Chapter 143 – Public Participation Trial (2)
As soon as the story came out, I headed to the Seoul Central District Court and the first thing I did was find the jury room.
Seo Ji-yu was slightly surprised to see the jury room, which was managed comfortably quite.
“Something’s serious. Weren’t you talking about it in the courtroom?”
“Actually, jurors can’t do much in the courtroom. They can’t even ask the accused properly.”
If you look at the public participation trial, you will be able to realize what a borrowed barley sack is.
In fact, most of the jury-like work is done here.
Here in the jury room, we are discussing guilt or innocence and sentencing.
“By the way, lunch is also served. It’s a normal lunch box.”
“Ah…”
Seo Ji-yu nodded her head after seeing the sign that said no entry except for jury.
“But, boss, aren’t you wearing that funny outfit this time?”
“It’s not a funny suit, it’s a court uniform… I’m not a prosecutor conducting a trial, so of course I don’t wear it.”
Actually, the uniform is a bit cumbersome.
I usually wear a suit too.
Anyway, at the point where I play both the role of the investigation prosecutor and the trial prosecutor, I shouldn’t be concerned about trivial things.
I set up cameras and wiretap devices in the jury room while I chatted with Seo Ji-yu.
It’s not a special unit, it’s a company thing, so there’s absolutely no way you’ll find out.
There are a lot of over-technologies that must be retrieved later.
Ji-yu Seo saw my behavior so natural that she started talking.
“Is it necessary to do that?”
“There’s no need not to do it. This is a government agency. I didn’t install a hidden camera, the jurors entered a room with cameras and wiretapping devices.”
“That’s another pun…”
“Hey, it’s Alice’s role to fight next to you.”
When I talked to Seo Ji-yu, she smiled bitterly and asked.
“Then what is my role?”
“Coffee delivery.”
“Are you sure you would?”
“It’s over. Let’s go.”
Complete the work quickly and withdraw without hesitation.
My concern is nothing else.
This case is a public participation trial that will become an issue, so I am worried that someone will do something stupid.
“Usually jurors are chosen completely randomly, but just in case…”
“I see. Can I attend the trial tomorrow morning?”
“Yes, first of all, it’s the role of an audience member.”
In fact, it is a case in which it is difficult for the prosecution to ruin anything.
Since the video data at the time of the incident have already been secured, it is only necessary to properly reveal the context.
There are not one or two eyewitnesses, so you can pick and choose one.
“Is there a 7-member jury?”
“That… When there is a public participation trial, do many acquittals usually come out?”
“Not necessarily. There are cases where people were sentenced to death by participating in a public trial after committing a premeditated mass murder.”
“Eh? Me, really?”
Even if the number of cases is a little short these days, close to 100 cases per year are participatory trials.
Of course, there are also a lot of guilt.
However, in this case, I also think that the sentence is likely to be a little weak.
“The victim brandished a hunting knife in the middle of broad daylight. He was suffering from PTSD, so he must have been intimidating enough.”
Since it went all the way to murder, the probability that self-defense is really recognized is low, but…
The jurors are more likely to favor the accused emotionally.
In the meantime, Seo Ji-yu, who was looking for the public participation trial, took a different view.
“Now, wait a minute. Are there any survivors of the victim?”
“Huh? Oh, yes. Why?”
“Then the bereaved families did not oppose the public participation trial? How could this be…”
Seo Ji-yu was stunned as if the bereaved family didn’t understand, but…
Rather, I had no choice but to bruise her.
“Don’t speak rashly. Jiyu doesn’t know the position of the bereaved family.”
“Yes?”
“Victim Bae Hee-young was the only hunter in her family of four. Since she suffered from severe PTSD, her family she must have suffered the most.”
Victim Bae Hee-young is a former B-rank hunter…
Even if she succeeded in sealing her abilities thanks to Yeriel, she was no easy opponent.
Hunters who were active on the front lines all had the experience of committing murder.
Even if the hunter’s ability is sealed, the combat skills and physical abilities unique to hunters do not go anywhere.
Bae Hee-young’s family must have felt extreme fear whenever she had her seizures.
“Well, did you let me walk on the street for that?”
“Just before the incident, they thought the symptoms had alleviated a lot. The association’s trauma treatment center’s findings were also positive. But the magic and equipment of active hunters became the catalyst.”
