Chapter 73 – Self Defense
Even after the police and victims were semi-forced back…
Hunter, who committed the assault case, was stiff with a puzzled expression.
I sat him across from him and explained step by step.
“Mr. Kang Seong-an, do you know what the disposition of non-prosecution is?”
“Oh, no. Exactly what it is…”
“Non-prosecution literally means not prosecuting, but it can be largely divided into acquittal and suspended prosecution.”
In fact, there are other categories, but you don’t have to worry about them right now.
The Hunter in front of him trembled slightly as if he was anxious.
“Are you accused?”
“Yes. In the case of Mr. Seong An, the prosecution is suspended. The fact that he committed a crime is acknowledged, but there is no need to go to the prosecution. Because the verdict will be meaningless anyway.”
Prosecuting one person and going to trial is a task that consumes a considerable amount of time and manpower.
Our special unit is even more so because there is not enough manpower.
Hunter, who saw the office running in the middle of the night, nodded his head.
“That’s right.”
“That’s why we’re not prosecuting to save money and time.”
Despite my explanation, Hunter’s face his darkened rapidly.
I guess I haven’t quite understood it yet.
I decided to start over again.
“Seong-an, did you assault civilians?”
“That’s right. I’m really sorry. I’m reflecting.”
“The fact of the assault itself cannot be denied. The video has already been recorded, so it is impossible to be innocent. Too high.”
“… Understand.”
Kang Seong-an also did not deny the fact of his assault.
Anyway, it doesn’t make any sense
“However, the facts of the crime were minor, and there was no room for extenuating circumstances, so the indictment was suspended. Now you can write a letter of apology and go home.”
“Ah, I… Is that really the end?”
“Yes. It’s because Seong An-san is already reflecting on himself. You endured it well earlier. It would be nice if you could endure it until the end… Next time, please leave as soon as possible. If you associate with Such people, only Seong-an will lose.”
Kang Seong-an was dubious and wrote a letter of self-reflection on the paper I held out.
Alice then asked a question from the side.
“But what’s the difference between probation and probation?”
“Oh, that’s a good question. A criminal’s criminal record only comes after a trial and a conviction. So you can say probation actually leaves a criminal record.”
After a short pause, I continued to explain.
“But since the suspension of indictment does not go to trial, it can be seen that there is virtually no criminal record left.”
“That, is that true? Suspension of prosecution is not a criminal record?”
It was not Alice who answered my words, but Kang Seong-an.
He stopped his pen and asked earnestly, widening his eyes.
I nodded his head without hesitation.
“However, if a similar crime is committed before the record is expunged, it will be difficult to receive a suspended prosecution again. Please stay calm for the next five years.”
“What about 5, 5 years? I won’t hit anyone again.”
Only then is Kang Seong-an relieved with a broad smile.
He must have been unaware of the suspension of prosecution.
However, Alice still seemed to be dissatisfied.
“The opponent even pulled out a knife, but it wasn’t self-defense…”
“It’s much more difficult and tiring to go to trial? Mr. Kang Seong-an, would you like to go to trial?”
“No! I’m satisfied with a suspended charge. It’s true that I hit civilians.”
This isn’t something I was forced to do.
In fact, cases involving self-defense are sometimes cut off by non-prosecution in the prosecution line.
And, if you do not prosecute in this way, there is little way for other investigative agencies to do anything.
Thanks to this, some even say that non-prosecution is the privilege of the prosecution.
Even in the case of the Hunter case, it is as if there is no other investigative agency itself.
I wanted everything to end well, but…
The real problem arose the next morning.
On my way to work, I noticed the strange eyes of other association employees immediately.
“Did the giraffes do something else?”
“Eh, no way…”
Alice took out her smartphone with her uneasy face and immediately closed her eyes.
As she peered at her screen, she cursed herself.
[Active hunter civilian assault case, non-prosecution disposition… Citizen anxiety over abuse of authority by special forces…]
“These bastards… Usually say shit about beating hunters too quickly.”
“All giraffes are like that.”
The employees who boarded the elevator together laughed silently.
Fortunately, public opinion was not so bad because the details of the incident were well known.
Citizens have become smarter now, so they don’t blindly believe Internet articles.
In particular, it was decisive that the victims took out their knives.
Alice, still not convinced, asked as soon as she arrived at the office.
