Huaicheng, a certain police station.
Zhao Tianyi was invited into the office by Inspector Li, who was in charge of the case.
"Lawyer Zhao, take a seat," Inspector Li greeted politely.
Zhao Tianyi adjusted his glasses and said earnestly, "Call me Senior Counsel."
Inspector Li: "..."
Did this guy have some sort of obsession with being called Senior Counsel?
Inspector Li poured a cup of tea and handed it to Zhao Tianyi. "Let's get straight to the point. How do you plan to handle this case?"
Zhao Tianyi took the teacup. "According to the law, of course. Open a case if it warrants one, or drop it if it doesn't."
"It's not that simple."
Inspector Li shook his head. "Someone died, and the deceased was a prominent local figure. The family has already called us, demanding severe punishment for the killer."
Zhao Tianyi naturally knew who the family was, but he didn't point it out. "So? Should the law give way to personal connections?"
"The law won't, but sometimes the procedure does."
Inspector Li lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and said, "The prosecutors are already preparing to arrest Zhang Tao for intentional injury leading to death. Their reasoning is that after Zhang Tao snatched the knife, Zhao Biao no longer had a weapon in his hand. At that point, the defense clearly exceeded the necessary limits."
Zhao Tianyi smiled, a very cold smile.
"Inspector Li, let me ask you a question. If your wife had a knife held to her neck, and another thug charged at you, would you first check if he had a knife in his hand, or would you use every means possible to stop him?"
Hearing this, Inspector Li immediately fell silent.
Zhao Tianyi continued, "The law cannot demand the impossible. If you don't drop this case, I will fight it to the bitter end. This isn't just for Zhang Tao, but for all the ordinary people who might face violence but are too afraid to fight back."
"Inspector Li, you've handled so many cases. You must have seen too many victims who were beaten to death or crippled because they were afraid of exceeding the limits of self-defense and didn't dare to fight back, right?"
Inspector Li fell silent again. He indeed had.
Zhao Tianyi simply brought up two cases he had taken on as examples.
After more than a year of development, Tianyi Law Firm had a very high success rate and was already considered a top law firm in Pearl City. Naturally, many people came because of its reputation.
Two of those cases left a deep impression on Zhao Tianyi. Even he found them very tricky to handle, mainly because so much time had passed.
The current situation presented a perfect opportunity for him to breathe life into the justifiable defense clause.
"In 2005, a small female supermarket owner in our area caught three thugs stealing. When she confronted them, she was beaten. She finally grabbed a knife from a shelf and stabbed one of the thugs to death. As a result, she was convicted of intentional injury and served three years in prison. After she was released, her supermarket was gone, her husband divorced her, and now she can only sweep trash at a wet market."
"In 2007, a taxi driver was robbed at knifepoint by a passenger. He found an opportunity to run the robber over with his car, killing him. He was convicted of excessive self-defense and sentenced to two years."
"Inspector Li, were these verdicts wrong? From the perspective of legal provisions, perhaps not. But from the perspective of human conscience and justice, they were dead wrong! The law is supposed to be a shield for the weak, but now it has become an accomplice to thugs. Because it always demands that victims respond perfectly in life-and-death moments!"
Inspector Li sighed and said, "I know everything you're saying, but someone died after all, and I'm in a tough spot. The prosecutors are also in a tough spot because there has never been a precedent like this."
Zhao Tianyi replied, "Then why can't we start with this case? Be a righteous pioneer and prove that the law can protect those who are brave enough to fight back."
"Also, I suggest you search for the discussions about this case on Weibo right now."
Hearing this, Inspector Li suddenly grew alert. He turned on his computer and started checking the related topics on Weibo.
When he saw that the topic had already blown up on Weibo, his face instantly darkened.
The comment section was almost unanimously in support of Zhang Tao.
"If this is true, the groom's actions were completely justifiable defense."
"I hope he's found innocent, otherwise who would dare to fight back in the future?"
"........"
Inspector Li frowned and looked at Zhao Tianyi. "You're manipulating public opinion."
"I am presenting the truth."
Zhao Tianyi corrected him. "Public opinion isn't some terrifying monster; it can also be a mirror. If judicial decisions run contrary to the general perception of justice, it is the judicial system that should reflect on itself, not the public."
"According to our statistical data, eighty percent of people support justifiable defense, fifteen percent are discussing the application of the law, and only five percent believe it might constitute excessive defense."
Looking at that data, Inspector Li felt a chill run down his spine.
This lawyer's methods were a bit too formidable.
Pushing forward simultaneously on the three fronts of criminal investigation, law, and public opinion—he could already imagine the immense pressure they were about to face.
In comparison, the pressure from those so-called family members was not even worth mentioning in the face of this tidal wave of public opinion.
"The prosecutors won't like you doing things this way," Inspector Li reminded him.
Zhao Tianyi said dismissively, "I don't need them to like me. I just need them to act according to the law."
"Inspector Li, my goals for this case are very clear. First, Zhang Tao is released without charge. Second, Zhao Biao and his gang members are all prosecuted according to the law, without a single one slipping through the cracks. Third, use this case to push for the clear application of the justifiable defense clause so it is no longer so ambiguous, turning it into a true shield in the hands of good people rather than a constraint."
"Actually, if you think about it carefully, if this case can become a textbook example of a case being dropped due to justifiable defense, then all that public opinion online will transform into praise for you and for legal progress!"
"Alright, I'm off to the prosecutor's office to submit the hearing materials."
"Wish me luck—oh no, wish certain people luck!"
The door closed.
Inspector Li sat in his chair, unmoving for a long time as he pondered an incomprehensible question.
"Wait, is this lawyer really in cahoots with those men in black? Why does he feel so righteous?"
"Or is he so dark that he's come out the other side as righteous?"
............
On the road diagonally opposite the police station, a dilapidated minivan was parked.
Inside sat seven or eight hoodlum-looking youths, puffing clouds of cigarette smoke. If passersby hadn't been sure there were people inside, they would have thought the minivan was on fire.
"Keep a close eye out! The boss said that once that bespectacled lawyer comes out, we find a spot to intercept him and loosen his bones up a bit!"
"Damn it, a lawyer spouting nonsense online, trying to get that murderer off the hook? We have to teach him a lesson!"
"Don't worry, Blondie. You think we can't handle a four-eyed lawyer? I guarantee we'll scare the crap out of him and make him run out of Huaicheng!"
"........."
They were clearly hired by the person behind Zhao Biao.
The mastermind behind the scenes probably hadn't expected the other party to disregard the unspoken rules and directly expose the case online, making it known to everyone.
So they came up with this drastic measure to strike at the root of the problem and get rid of that troublesome lawyer once and for all.
A few minutes later, a Mercedes-Benz drove out.
The blond thug leading the group slapped the driver on the back of the head and shouted.
"That's the Mercedes! Hurry! Follow it! Don't lose them!"
"Don't worry, boss. On the way to the prosecutor's office, there's a section of the road where they're fixing the pipes. Half the street is blocked off, so there's hardly any traffic or pedestrians. It's the perfect spot to make our move."
.........
