Chapter 35: Court 2
Lawyers speak in layers.
That is, they deliberately control the rhythm.
Now the offensive rhythm is interrupted, and speaking again, the atmosphere is always a bit off, and the listeners don’t resonate as much.
Smith thought about it, simply stopped the offense, let the atmosphere shift, ease it a bit, and also brew the next wave of offense during this period.
He glanced at Gu Yansheng, saw this young man satisfiedly sit down, wanted to laugh, and said to the judge in a softened tone:
“Your Honor, the plaintiff’s lawyer says this question is irrelevant to this case, which is really incomprehensible.
The questions I asked are all based on the courtroom, the information provided by the French side on the day of the incident, the French side’s personnel arrangement issues made based on protective actions.
Whether his personnel arrangement was in place, what the personnel ratio was, and who the main force of the arrest operation was, this directly relates to who was enforcing the law at that time.
And law enforcement power is precisely the core point of controversy in this case.
How could this question be irrelevant to this case?
I really don’t understand this young lawyer’s logic.”
The judge nodded slightly upon hearing this, turned to Richard, and was about to speak to ask him to explain.
Gu Yansheng stood up again: “Objection! Your Honor, the defendant’s lawyer still hasn’t explained clearly why this question is related to this case.”
Smith frowned, completely baffled.
The judge was also confused. Wasn’t this explanation clear enough?
The judge coughed, “Plaintiff’s lawyer, the defendant’s lawyer has already given a certain explanation. What do you think the defendant’s lawyer hasn’t explained clearly?”
“Very well, Your Honor.” Gu Yansheng bowed to the judge in salute, then pointed at Smith with a raise of his hand and said loudly:
“The defendant’s lawyer just read aloud to us the regulatory content regarding law enforcement power, that is, based on《 the Sino-French New Treaty》, the Municipal Council enjoys independent administrative power in the French Concession, and the new treaty also clearly stipulates that foreign armed forces shall not exercise law enforcement power within the concession, this sentence.
And afterward, the defendant’s lawyer questioned, ‘People were arrested, and only afterward handed over to the belated French Police. Isn’t this nakedly exercising law enforcement power?’
And with this, he led to his next sentence, ‘Isn’t this ironclad proof that the French Concession handed over law enforcement power to Japan?’
The trial has records. Your Honor can see everything I just said in the records, and everyone present, I believe as long as your memory isn’t particularly poor, you should remember that the defendant’s lawyer said this.
So, I want to remind everyone present to pay attention.
This sentence is an obvious leading speech!
He is trying to influence everyone’s logic!
The defendant’s lawyer uses a seemingly correct fact to lead to an absolutely wrong conclusion.
Arresting and handing over people, in these five minutes, even if this is a fact, can he prove ‘the French Concession handed over all French law enforcement power in China to the Japanese authorities’?
Therefore, the defendant’s lawyer’s subsequent statement, ‘Even if it’s just a momentary handover! Is the newspaper report wrong?’
The answer is, of course, wrong.
Because even if the newspaper is just guessing based on these five minutes and writes the corresponding report.
The newspaper’s headline shouldn’t be that the French Concession handed over law enforcement power to Japan, or even exaggerated like Shen Bao, France surrendering to Japan. This is simply ridiculous, pure fabrication without any factual basis!
The defendant’s lawyer thinks it’s explained clearly, so please have the defendant’s lawyer make it clear!
The question you asked about my client’s side, is it based on the law enforcement power issue raised in these five minutes, or based on the French Concession handing over the entire law enforcement power to the Japanese authorities?”
Oh~ obvious exclamations of admiration arose from the audience.
The plaintiff’s lawyer is very strong!
This speech directly knocked down the footing of the entire question.
That is, no matter what happens in these five minutes, it’s not enough to prove that the French Concession handed over the entire law enforcement power to the Japanese authorities.
And if the defendant’s lawyer continues to argue about the law enforcement power issue in these five minutes, the nature of the case changes.
It means the defendant’s lawyer himself completely denies the fact of handing over all law enforcement power, so there’s no need to continue the trial, just admit defeat.
Although the reporters in the audience are definitely biased toward the defendant, this exciting cannon barrage is still much more thrilling and exciting than that one-sided, sleep-inducing trial.
Some took photos, some exchanged thoughts.
And besides the reporters, social elites like personnel from various consulates nodded repeatedly.