“Then, how much do you have to respond to be recognized as self-defense?”
“Well, at most it’s about making the knife drop.”
“Nonsense.”
Well, actually, you don’t have to worry too much about public opinion.
No matter how they bark outside, our special unit is the only investigative agency that can deal with the hunters.
Thanks to that, if I hit the bullying center, punishment is virtually impossible.
“If you twist it, you can appeal.”
“What if they complain?”
“Originally, it goes to the Higher Prosecutor’s Office, but we don’t have a higher body.”
Therefore, the appeal is dismissed unconditionally.
If the appeal is dismissed, it goes to the court, and people directly appointed by the president of the association sit on this side.
“In other words… Our decision to not prosecute is absolutely irreversible. No one can judge us. That’s the limit of the judiciary in this country.”
“…”
Until the end of the pleasant explanation.
Seo Ji-yu approached me and urgently informed me.
“Hey, team leader. There’s a call from the president’s office…”
“The president?”
It’s busy, but it’s not a fuss.
It seems that this case has become more of an issue than I thought.
I got back into the elevator and headed to the top floor.
Alice and Tia also boarded very naturally and stayed by my side.
The president of the association is not one of the few people who knows my identity, but he is one of the few people, so the words will work relatively well.
Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I started working in the Special Forces, but I’ve rarely been involved with him.
As soon as I entered the president’s office, I complained.
“Why is it so unnecessarily high here?”
“Oh, welcome.”
As if something very dishonorable was about to come out, the secretary had already been sent out.
I sat across from him and urged him on.
“What are you doing?”
“Are Seong-an Kang’s civilian assault case really going to go to non-prosecution?”
“I didn’t know that the chairman was interested in the case too. Then what would you like to do? Should I prosecute again and put them in jail? I guarantee that the people who were beaten this time will not come out in less than three weeks.”
The chairman’s face turned red at my explicit tone.
But I didn’t want to waste any time.
“What do the politicians say? They say it’s the end of their term anyway?”
“That’s true, but isn’t this non-prosecution disposition very different from the role people expect from the Special Forces?”
Didn’t you like the way the special forces surrounded Hunter?
In fact, the reason why the special forces are left unattended in the political world is because we expect that we will be able to control the hunters.
The special unit is actually doing its job well.
But I didn’t care about their expectations from the beginning.
“This is not a good case to make a precedent for self-defense.
“What else is that?”
“There are less than 8 months left until the gate closes. In the future, it will be an era where we need the support of hunters more than ever, so what if we just blindly throw hunters into prison?
My heart was not very comfortable talking about every phrase.
In fact, there was a reason far more important than these trifles, but the president of the association was completely oblivious to it.
He shouted as he slammed his desk with his fist as if he was frustrated.
Bang!
“Anyway, he’s the one who punched ordinary citizens!”
“What kind of ordinary citizen takes out a knife right away just because he’s got into a fight?
“No matter the circumstances, if you do that to civilians, the prestige of the association…”
Drooling…
I couldn’t stand it any longer and jumped up from my seat.
I strode up to the chairman, and he flinched as I drew his pistol.
I unlocked the safety catch and pointed the gun at him.
Of course, the chairman was frightened.
“Muh… What are you doing!”
“Chairman, you’re a hunter too. But why are you freaking out over a handgun?”
The chairman who vomits his anger while flinching.
“How do you know what’s in that gun!”
“Why, because I drew Dust?”
“Okay!”
He got it right
This pistol is loaded with green dust bullets.
I pulled out the magazine, showed it, and put it back into the firearm.
“That’s exactly what I want to say.”
“What?”
“How do you know if the guys you’ve been fighting with Kang Seong-an are Hunters or not? Do Hunters like us even have Hunter written on their maps?”
If civilians were to attack with knives, they certainly wouldn’t pose much of a threat.
But what if the same hunter attacks with a knife? Wouldn’t that be a threat too?
I put the pistol away in front of him, who was momentarily speechless.
“Please think about it from Kang Seong-an’s point of view. You don’t even know who the opponent is, so does it make sense to blindly stay still?
“…”
“If the political world keeps saying something, just send me a list of them.”
“Oh, no… That’s it. Just do as you please.”
The president of the association let out a deep sigh and let me go.
Tia picked up a snack from the secretary’s desk, and she returned to the office with great dignity.
