CHAPTER 116: CHAPTER 114: THE HARSH SENTENCE!_2

As soon as the words were spoken, beside Liang Shuqi, a seventeen-year-old girl covered her face and squatted on the ground, clutching her knees and sobbing uncontrollably.

Before the verdict, she was full of nervousness and fear. Upon hearing she wouldn’t be going to jail, she felt relief, but more than that, regret.

Liu Qiang, who had committed the same crime, was sentenced to three years of fixed-term imprisonment. If it weren’t for her being underage... she was only a step away from a three-year sentence. Even if poisoning didn’t lead to any consequences, the punishment is three to ten years!

In the plaintiff’s seat, Qin Mu also heard this judgment and nodded. This verdict was within his expectations.

Lin Lan was the only underage instigator among the criminals. She also belonged to one of the three "privileged classes" in law, who should be exempted from criminal punishment unless there are particularly heinous circumstances. Minors, the mentally ill, and the elderly over seventy-five can all receive lighter sentences or be exempted from criminal punishment in criminal offenses.

"’Should,’ in legal terminology, actually means ’must.’"

"And ’may’ means it can be applied or not."

Furthermore, although Lin Lan was exempted from criminal punishment, she was not declared innocent. This crime of poisoning will follow her record for life. Criminal records can never be erased.

"Zhao Dabao, under the video posted by Liang Shuqi, made comments that incited and induced criminal behavior, leading Liang Shuqi to commit the crime. The facts are clear, the evidence is sufficient, and he is an instigating accomplice. But because he..."

Then, Zhou Quanmin continued to announce the sentences for the eight instigators. Apart from Lin Lan, the others were all awarded three years of fixed-term imprisonment.

On one hand, it was because their defense lawyer Bo Xingxian was quite professional, having done a great job in the final statement phase. On the other hand... it was entirely because Liang Shuqi’s actions had given them an opening.

"Regarding the sixty defendants sued by plaintiff Qin Mu, the following verdict is now made: Han Suiyue, with the online nickname ’Hunting Tigers Tonight,’ made comments insulting, cursing, and attacking the personal dignity of others under the video posted by Liang Shuqi. After identification by professional institutions and comparison of the site’s backend data, the criminal facts are clear, with no doubt about the case. This Court believes the scope of dissemination was extremely wide, with likes reaching 18,000. Furthermore, Han Suiyue actively deleted the comments afterward, demonstrating behavior to conceal evidence. Therefore, he is sentenced to two years and six months of fixed-term imprisonment."

In the defendant’s seat, among the crowd, Han Suiyue’s face was pale, without a trace of color. Up to now, he still couldn’t believe it.He just joined in on the excitement and casually made a comment on the internet... and got sentenced to two and a half years!

"Yang Lina, with the online nickname ’Falling for Someone Who Won’t Come Home,’ made comments insulting, cursing, and attacking the personal dignity of others under the video posted by Liang Shuqi. After identification by professional institutions and comparison of the site’s backend data, the criminal facts are clear, with no doubt about the case. However, as Yang Lina was able to prove with a sufficient chain of evidence that the video was posted by her nephew Sun Jue at home, she is acquitted. Sun Jue is convicted of libel. Since he is a minor, he is exempted from criminal punishment according to the ’Law on the Protection of Minors.’"

In the spectator’s gallery, Zhang Qingyuan and others were beside themselves with excitement upon hearing the successive verdicts. Especially Song Tiancheng, who, in his excitement, kept exclaiming "Damn!"

The judgment today was truly thrilling.

So far, only twenty minutes had passed, and more than ten people had already been sentenced. And there were still dozens more... anxiously awaiting their judgment. It was well worth the several days they had spent sleeping in the courthouse recently!

Subsequently, Zhou Quanmin continued to announce the verdicts for the sixty people sued by Qin Mu, sentencing each one of them.

In sentencing for the crime of libel, the primary considerations are the extent of dissemination and the severity of the comments. With Zhang Wei’s efforts, apart from the ten who played with fire, like Jiang Lin and the others, everyone else received some reduction in their sentences. For instance, Han Suiyue, who was originally facing the maximum sentence, had it reduced to two and a half years. The others, according to different circumstances, also obtained fixed-term imprisonment or detention ranging from three months to two and a half years.

As for those four "defendants" who did not attend the trial, they were tried in absentia. Generally speaking, in such cases, it isn’t suitable to pronounce the verdict immediately in court. Instead, after the public security organs arrest them, they are sentenced in the detention house or the detention center.

「An hour and a half later.」

Except for the judgment on Jiang Lin and the other ten people, the verdicts for the remaining fifty were all announced.

In the defendant’s seat, Jiang Lin and the other ten looked at each other in dismay. Their hearts were in turmoil. All the other "peers" had been sentenced, yet they had not heard their "scores." This made them extremely uncomfortable, just like when they were students and the teacher was reading out grades and distributing papers but hadn’t called their names yet.

Obviously, their "scores" were, in all likelihood, the ’best’ among everyone.Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been ’kept for last’ by the ’teacher.’

"Additionally, regarding the ten defendants including Jiang Lin, due to doubts in their cases and suspicion of fabricating evidence in court, attempting to distort the criminal facts and evade responsibility..."

From the bench, Zhou Quanmin looked deeply at Jiang Lin and the others and continued, "This behavior is suspected of perjury. There is no need for a separate indictment; it will be combined with the libel case. The trial will continue tomorrow, and the verdict will be announced then."

He had long noticed something was off about Jiang Lin and the others. They had waited three days but still hadn’t received the so-called "evidence" Jiang Lin and the others were supposed to submit.

Actually, if it were merely lying in court, it wouldn’t be so serious.