Too Bad I Take Things Seriously

If they underestimated the opponent…

There was a very high chance they'd get themselves buried.

"Everyone come over, let's talk through the defense strategy for this case."

The nine of them exchanged looks.

They gathered together, started brainstorming, each giving their own opinions.

They broke this case down piece by piece.

They were on the defendants' side.

In the mock trial that was about to begin, they needed to help Zhang San and the others with their defense.

"Based on the experience from the previous rounds, we have to know in advance what methods Qin Mu and his side will use to charge Zhang San and the others."

One of the lawyers took a deep breath and said gravely.

In the previous rounds.

The reason the teams from other regions were eliminated was, to a large extent, because the charging angle or defense angle Qin Mu proposed was way too out of left field.

He caught them completely off guard.

But if…

They could predict Qin Mu's thinking ahead of time, they'd have plenty of time to prepare a response.

"Judging from general legal principles, Zhang San and Li Si counterfeited currency, so of course they'd be charged with the crime of counterfeiting currency, but Zhang San's situation… is a bit special."

Soon.

A criminal defense lawyer proposed a line of thought.

The crime of counterfeiting currency refers to the act of illegally making fake currency to pass it off as real currency by imitating the denomination, patterns, colors, texture, style, specifications, etc. of domestic or foreign currency, using various methods.

This crime…

Targets not only the national currency, but also foreign currency.

This time Zhang San…

In addition to printing one billion in domestic currency, he also printed an extra Twenty Million Dollars in foreign currency.

According to the sentencing standards for this crime.

Where the circumstances are serious and the amount is especially huge, the sentence is fixed-term imprisonment of over ten years, or life imprisonment.

And what Zhang San printed…

Clearly falls into the top bracket; he could be directly sentenced to life imprisonment.

In addition.

In terms of elements, as long as there is direct intent and an act of counterfeiting, a case can be filed for this crime.

Zhang San's conduct clearly wasn't negligence.

He knew full well that printing fake banknotes was illegal, yet he still agreed to Li Si's request and helped print one billion in counterfeit currency.

That already constitutes the crime of counterfeiting currency.

But…

Zhang San printed fake money not to let it circulate on the market and deliberately challenge the existing monetary circulation system.

And on the back of every fake banknote, he printed the words "magic prop."

If Qin Mu really files charges under this offense…

There's no doubt.

He'll be walking right into a trap, and they could use that to launch the strongest counterattack.

"Qin Mu shouldn't be that easy to bait, but… for the moment I still haven't found any other way to indict them."

This lawyer frowned and said with a wry smile.

Other than charging them with counterfeiting currency…

It seemed…

Zhang San hadn't committed any other crime.

And Li Si's conduct was the same.

Although he was the instigator, he only ordered magic props, instead of using them to pass fake as real and maliciously put them into circulation.

He also hadn't caused any damage to the existing monetary system.

"As for Wang Wu… the overloading that caused the bridge to collapse, that matter…"

Next.

The nine of them pondered for a long while, then began discussing the next issue.

Overloading is an illegal act.

Normally, if you're caught the direct consequence is an administrative penalty, or revocation of your driving license, etc.

Of course.

If what's overloaded isn't goods but people…

Then that constitutes the crime of dangerous driving.

Where the circumstances are serious, the sentence is fixed-term imprisonment of over three years but less than seven years.

And drunk driving, driving under the influence, drag racing and such behavior…

All fall under the scope of the crime of dangerous driving.

But this case is different: Wang Wu overloaded goods in transport, causing the bridge to collapse…

Accidentally injuring other people.

Triggering a workplace safety accident issue.

Strictly speaking.

It can also constitute dangerous driving behavior.

Because it was Wang Wu's overloading that led to this safety accident, he should bear a certain degree of responsibility.

"I think… Qin Mu might bring charges focusing on the safety accident aspect, but I haven't yet pinned down the specific offense."

Another lawyer furrowed his brows and said in a low voice.

"Ahem, allow me to remind everyone, Wang Wu's matter actually doesn't need to be discussed anymore, he… died, remember?"

Suddenly.

One lawyer coughed a few times and couldn't help reminding them.

When the others heard this.

They were stunned for a moment, then snapped back to their senses.

Right.

𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

On the way to the hospital, while being transported by Zhao Liu…

He was abandoned midway.

He literally froze to death.

A dead person…

Normally the case is written off and can't be pursued further.

Because if you keep investigating…

There's not much point.

Let alone that Wang Wu only overloaded; even if he had killed someone, it couldn't be pursued anymore.

