted and placing it on short video platforms, and it could also attract considerable traffic.

Among these media people, the majority had come while closely watching Su Bai.

They wanted to conduct an interview, and perhaps it would become a traffic explosion point.

A male reporter, relying on his height advantage.

Forcefully squeezed from the rear of the reporter crowd to Su Bai’s side, forcefully extended the interview microphone in his hand before Su Bai, and asked with a flushed face:

“May I ask Lawyer Su, you accepted Chen Bin’s entrusted case, what view do you have? Previously some people said that the Qi Feng case advanced the progress of the rule of law.”

“With respect to Chen Bin’s case, some people say that it is a contest between the rule of law and human sentiment.”

“You acted as agent in this case, does this mean that you abandoned your previous viewpoint and chose human sentiment?”

Su Bai: ……

If the case could be won by using human sentiment, then what would be the point of studying law?

The key point was that the Presiding Judge also could not possibly render judgment because of some human sentiment.

These media people… the questions they asked were somewhat outrageous.

However, looking at how strenuously this male reporter was exerting himself, Su Bai still gave a simple response.

“My personal viewpoint is to proceed in accordance with the law.”

“Then can Lawyer Su tell us what law you are proceeding in accordance with? And how much confidence do you have in this trial?”

Su Bai: ???

Could this kind of thing be said before the trial starts?

Su Bai did not answer this question, and immediately afterwards other media personnel also crowded around and began asking questions.

“Lawyer Su… may I ask after acting as agent in Chen Bin’s case, what view do you have, and do you think this lawsuit can be won?”

“Can this lawsuit continue your undefeated myth of success?”

“With respect to defending Chen Bin, may I ask whether you have any other thoughts, or what reason led you to defend Chen Bin? Could you please speak a little about this point?”

“Lawyer Su… you should understand this case, correct? Could you talk about your understanding of this case?”

“Lawyer Su… Lawyer Su…”

A crowd of reporters and media personnel surrounded Su Bai, wanting to ask out an exact statement.

However Su Bai’s physical condition was not weak, and he forcefully squeezed through the crowd together with Li Xuezhen into the court.

Only after arriving inside the court did he exhale at length, this trial was a livestreamed trial, and the popularity was not low, so it attracted many media personnel.

Media.

After this case ended, they would certainly expose it vigorously.

What he needed was precisely this kind of exposure.

Inside the court waiting room.

Su Bai lightly exhaled, and Li Xuezhen at his side enthusiastically began discussing this case with Su Bai.

“Lawyer Su… previously you did not let me say it… look.”

“I saw an online post saying that the two people whom Chen Bin stabbed to death, these two were not good people, they were all illegal debt collectors.”

“And also the company that lent money to Chen Bin’s family seems also not to be any kind of good company.”

“…”

“And also, someone said something about the situation of the enforcement personnel at that time, but this is not very clear…”

“With situations that are unclear, do not speak of them for now, have we not already initiated supervisory review?”

“It is estimated that when the case ends, there will be a corresponding result.”

“The problem is not large.”

After hearing Su Bai’s words, Li Xuezhen nodded seriously and waited for the court session to begin.

This time there were three sides in the trial hearing.

The first side was the prosecution.

The second was the accusation by the victims’ families and their entrusted lawyers.

The third was the defendant party Chen Bin and his litigation agent Su Bai.

On the eve of the trial.

Beidu, Wandai Co., Ltd., Inside the office, a bald man wearing a tie pointed at the screen on his computer.

“What is happening here, why has the screen gone black?”

“Was this computer bought as a fake product? Normally I tell you to spend more money, did you take kickbacks?”

A subordinate beside him smiled and spoke:

“President Liang, the trial livestream has not started yet…”

After the subordinate smiled and finished speaking, he lit up the computer screen.

“Alright, alright, it has already lit up, you may go out.”

Liang Xingyuan waved his hand impatiently.

He was precisely the owner of the lending company that had lent money to Chen Bin’s family.

This time in lending to Chen Bin’s family, he also had not expected such a matter to occur, but after all this concerned his lending business.

So it was still necessary for him to watch the trial livestream and see exactly how this boy would be sentenced.

Su Bai and Li Xuezhen sat in the waiting room, and very soon the relevant personnel brought them into the courtroom.

Ten o’clock in the morning.

The court session began on time.

After the clerk finished reading out the courtroom discipline and courtroom requirements, and said:

“Please have the Presiding Judge and the members of the collegial panel enter the courtroom.”

All members stood.

The Presiding Judge and the members of the collegial panel entered the courtroom.

Su Bai slightly raised his head and looked toward the members of the collegial panel this time.

He had understood that this collegial panel this time was composed of the chief judge of the Intermediate Court and two deputy chief judges.

At the seat of the Presiding Judge on the trial bench.

Song Yuanhui, as the Presiding Judge this time, had a detailed understanding of this case.

In his heart there was a certain inclination.

However he also knew.

This case had aroused broad social attention, and if the judgment was not rendered well, then it would be a courtroom accident.

It was very likely to affect his tenure situation.

It was not that something would happen to himself, but that in the future his work within the court would not be easy to carry out.

Therefore… regarding this trial hearing of the case, Song Yuanhui still attached great importance to it.

After striking the gavel, Song Yuanhui slowly spoke:

“Please be seated.”

“The court is now in session.”

