Chapter Summaries

At Wang Qiang’s second hearing, the Greenwood City Intermediate People’s Procuratorate amended its indictment, replacing the original accusation of intentional homicide with charges of intentional injury and excessive self-defense resulting in death by negligence. The hearing opened with the prosecution’s revised account, leaving the court to consider the new charges.

• Reporters, spectators, prosecutors, and lawyers gathered at the Greenwood City Intermediate People’s Court for Wang Qiang’s second hearing.
• Hu Guang and the other prosecutors entered with the plaintiffs and Chen Wei, while Xu De arrived alone to represent Wang Qiang.
• Zhang Bingxin opened the hearing and announced that the prosecution had amended the charges.
• Hu Guang read the revised indictment, alleging that Wang Qiang killed the deceased while defending his daughter after she had been unlawfully detained, imprisoned, and raped.
• Hu Guang charged Wang Qiang with intentional injury and excessive self-defense resulting in death by negligence, and asked the court to sentence him accordingly.

At Wang Qiang’s trial, Xu De challenged the prosecution’s revised charges and argued that Wang Qiang acted in legitimate self-defense. The prosecution cited a bite wound and argued that Wang Qiang attacked after the immediate threat had ended, but Xu De insisted the events were one continuous act of defense and moved to dismiss every charge.

• Presiding Judge Zhang Bingxin asked whether the defense objected to the prosecution’s charges, and Xu De objected, presenting the sickle as evidence.
• Xu De argued that Li Erniu had seized Li Chunhua’s sickle and attacked Wang Qiang, who acted in legitimate self-defense before the crowd swallowed him.
• Prosecutor Hu Guang and Wang Wei presented the autopsy report and police testimony about Wang Qiang biting Li Erniu, then pushing him from the police vehicle after he let go.
• Wang Wei argued that Li Erniu no longer posed an immediate threat and that Wang Qiang’s push exceeded the bounds of self-defense.
• Xu De interrupted, arguing that the bite and push were one continuous defensive act, and moved to dismiss all charges against Wang Qiang.

At the final Trial Hearing, prosecutor Wang Wei argued that Wang Qiang had time to retreat but deliberately fought Li Erniu, making the killing Intentional Injury and Excessive Self-Defense. Xu De countered that Wang Qiang’s actions were one continuous act of Legitimate Self-Defense and then invoked Special Defense, leaving the court to consider his Not-Guilty Defense.

• Xu De interrupted Wang Wei’s argument and insisted that Wang Qiang’s actions were one continuous act of Legitimate Self-Defense, earning a warning from Presiding Judge Zhang Bingxin.
• Wang Wei argued that Wang Qiang had nearly thirty seconds to retreat after Li Erniu fell but instead seized a sickle and grappled with him, supporting charges of Intentional Injury and Excessive Self-Defense.
• Wang Qiang grew overwhelmed as the courtroom discussed the prosecution’s case.
• Xu De objected and argued that Wang Qiang’s actions inside the police vehicle were defensive and continuous.
• Xu De invoked Article 20’s Special Defense provision, arguing that Li Erniu’s sickle attack threatened Wang Qiang’s life and that Wang Qiang was therefore not guilty.

Xu De defended Wang Qiang against the prosecution’s claim that he had provoked Li Erniu and could have escaped, using Wang Qiang’s injuries and later conduct to challenge their case. The chapter ended with Hu Guang objecting that Wang Qiang could not have voluntarily surrendered while surrounded by police.

• Hu Guang argued that Wang Qiang’s thirty-second pause and decision to confront Li Erniu showed intent, and that he could have escaped instead of fighting.
• Xu De countered that Wang Qiang’s medical report showed a severe blow to the back of his head, suggesting someone had prevented him from safely retreating.
• Wang Wei objected that the injury could have occurred during the struggle and argued that the evidence still supported intentional injury.
• Xu De used the prosecution’s reasoning about continuous events to argue that Wang Qiang’s severe injuries, Li Erniu’s lack of other bruises, and Wang Qiang’s conduct undermined claims of pursuit or excessive force.
• Xu De argued that Wang Qiang had turned himself in and asked the court to consider that alongside the other evidence as proof of his cooperative attitude.
• Hu Guang objected, arguing that Wang Qiang had not voluntarily surrendered because seven officers were present and he was less than two meters from them.

Defense counsel Xu De challenged the prosecution’s claim that Wang Qiang had been arrested, arguing that the police case file never said he was apprehended. He argued Wang Qiang had voluntarily surrendered while the scene remained uncontrolled, then announced that the defense had a witness.