They can't possibly sentence Wang Wu's corpse to detention or some other criminal penalty, right?

"What about Zhao Liu?"

The few of them exchanged a look and simply skipped over the discussion about Wang Wu.

During the rescue process, Zhao Liu…

threw the unconscious and gravely injured Wang Wu out of the car, and this behavior is also open to debate.

"With a high probability it's a case of failing to render aid, which ultimately caused Wang Wu's death and constitutes intentional homicide."

One of the lawyers let out a sigh.

This line of defense…

is not easy to do.

If Zhao Liu hadn't tried to save him, then he definitely wouldn't be in any trouble.

But halfway through, he threw the man out…

and that's a big problem.

Starting the rescue means he assumed a duty to aid and created a dependency relationship with Wang Wu's life.

If he failed to rescue him, Wang Wu would die because of him.

In that situation…

the duty to rescue is established.

Zhao Liu's final conduct led to Wang Wu's death, which falls under the crime of intentional homicide.

Among other things.

The phone call from Zhao Liu's wife threatening him constitutes an act of instigating an intentional crime.

Especially since…

Zhao Liu dumped Wang Wu by the roadside, in the dead of winter.

The circumstances are all the more egregious.

If he had left Wang Wu at the hospital entrance, there would have been a high chance someone would help, and Wang Wu might not have died.

Dumping him on the side of the road…

basically amounts to abandoning that life.

"The key points for this defense… are a bit tough, but it's not like there's no chance at all."

Among the nine.

A lawyer who specialized in not-guilty defenses propped his chin, pondering, and said, "We can build our defense around the idea that Zhao Liu mistakenly believed Wang Wu was already dead…"

This case…

under the current situation, can develop in two directions.

One is that Zhao Liu knew Wang Wu could still be saved, yet still threw him out of the car, thereby causing the other's eventual death.

That would constitute intentional homicide.

The other is that Zhao Liu mistakenly thought Wang Wu was already dead, believed he could not be resuscitated, decided to abandon him, and only then threw him out of the car, ultimately resulting in the other's death.

That would constitute the crime of negligent homicide.

Weighing the two…

naturally, the penalty for negligent homicide is lighter and can help reduce the punishment for their client Zhao Liu.

"But my gut tells me… Qin Mu won't indict Zhao Liu in such a straightforward way."

A lawyer next to him was not so optimistic, his expression rather complicated.

The thing about Qin Mu that they found hardest to read…

was that wild, unrestrained approach to indictment and defense.

Anyone else would prosecute Zhao Liu for intentional homicide, but Qin Mu might not take the conventional route.

"Then there's also the indictment of Sun Qi…"

After that.

The nine of them began discussing the situation of Sun Qi's case.

Sun Qi's situation…

was even more brazen; he openly took photos and posted them to his Moments, a textbook case of failing to render aid.

This kind of behavior…

violates public order and good morals, and is morally blameworthy.

But in law, it's actually not illegal.

Because…

he indeed had no legal duty to rescue.

Since it's not illegal, it can't possibly constitute a crime.

Yet their intuition told them…

Qin Mu would never just let it go that easily; he would definitely indict from some angle they couldn't even imagine!

...

At the same time.

In a certain office.

"Old Rao, tell me… from what angles do you think Qin Mu will indict people like Zhang San, Li Si, Wang Wu, Zhao Liu, and Sun Qi?"

Huang Qinglin took a sip of tea and looked over at Rao Zhengde, who was happily spectating.

His eyes flickered slightly.

He was clearly very much looking forward to the upcoming final hearing.

This string of cases…

has to be sorted out within an hour, which is extremely brain-intensive.

Even for Qin Mu, this is a huge test!

"I don't know which angles he'll use to indict them; what I do know is… the Shanghai lawyers' team is going to start questioning their life choices."

Rao Zhengde shrugged and said in a faint tone.

Huang Qinglin's insistence on setting a criminal-law problem…

was undeniably tilting things in Qin Mu's favor.

Everyone knows Qin Mu's attainments in criminal law.

But then again…

the Shanghai lawyers' team has nine people.

While Qin Mu's side has only two.

If they still end up losing to Qin Mu…

they really have no one to blame.

"You have that much faith in Qin Mu?"

Huang Qinglin raised an eyebrow and couldn't help asking back.

Rao Zhengde rolled his eyes.

He said nothing more.

At the very beginning, he had indeed doubted Qin Mu's abilities.

But through his performance in the earlier rounds…

Qin Mu had completely proven himself and upended everything he thought he knew.