After all members sat down, Song Yuanhui began verifying the identities of the persons present.

The identities of the persons present were the parties concerned and the litigation agents.

In this trial hearing, among them were the prosecution and the prosecution’s assistant, respectively Lu An and Zhang Meng.

As prosecutorial personnel, Lu An and Zhang Meng had conducted long term investigation and visits regarding this case.

And determined the relevant factual provisions.

The recommended sentence regarding Chen Bin had also been chiefly determined by the two of them.

In addition there was the victims’ side.

There were two victims, respectively Li Fei and Xu Bing, and the families of these two persons had each hired entrusted lawyers to conduct the lawsuit.

With respect to the families of Li Fei and Xu Bing, Su Bai had heard about them from He Lijuan.

He Lijuan had previously in private wanted to find the families of Li Fei and Xu Bing to sign forgiveness letters.

The families of Li Fei and Xu Bing had also agreed to conduct private mediation.

However what He Lijuan had not expected was that the families of these two deceased victims.

Seemed as if they had discussed it in advance, and the moment they opened their mouths they demanded two million in mediation fees per person.

Otherwise they would absolutely not accept private mediation and would not issue the corresponding forgiveness letters.

However He Lijuan truly could no longer produce money.

She bitterly pleaded and said that she would write promissory notes to the other party and would absolutely repay in the future, but the other party firmly refused and insisted on two million in cash per person, and that even one cent less would not be acceptable.

Out of helplessness…

The relevant forgiveness letters had still not been obtained for a long time.

After the verification of information was completed, Song Yuanhui struck the gavel and slowly spoke after looking around once:

“The identity information has been verified and confirmed, and there is no doubt.”

“Next the cause of action will be read out:”

“The cause of action in this case is that the prosecution accuses criminal suspect Chen Bin of committing the crime of intentional homicide, causing two deaths and three serious injuries.”

“And applies for the court to render judgment.”

“Is the cause of action true?”

After hearing the Presiding Judge’s question, prosecutor Lu An nodded:

“Presiding Judge, the cause of action is true.”

“It is confirmed that the cause of action is true.”

“This case is tried by the Beidu Intermediate Court, and the members of the collegial panel are Presiding Judge Song Yuanhui, and judges Shi Jiaming and Meng Hao.”

“With respect to the members of the collegial panel, do any of the parties request recusal?”

Lu An: “No application for recusal.”

Su Bai: “No application for recusal.”

Litigation agent lawyer for the victims’ side: “No application for recusal.”

“As none of the parties apply for recusal, the next stage of the trial hearing will begin,”

“Please have the prosecution begin stating your grounds for appeal.”

“Alright Presiding Judge.”

After Lu An slightly organized the materials, he placed his gaze on the defendant Chen Bin, however after remaining there for only a few seconds he again looked back toward his own litigation materials.

“Presiding Judge, our grounds for appeal are as follows:”

“First: we believe that the criminal suspect Chen Bin, within his own home, actively held a knife from within the home and caused serious injury to Li Fei and Xu Bing, resulting in their deaths.”

“Among them Li Fei died at the scene, and Xu Bing stopped vital activity during the process in which rescue personnel arrived and transported him toward the hospital.”

“According to forensic identification, the primary cause and primary responsibility for the deaths of these two persons were both caused by Chen Bin.”

“At the same time, there were also three persons seriously injured, and according to hospital diagnosis it is proven that all three persons reached the legally defined degree of serious injury.”

“According to the evidence and materials provided by our side there is detailed explanation.”

“In addition… our side believes that during this process Chen Bin’s subjective intention was to carry out intentional injury.”

“And caused the consequence of two deaths and three serious injuries, which has already constituted quite serious intentional homicide.”

“That is, our side believes that Chen Bin is suspected of intentional homicide, and requests the court to render judgment.”

“Recommended sentence: death penalty.”

“Presiding Judge, the prosecution’s statement is completed.”

After finishing his statement, Lu An slightly raised his head and looked toward the seat of the defendant side’s litigation agent.

For this kind of case, the opposing side basically had no room for rebuttal.

Killing was a fact, and Chen Bin’s killing conduct was not carried out during the attacks of Li Fei and Xu Bing.

He did not believe that the opposing side could still construct a claim of legitimate defense.

To put it plainly, he did not believe that the opposing side could win this trial.

Lu An had understood related information regarding Su Bai.

Because in the Qi Feng case it was the opposing side who had won.

And the Higher Court had also determined Qi Feng to be not guilty on the basis of legitimate defense.

It could be said that Su Bai’s litigation level was very high.

However…

This case and the Qi Feng case were very different… it was impossible to use a reason and justification such as legitimate defense to conduct rebuttal.

Lu An believed that the opposing side was extremely likely to use crimes of passion and emotional crime as well as considerations between emotion and reason to conduct defense for Chen Bin.

However these could only slightly mitigate Chen Bin’s sentence.

At most it would only result in determination of a death sentence with reprieve.

As for life imprisonment or fixed term imprisonment, it was completely impossible.

While looking toward Su Bai, Lu An silently thought in his heart.

Su Bai noticed Lu An’s gaze, smiled, and then shifted his attention toward the seat of the Presiding Judge.

Impossible?

Then when the Presiding Judge speaks and allows the defendant side to make a statement, you will know whether it is possible or not.