They all know the truth of the facts very well, but for the facts to be dramatized like this today is way beyond their expectations.
The judge won’t admit he was just led astray, and formally asked Smith, “Defendant’s lawyer, do you still want to ask questions?”
Smith sat in his position quietly, looking at Gu Yansheng, not expecting this newcomer to be so tough.
He had been observing the plaintiff’s bench and could confirm that before this speech, Wolf hadn’t exchanged or instructed this young man, so this was entirely this young man’s own on-the-spot improvisation.
It seems Wolf really found a talent.
“Yes, I want to ask questions, Your Honor.”
Smith regrouped, stood up, “Mr. Richard, after the incident at the restaurant, all the personnel arrested inside the restaurant were transferred to the French Concession Police Station. Is this true?”
Smith decisively abandoned the restaurant issue; it had now become a pit.
Richard nodded, “Indeed.”
“Then, was this prominent Japanese figure injured in this restaurant operation?”
“No, we protected him very well.”
“Since he wasn’t injured, he didn’t go to the hospital. Where is this prominent figure now? At the Municipal Council? At the consulate? Or has he gone back?”
“He is”
“Objection!” Gu Yansheng stood up again.
“Your Honor, this Japanese noble’s whereabouts are confidential.
Even though the itinerary has ended, according to the protection treaty drafted between the French and Japanese sides at that time, Article 5, Clause 7, it clearly states.
The French side has the obligation to protect the secrecy of key personnel’s itineraries. Regardless of during or after the process, no information shall be disclosed to irrelevant personnel.
The defendant’s lawyer is guiding my client to make a mistake. Leaking information could cause trouble for the Japanese client, leading to a series of changes, and this is alienating the emotions between the Japanese and French sides.”
“Objection sustained.”
“No problem.”
Smith stepped forward with a smile, “Then I’ll ask in another way. After the assassination case occurred and people were arrested to the police station, logically speaking, regardless of the outcome of the assassination, this Japanese noble should have been transferred away. He couldn’t have been locked up together in the police station’s prison, right, Consul Richard?”
Richard thought about it; there was no pit, no room for hesitation, and nodded: “Naturally.”
“Then he probably didn’t need to be questioned by your police station, meaning no statement or such, right?”
This was even more impossible. Richard quickly answered, “No need.”
“Heh, then I don’t understand.”
Smith asked with a smile: “Since he didn’t need to make a statement and wasn’t locked in the police station’s prison, what about the Japanese soldiers who appeared at the police station’s entrance that afternoon?
Who were they protecting? And who were they arresting?
How did it come to this point, where at the police station’s entrance, these Japanese soldiers still had law enforcement power?
According to your statement, this noble was inside the police station at that time. Only this explanation can reasonably account for the Japanese soldiers having so-called temporary law enforcement power just to protect an important figure, right?”
Richard felt a heavy blow inside. He finally understood why Lawyer Gu suddenly raised an objection earlier.
If Lawyer Gu hadn’t objected just now, he would have said the person had already gone back, and it would all be over.
These lawyers are really cunning, digging pits everywhere.
But now, he seemed to have no choice again.
“Yes, he was inside the police station at that time.” Richard secretly glanced at Gu Yansheng, who showed no reaction, and could only answer grittedly.
“See, although the confidentiality regulations say not to say it, the facts will tell us the result.”
Smith chuckled lightly at Gu Yansheng.
But he saw Gu Yansheng with his head down, seemingly playing with something below, probably his fingers?
Feeling slighted, he frowned involuntarily, turned, and unleashed his anger at Richard.
“So, Consul, please explain: you personally admitted that the Japanese noble was inside the police station, and the police station wasn’t attacked, which all reporters present can testify to.
Who gave the Japanese soldiers the power, what was their motive, to arbitrarily arrest people in the alley outside the police station?!”
Richard’s jaw clenched shut instantly.
But Smith’s cannon fire continued.
“Arresting people without orders, isn’t this a manifestation of them having independent law enforcement power?
With your authorization, isn’t this a manifestation of them having French Concession law enforcement power?
And afterward, these Japanese soldiers who made the arrests weren’t arrested by the French Concession Police. The French Concession Police Station is right next door to where the Japanese soldiers arrested people. Isn’t this a manifestation of your agreement?
Many reporters present witnessed the whole thing, wrote reports saying you gave Japan law enforcement power. Isn’t that correct?”
