They were all classmates of Ma Ming and knew him fairly well. In their eyes, Ma Ming, though he had started studying under Qin Mu earlier and knew more about the law than they did, wasnât so overwhelmingly impressive. The statement Ma Ming just made, however, was forceful and hit directly at the heart of the matter. The expression on Tian Shulanâs lawyerâs face said it all; after Ma Ming spoke, this seemingly impressive lawyerâs demeanor actually turned grave.
From the plaintiffâs bench, Ma Ming bypassed the prosecutor and Shi Liangping and continued, "Furthermore, in the law, there are three elements to the constitution of a crime of incitement.
"First, there must be the intent to incite, along with the foreseeability of the criminal outcomes of the incitement. Tian Shulanâs actions are clearly intentional under the circumstances of needing money, aiming to deceive others for financial gain and ultimately to misappropriate their property.
"Second, objectively speaking, there must be an act of incitement. According to the evidence presented by the prosecutor just now, it sufficiently proves that Tian Shulan had engaged in behavior such as instigating, inciting, and guiding Meng Lei.
"Third, the incited individual must have a certain ability to bear responsibility. And Meng Lei, now an adult, does not fall into categories such as persons with disabilities, dementia, or intellectual disabilities. Therefore, Tian Shulan must bear criminal responsibility for the incitement!"
Legal provisions and theories poured from Ma Mingâs mouth, one after another, passionate, ardent, resounding, and forceful. Upon seeing this, Tian Shulanâs lawyer frowned tightly, clearly contemplating a counter-strategy.
This scene also shocked Shi Liangping, who was beside Ma Ming. He looked blankly at his client, his expression quite complex. He wasnât a novice attorney and had fought many lawsuits, but he had never seen any client refute the opposing lawyer in court as Ma Ming just had. This was simply beyond belief, utterly astounding.
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In the nursing home, a few middle-aged people who had stopped by became engrossed in the broadcast. They stood still, not leaving, as the nursing home staff patiently explained the situation from the previous hearings, "educating" them.
"This couple... one is more ruthless than the other," one of the middle-aged men remarked with a sigh, gazing at the two in the defendantâs dock. The spouses were at odds in court, each trying to get the other a heavier sentence. As a result, this hearing began with the prosecutor suggesting a fourteen-year sentence for one and a twelve-year sentence for the other.
"I think... itâs all because Qin Mu meddled in it," sighed the middle-aged man from the car sales industry, his gaze carrying a hint of wariness. He looked somewhat uneasy. Turning his head, he tried to find Qin Mu among the crowd in the yard watching the live broadcast.
It was as if there were a ticking time bomb among them.
But there were simply too many people in the yard. Everyone was watching the live broadcast intensely, occasionally gathering to discuss the developments. Now and then, bursts of cheers erupted.
"Bravo! Ma Ming is quite skilled; that was a great example! Incitement is incitementâif the act exists, sheâs an accomplice!"
"Tian Shulan still hasnât given up, constantly trying to absolve herself of guilt."
"You follow your spouse for better or for worse. Xiao Meng is such a good young man; she wouldnât want to see him bullied in prison, right?"
"If nothing goes awry, the case should be decided today, shouldnât it?"
Zhang Qingyuan and the others were emotionally stirred. Seeing Ma Mingâs performance, they couldnât help but applaud.
Meanwhile, in the crowd, Qin Mu watched Ma Mingâs performance with a pleased expression. Over the past few days, having nothing particular to do, he had communicated remotely with Ma Ming, sharing all his defense strategies, insights, and methods. But theory was one thing; Ma Mingâs ability to perform so well in court meant he had truly put in the effort.
Within the live broadcast of the trial, after brief contemplation, Tian Shulanâs lawyer once again put forth a sharp rebuttal: "The evidence presented by the prosecutor just now can merely prove that my client committed an act of incitement.
"But in reality, according to criminal law regulations on the crime of incitement, it specifically refers to instilling oneâs criminal intent into a person who initially had no such intent. This is done through methods such as persuasion, enticement, prompting, urging, bribery, or threats, causing them to commit the crime according to the inciterâs intent.
"In this case, Meng Lei was already involved in illegal lending during his university years, long before he ever met my client; his criminal intent was persistent. Regardless of whether my client incited him or not, his intent to commit a crime did not originate from my client.
"Therefore, the evidence presented by the prosecutor is insufficient to prove that my client is an inciter."
In front of everyone in the courtroom, Tian Shulanâs lawyer, with this brilliant performance, shook the trial once more.
Back in the nursing home, Zhang Qingyuan and the others were taken aback by this sudden turn of events.
"What did that lawyer just say? According to criminal law, Tian Shulan isnât an inciter?"
"This lawyer is quite adept; itâs obvious Tian Shulan spared no expense."
"And Meng Leiâs lawyer isnât saying a word at this juncture."
"I have a feeling the case is about to be turned upside down..."
The crowd furrowed their brows, involuntarily starting to worry. They had seen for themselves what Tian Shulan had done. Their simple sense of justice told them that such a person should also go to prison alongside Meng Lei. But Tian Shulanâs lawyer was clearly exploiting legal loopholes, trying to argue away the crime of incitement.