In the afternoon, all major media newspapers were flooded with news about the "Little Renault Eucalyptus". However, fewer people called this eucalyptus "Little Renault" eucalyptus, and there were obviously more people using the title "White Rose Eucalyptus".
…
Sitting in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in the study room of the Golden Mike Hotel, which looked like a presidential suite, Lu Ming read the newspaper in his hand.
It was a photo of old Reno and Judge Demps having dinner together that was leaked by a tabloid reporter and now, along with the attack on the witness, has made headlines in major newspapers.
Lu Ming shook his head and threw the newspaper aside.
"This is the first time that public opinion has reversed. Now everyone is criticizing the Renault family! Annie, are you happy?"
Han Annie, who was sorting folders on the bookshelf, shook her head slightly, "Could it be that this is Richard's trick to get an invalid trial?"
Lu Ming was slightly startled, and glanced at Han Annie's graceful back, "Annie, you have grown up!"
Han Anni bit her red lips and knew that she shouldn't answer his question seriously.
"Originally, I have been thinking, when I leave, do I want you to go with me, or do you want to stay in the Supreme Prosecutor's Office?"
Han Annie was startled and turned back: "You're leaving?!"
Just as Lu Ming was about to say something, there was a light knock on the office door.
"Commissioner, Hank Reno, wants to see you." A member of the task force gently pushed open the door.
Hank Renault, aka old Baron Renault.
Seeing that Lu Ming did not respond for a long time, the team member gently closed the door.
"Old Renault has gone crazy. For the sake of his youngest son, he has sacrificed the reputation of the entire Renault family. You, you'd better not meet him. I don't know what tricks he has up his sleeve." Han Annie said with concern.
Lu Ming nodded: "Because if he loses the lawsuit, his beloved youngest son will be sent to the guillotine."
He stood up and said, "I'd better go meet him and see what he says."
…
In the conference room, Lu Ming sat far away at one end of the conference table, while old Renault sat at the other end.
In the conference room, there were three prosecutors sitting on both sides of Lu Ming, and the action team members armed with live ammunition stood in a row, paying attention to old Renault's every move. In fact, before being brought in, old Renault was searched all over his body to prevent this old madman from bringing in grenades or something and trying to die together with Commissioner Lu.
Except in court, this was the first time that Lu Ming saw old Renault at such a close distance.
He looked haggard, completely different from the dashing old knight in the newspapers. Even the ruddy face he had when he first saw him in court a few days ago was completely different.
"Commissioner Lu, I want to talk to you alone." Old Renault stared at Lu Ming with a calm tone.
Lu Ming waved his hand: "There is nothing that cannot be said to others. Between us, everything can be open and honest."
Old Renault looked at the room full of people and thought for a moment: "Reno Pictures, 30% of the shares will be sold to Nadu Pictures."
In the room, except Lu Ming and Renault, probably no one knew what he really meant.
Lu Ming shook his head: "Sir Renault, if that's all you want to talk to me about, I think we have nothing to go on."
"Jeff's mental illness is very serious. Why do you want to take his life?" Old Renault frowned and looked at the prosecutors around Lu Ming. "Even if he dies, what good will it do you? You all live in the East China Sea, and I live in the East China Sea too."
Some prosecutors were immediately startled.
If this old madman is determined to take revenge on everyone in a few years, people like us will be in real danger.
"Sir Renault, if you are threatening my people, I can tell you that your wealth and reputation will soon vanish, and without money, the Renault family will lose all its power."
"I advise you to retract this dangerous idea. Otherwise, not only you, but also the Renault family will be destroyed in your hands."
Lu Ming looked at him with a very calm tone.
Some of the prosecutors and members of the action team who were initially timid suddenly straightened their chests.
Old Renault was indeed a very scary man, but when he sat next to his young officer, he suddenly seemed not so awe-inspiring.
Old Renault also paused, staring into Lu Ming's eyes. For a moment, he felt a huge sense of powerlessness in his heart.
No young person in his twenties has ever given me this feeling.
"Okay, Commissioner Lu, I hope you can develop better and better in the East China Sea!" Old Renault slowly stood up, turned around and walked out, but his steps were a little unsteady. Looking from the back, he was already an old man.
Lu Ming looked at his back and asked, "Do you think he is a good father to little Renault?" Without waiting for anyone to answer, he said, "I don't think so."
Get up and walk out.
…
In a lounge of the Donghai High Court, Lu Ming and Richard sat quietly, ignoring each other.
This was Lu Ming’s first time at the High Court. In the square in front of the majestic court, the statue of Alice, the goddess of justice, looked even more majestic. Where her eagle-like finger was pointing was the vast blue sea, as if she wanted to lead all the citizens of the empire into the paradise of her dreams.