• Hu Guang warned Xu De to organize his thoughts, but Xu insisted Wang Qiang had voluntarily surrendered without anyone’s interference.
• Xu De pointed to the police case file, and Judge Liu Jianguo read that it said Wang Qiang remained at the scene and was taken to the bureau, without describing an arrest.
• Xu De accused the prosecution of calling the incident an arrest without objective evidence, prompting confusion and doubts among the spectators.
• Wang Wei defended the prosecution’s position, saying police had controlled the scene before Wang Qiang was taken in.
• Xu De cited Article 67 and judge-training materials, arguing the scene was still chaotic and Wang Qiang therefore met the criteria for voluntary surrender.
• Xu De said the defense had a witness.

Defense attorney Xu De called Li Li as a witness in Wang Qiang’s trial, and her testimony suggested someone struck Wang Qiang as he tried to leave. Xu De used the testimony to request that the court dismiss all charges, leaving the hearing poised for a confrontation over the verdict.

• Xu De told Presiding Judge Zhang Bingxin that the defense witness was ready, and Zhang ordered Li Li brought into court.
• Li Youcai and Liu Cui recognized Li Li and angrily tried to confront her before Zhang restored order.
• Li Li confirmed she had witnessed the incident and recalled that someone hit Wang Qiang as he tried to leave, though she could not identify the person or say where he was struck.
• Xu De argued that Wang Qiang had no intent to injure anyone and that the prosecution’s claims lacked evidence.
• Xu De requested that the court dismiss all charges against Wang Qiang and prepared to pressure the judges.

At Wang Qiang’s trial, Xu De argued that the evidence supported Legitimate Self-Defense, while the prosecution’s questions strengthened the defense’s account of the incident. Chen Wei then tried to undermine witness Li Li’s credibility, giving Xu De another opponent to confront.

• Xu De told the court that the charges of Intentional Injury and Excessive Self-Defense lacked support and that Wang Qiang had acted in Legitimate Self-Defense.
• Wang Wei questioned Li Li about Wang Qiang’s behavior and the police warning shots, but her inability to remember left the prosecution’s argument vulnerable.
• Wang Wei ended his questioning, recognizing that Li Li’s testimony could support the conclusion that Wang Qiang had surrendered while the scene was still out of control.
• Chen Wei asked Li Li whether anyone still held a weapon after the shots, and she explained that she had been holding her hoe without attacking anyone.
• Chen Wei accused Li Li of changing her account and argued that her testimony was unreliable, while Xu De watched with a grin.

Li Li testified that Li Youcai and Liu Cui had organized villagers to give false statements, while Xu De revealed that they had settled with Wang Qiang for 9,000 yuan and signed a Letter of Understanding. The hearing reached its end, leaving Presiding Judge Zhang Bingxin uncertain how to rule amid the many mitigating factors.

• Xu De questioned Li Li about changing her story, and she testified that Li Youcai and Liu Cui had urged villagers to lie to the police.
• The spectators and prosecutors reacted with shock as Li Li exposed the plaintiffs' false testimony, and Chen Wei tried to reduce the civil compensation claim.
• Xu De objected to further compensation negotiations and produced a Settlement Agreement showing that Li Youcai and Liu Cui had agreed to accept 9,000 yuan from Wang Qiang.
• Zhang Bingxin confirmed the settlement, and Xu De presented a Letter of Understanding in which the plaintiffs forgave Wang Qiang.
• Xu De asked the court to decide, and Zhang Bingxin struggled to choose a verdict given the case's accumulated defenses and mitigating circumstances.

The prosecution and plaintiffs withdrew their objections after Xu De dismantled the case against Wang Qiang, leaving the judges to decide whether to convict him despite the defense's evidence. The court ultimately ruled that Wang Qiang had acted in justified self-defense and found him not guilty.

• Wang Wei told Zhang Bingxin that the prosecution had no further objections, and the courtroom spectators reacted with shock.
• Li Youcai and Liu Cui raised no objections, while Chen Wei said he would abide by the court's decision.
• Zhang Bingxin, Liu Jianguo, and Sun Dong considered exempting Wang Qiang from punishment but agreed that the evidence left them no grounds to do so.
• Zhang Bingxin announced that the court rejected the charge against Wang Qiang because the facts were unclear, the evidence insufficient, and the law incorrectly applied.
• Zhang Bingxin declared Wang Qiang not guilty of the charge.

Xu De secured Wang Qiang’s acquittal despite overwhelming evidence that he had killed someone, and Wang Qiang was released from custody. Outside the courthouse, reporters swarmed them, eager to interview Xu De and hear Wang Qiang’s reaction.

• The courtroom erupted in disbelief after Judge Zhang Bingxin declared Wang Qiang not guilty and adjourned the trial.
• Xu De realized they had won for good as prosecutor Wang Wei left the courtroom with Hu Guang.
• Xu De asked the bailiffs to remove Wang Qiang’s handcuffs, then guided him through the release paperwork.
• An hour later, Wang Qiang stepped outside the courthouse and marveled that his shackles and criminal charge were gone and that he had reunited with his daughter.
• Reporters surrounded Xu De and Wang Qiang outside the courthouse, calling for interviews.