“…”
However, on the next day, as a spectator, I entered the courtroom, and I couldn’t help but be a little taken aback.
The victim’s bereaved family was showing quite a resentment.
Instead of understanding the perpetrator, they wanted to do it properly.
The trial prosecutor, burdened with an enormous burden, gladed at the defendant’s seat.
First recognized newspaper.
It is a procedure in which the presiding judge inquires the defendant’s name, age, occupation, etc. To confirm that he or she is correct.
I pretended not to see the rows of cameras and took my seat.
Most of the jurors in the jury box looked anxious.
The accused is Kim Dae-son, an A-rank active hunter belonging to the Medium Guild.
He is a combat-type Hunter with relatively mediocre abilities at the age of 30.
Seated next to the lawyer, he held his head up quite proudly.
Then, the prosecutor began to make an explanatory statement.
“Defendant Kim Dae-son was murdered during a fight with victim Bae Hee-young, a former hunter, on XX-ro in Beopjeong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul around 4:00 pm on X month X, 20XX… “
The outline of the case is as we already know.
It is said that the accused and the victim were just the same hunter, and they hadn’t even known each other until then.
Even after searching through the association’s data, nothing of resentment was found.
There is no doubt that the accused murdered the victim.
That is a fact he himself acknowledged.
The issue in this case is whether the murder was inevitable.
The swordsman stumbled on the exact spot I had been paying attention to.
“Defendant Kim Dae-son was an active A-rank hunter, and the victim, Bae Hee-young, was a retired B-rank hunter. According to the classification criteria of the association, it can be seen that there was a considerable gap in their combat abilities. Was it impossible?”
Yes.
The victim, Bae Hee-young, has her hunter abilities and magical powers all sealed.
Although he wielded the hunting knife convulsively, it was very inferior to the opponents of active A-rank hunters.
Only then can the story of excessive suppression come out.
The lawyer responded quite calmly.
“This incident is the result of the defendants moving with the safety of the citizens and himself as the top priority. The defendant was in a very panicky state after being attacked on the way home from work, and tried to secure the safety of the site as quickly as possible before additional threats appeared…”
In fact, it was natural for the accused to be embarrassed.
If another Hunter had been there, there would be no guarantee that the same tragedy would not have happened.
Combat hunters are usually committed to eliminating opponents quickly and reliably.
In particular, the type of hunters who engage in hand-to-hand combat are virtually at the level of human weapons.
The defense attorney concluded his testimony by saying that the accused is deeply reflecting.
The victim’s bereaved family were only opening their eyes in the audience.
The other side, like the jury, can’t do anything right now.
“Then let’s continue after lunch and rest.”
“Jiyu, let’s go eat.”
“Oh, nothing has happened yet?”
“Anyway, the real start is with the evidence investigation scheduled after lunchtime. You have to talk while watching the video to come up with something.”
Originally, if you attend the trial in person, it is a bit too much to argue.
But in fact, this is normal.
Because this trial will decide the lives of many people.
We escaped from the cameras and microphones of the reporters.
While having a quick lunch at a nearby restaurant and drinking a cup of coffee.
A signal came from the equipment installed in the jury room.
The 7 jurors briefly introduced themselves and exchanged greetings.
“Is the forester… Juror number 3?”
“Is it a gun?”
“Normal people want to be buried in moderation in a place like this… We’ll have a sentencing vote later.”
As it turns out, the defendants did not claim complete innocence.
It is useless to deny the fact that she killed the victim Bae Hee-young anyway, so she is asking for mercy by saying that she is reflecting.
No matter how much it is, it’s hard to be completely innocent because you killed a person.
As we saw earlier, there is no choice but to talk about excessive suppression.
“But unlike America, the jury vote doesn’t have to be unanimous.”
“Something is difficult. There are so many things to remember.
“Anyway, it’s a simple memorization.”
In any case, the important thing right now is the evidence examination scheduled for the afternoon.
When jurors directly watch the video data, public opinion will naturally form.
I’m curious because I haven’t seen the evidence yet.
If it’s evidence, you’ll have to look at it on the day of the trial, so you’re not in a hurry.
“It’s not even my trial anyway.”
“You’re very passionate about that.”
“Well, compared to what I usually do, I’m just playing.
“Yes! Chief.”
Seo Ji-yu’s arm her next to me twitched slightly, as if wanting to cross hers.
I decided to hang out later and distanced myself a bit.