At this moment, Lu Ming was still recalling the compassion in the eyes of the queen's statue.
Perhaps, as a person of such a level, his thoughts and ideas are beyond the reach of ordinary people.
However, the current royal family does not have a very good reputation, and they are not of Alice's bloodline. After all, that was a queen who remained unmarried throughout her life.
After her death, one of her nephews inherited the crown of King of the Kingdom of Griffinni and Great Emperor of the Empire.
Originally, as a federal state, according to the original meaning of the Imperial Code, this empire should not be what it is now.
I inexplicably thought of the little figure in the white sacrificial robe. What did it mean to use the forbidden name of the empire
"Lawyer Lu?" Richard suddenly asked.
Lu Ming looked at him.
Because the photos of Renault Sr. and Demps having dinner together were exposed, and the key witness who was extremely unfavorable to Renault Jr. was attacked while being transported out of the court after testifying, the Renault family was immediately pushed to the forefront. The fierce criticism on television, in newspapers and magazines was astonishing.
The more I sympathized with little Renault in the beginning, the more I hate the Renault family now, and the more I want to get rid of the label of sympathizing with anti-human perverts as soon as possible.
Richard, the attorney representing the first defendant, Renault Jr., appealed to the Donghai High Court, requesting that the trial be declared invalid.
The reason is:
First, Judge Demps's impartiality has been greatly questioned.
Second, today's media is full of prejudice against the Renault family, and the jury did not adopt a closed deliberation method, so the outside media will greatly influence their judgment.
If this continues, the trial will be an extremely serious injustice.
Therefore, Richard not only requested that the trial be invalidated, but also requested that the new court be set up outside the East China Sea and that the case be tried by the courts of the western states, thereby avoiding the huge public opinion impact in the East China Sea.
There have been precedents like this before.
As a result, the Donghai High Court established a three-person committee composed of authoritative justices to listen to the opinions of representatives of the prosecution and defense and Judge Demps, and then decide whether the case should be ruled as an invalid trial.
It is not Lu Ming and Richard's turn yet.
At this time Richard suddenly spoke, "Lawyer Lu?"
Lu Ming looked at him.
"I don't know what's going on now, but I will do what I should do for the benefit of my client!"
Lu Ming nodded.
At this time, the door was pushed open and the court staff made a gesture to Richard to come in.
Richard stood up and glanced at Lu Ming. "I am looking forward to your growth. I hope that one day, I can stand in the position of prosecution and defense with you again."
Lu Ming smiled and said, "On the contrary, I don't have high expectations. I don't think you are a respectable criminal defense lawyer."
Richard was stunned, his face turned pale, and he turned and walked out.
Lu Ming shook his head. What he said was very high-sounding. Everything that was happening now had nothing to do with him, but for the benefit of the parties involved, he should still make efforts to invalidate the trial.
Yes, whether it was attacking witnesses or exposing the photos of having dinner with Judge Demps, it was very likely that old Reno had gone crazy.
After all, this would be a crazy act at the expense of the Renault family's reputation, and Richard would not suggest this.
However, in this case, Richard did everything he should and shouldn't have done, including using Booker's sway to set a trap for himself, instigating witnesses to give false testimonies, and so on. Each and every one of these crossed the bottom line of a lawyer, and I really don't admire his character.
But I have to say that from a technical perspective, the pressure he brought to me was something I had never experienced before.
I am still looking forward to fighting him again.
I look forward to having a fair and exciting fight with him without any information gap.
This is a true giant in the imperial legal community. By that time, I don’t know if I can really knock him down.
Even if the trial was ruled to be invalid, he would have won technically, but due to the information gap, the information he got from Renault Sr. and Renault Jr. was not complete. Since they had committed a crime, Renault Sr. and Renault Jr. would always hide something.
However, he certainly hinted that the client instigated and bribed witnesses, etc. Although he himself would not be directly involved, there is no doubt that everything that happened in the court was carefully planned by him.
Therefore, in this contest, I cannot say that I have gained an advantage.
All I can say is that, in the end, good prevails over evil.
…
In the small house with a milky white tone, sitting on small chairs, behind the long table opposite, sat three majestic judges.
Looking at Christine in the middle wearing a snow-white suit, Lu Ming felt helpless, as if good could never prevail over evil.
Christine, however, looked very serious.
A staff member brought Lu Ming a form with the names and positions of three judges.
This form is also a feedback form. After the three-person committee has asked questions, if the witness feels that there is anything else to add, he or she can express it in words on this form.
Christine's position is Chief Justice of the Donghai High Court.
Lu Ming was stunned. He could not believe that Christine had become one of the eleven justices of the Supreme Court.
She didn't tell me about it the last time we had dinner together, and I haven't heard anything about it either. It should have happened in the past two days.
The other two judges are career judges of the High Court of Appeal, so the three-member committee is headed by Chief Justice Christine.
It’s a bit regrettable that it will be hard to have cases heard in her court in the future.
The decisions of the High Court are all interpretations of legal issues concerning the national economy and people's livelihood in the East China Sea.
For example, whether abortion is legal or not.
As for specific cases, only those that are particularly complex and involve the most fundamental principles of the law may be beyond the reach of the Court of Appeal and will be directly handed over to the collective decision of the eleven justices.
"Lawyer Lu Qianxing, during the trial of case number 950092158 in the First Circuit Court of Donghai, did you think that Judge Demps had a tendency to favor the first defendant?" Christine looked serious.
Lu Ming knew that his friend to whom he was apologizing might be biased towards him psychologically, but if he could not convince her legally, then everything would be in vain.
Choosing words carefully, "From an emotional point of view, I do feel that Judge Demps has some sympathy for the first defendant; however, from a legal perspective, Judge Demps was fair in this case and did not violate any rules. Every judge has personal likes and dislikes. It is impossible for me to think that a judge is not fair and impartial just because she doesn't like me and keeps glaring at me."
Speaking of which, looking at Christine, who was dressed in snow-white clothes and looked even more beautiful and charming with the majestic status of Chief Justice, it was a bit funny to think about her appearing among a group of old judges, all of whom were so old that they seemed to be dying.
Suddenly I couldn't help but talk nonsense.
The average age of the justices of the Donghai Supreme Court is around eighty years old, and they are all old zombies in the legal world who are yet to die.
Generally speaking, a replacement will only be made when someone dies. Otherwise, even if the person is lying on a hospital bed and can only groan, he or she can still sign and cannot move unless he or she resigns on his or her own initiative.
Because the replacement of each chief justice may affect the balance of the entire East China Sea political faction, it will be a brutal fight for the top political groups.
So if you can avoid moving, it’s better to keep it as it is.
Kristine frowned and glared at Lu Ming, "Are you complaining about me?"
“No, no…” Lu Ming was startled.
I didn't expect that Judge Christine, as the Chief Justice of the High Court, is still so straightforward. This is still her court.
The other two white-haired old judges were very serious. Lu Ming was a little impressed. How could their expressions not change at all
Christine stared at Lu Ming and asked again: "The first defendant's attorney appealed that current public opinion is extremely unfavorable to the first defendant and will seriously affect the jury's judgment. Do you think this is the case?"
Lu Ming shook his head. "I don't agree. In fact, every trial has certain rules within the scope permitted by law. For example, in this case, neither the prosecution nor the defense requested to prohibit the jury from contacting the outside world. The defense first manipulated public opinion, and the prosecution has been responding passively. Now, we can't say that the defense's failure to manipulate public opinion means that the rules of this trial should be overturned. If that were the case, it would be extremely unfair to the prosecution!"
"Moreover, in the final analysis, the current public opinion is also caused by the misconduct of the Renault family. If the committee rules that this trial that has lasted for more than ten days is invalid because of this, there is nothing more ridiculous than this. It is simply an insult to the imperial law and our East China Sea law. If the committee rules in this way, I will think that this is the committee's naked shielding of criminals!"
Originally, the two white-haired old judges nodded repeatedly after listening to Lu Ming's previous words, and seemed to agree with him.
Who would have thought that this guy's words would become more and more intense, directly criticizing the temporary three-person committee. The two old men were somewhat helpless, and an old judge said: "Lawyer Lu Qianxing, don't get excited. We will listen to your opinions and will not take any position in advance!"
Christine quickly closed the folder. "Okay, we can end this now. In addition, Lawyer Lu Qianxing, you have defied the authority of the three-member committee. I will sentence you to one hour in jail. Calm down and write a self-review to sincerely apologize to us. Otherwise, I will not rule out further legal action."
He stood up and walked out. The other two old judges were stunned. They thought that the new Chief Justice was too harsh on the young lawyer.
This young lawyer is very talented. It is obvious that he is no match for Richard who comes from the imperial capital. Shouldn't we protect him
But there was no choice but to stand up and walk out.
Lu Ming scratched his head, it seemed that the drama was a bit exaggerated, but the two old judges seemed to agree with his statement, so that was fine, and it would not cause any trouble to Judge Christine.