Chapter 162: Chapter 162: Tianci's trial
It was now the second half of the court cases as the sun was started to drop down in the horizon.
All the previous juror had left, replaced with new juror to voice their opinion in the cases.
Xiaoyun still sitting his seat watching in silent, not spoken a single time or voted in either side.
The next few cases went similarly to the start, but instead of the insurgent or scientist, it was people from Yueyue's case.
The sentences went as expected, with the warehouse worker only getting a small community service, meanwhile Pingzi who was the head of operation that caused a death was sentenced to twenty years in prison.
After two hour of non-stop sentencing and switching out two more group of jurors, it was finally to the last two cases.
The first one was the senior scientist who participated in experimenting over five hundred soldiers, and one hundred of the cases was his own request to test on human subjects.
Every single juror overwhelmingly advocated for the death sentence, with some even suggesting death by a thousand cuts.
In the end, the judge imposed the only death sentence in the trial thus far, opting for death by hanging rather than entertaining the jurors' absurd suggestions.
"Any last word you have?" The judge asked.
"Fuck you all, you are all killing a scientist who has obtained immortality. You all are fools!" The old man yelled out.
"Please bring him down."
The two security guard bring the senior scientist and dragged him back to his cell.
"Finally we are on the last case." The judge mumbled as he looked over the list on his desk.
When the two security guard came back with last defendant, Xiaoyun was surprised by the defendant.
It was Tianci who helped Xiaoyun's army get inside of the scientist lab.
"Prosecutor, you may began." The judge signaled.
"My honor, this criminal is the most despicable person you'll ever seen. She the student of the lab director that ran the entire operation... She had directed over two hundred soldiers to their death by injections with drugs that failed animal testing..."
The prosecutor started listing multiple crime against humanity that Tianci had done.
"She by the definite is what you would called a psychopath. She has no human emotion and deserve the worst possible punishment... I'm sorry to be unprofessional and overreaching here, but I don't see why we need to put her on jury, she should just be——"
"Silence, please stay on topic. If you don't have anything else to say, it's defendant time to speak." The judge interrupted the prosecutor from continuing.
"Fine, I don't have anything to say... this is pointless. Nobody is going to side with her." The prosecutor drops the document onto his desk.
The court room was in complete silent as the Tianci didn't say a single word.
The judge initially announced a death sentence as everyone expected, and all the juror sided with it.
"Defendant? Do you have anything to say?" The judge asked before announcing his sentencing.
"No, I'm as guilty as the prosecutor described." Tianci replied with no emotion in her voice.
"Well then... I then sentence her to——"
"Wait, as a soldier who went to the water plant, I want to add something." Xiaoyun suddenly interrupted the judge from announcing his final verdict.
"Just because you are the may——" The defendant got up from his seat and spoke out.
Before the defendant can finish, the judge hit the gavel to disrupt the word from the defendant.
"Please remain seated. What would like to add solider?" The judge gave the chance for Xiaoyun to speak.
"I know she had done despicable crime in the past, but she wasn't inte——"
The defendant interrupted Xiaoyun this time.
"That's what ever single one of these scientist had said. Just because you are being pressured or threaten to do something, it doesn't mean you are free from the responsibility."
"I'm not denying she haven't done those. But I'm saying she had changed. She's the only one that actual stood up against lab operator. None of those scientist even argued back a single time or attempted to fight back.
Also that document doesn't include the fact that she had personally saved one hundred soldiers from being experimented on. She was the one that exposed the entire operation by running out of the lab and reporting it to us.
Without her snitching on the lab, we would never have been able to get inside that lab. It was built like a vault, completely sealed off from the outside. All of those soldier would of died.
Not to mention the risk she took, she could of died multiple time if it wasn't for her quick wit. If she's really is a psychopath as you described, why would she betray her own teacher and save those soldiers then?"
Xiaoyun gave a short moment for the prosecutor to say anything, but he sat in silent.
"Her contribution doesn't excuse her crime, but I believe she deserve a lighter sentence. She's reformed and I believe she should get a 2nd chance. That's all I'm asking for." Xiaoyun ended his argument and sat back down.
"Well, that's certainly new information to light... thank you Mr.Soldier for your input." The judge sat in silent for a moment, then announced the verdict.
"Her sentence would be fifty year. Does anyone object to it?"
The prosecutor wanted to say something, but he didn't know how to put it in word as his brain was exhausted from so many court cases.
The jurors was torn on the decision, but majority of them accepted the judge verdict.
"Very well, Tianci, your sentence would be fifty year. Do you have any objection."
Out of everyone's surprise, Tianci nodded to show her objection.
"I would like a death sentence."
The entire court fell in complete shock, even the prosecutor looked surprise by the turn of event.
"What? You sure?" The judge asked to make sure he heard it right.
"Yes, I'm sure." Tianci repeated.
"Can I ask why would you ask for a harsher sentence?"
"I don't deserve to live. Mr.Prosecutor is right... I can't live knowing I had committed all these crimes... I-I should of died long time ago." Tianci stared into her own hand with disgust.
"Tianci you..." Xiaoyun still couldn't understand why Tianci would ask for a death penalty.
"Please Xiaoyun, don't defend me. I don't deserve anyone to defend me." Tianci face looked cold as she looked Xiaoyun in the eye.
"Very well. Then I announce my final verdict will be... life imprisonment." The judge announced.
"What?" The prosecutor was in disbelief and confused by the judge's verdict.
The juror and Xiaoyun was confused by the decision as well.
"Miss Tianci has done many evil things, but her willingness to changed showed she still have a heart inside her. Would you two bring her to her cell?" The judge looked to the two security guard.
"Yes sir." The two security guard walked up to Tianci and walked with Tianci to her prison cell.
"The session is over, you all may leave."
All the juror got up and left, with many of them discussing the twist and turn in Tianci's trial as they walked outside.
"Wait, teacher why did you sentence her like this?" The prosecutor ran after the judge as they both walked out through the back door.
With Xiaoyun being the only one left in the court room, he decided to go towards the side entrance where the two security guard brings the defendants.
After opening the door and walking pass a long hallway, Xiaoyun somehow ended back at the front entrance of the prison.
"Mr.Mayor, you finish the court session?" The door security curiously asked as he noticed Xiaoyun walked out of the hallway.
"Yeah, jury session just ended... Can you bring me to the jail cells? I just want to see their condition." Xiaoyun asked.
"Of course."
As Xiaoyun followed the security guard, he noticed all the security guard standing in the prison was fully armed. It was even more armed than the militia guarding the armory.
"Is this a little bit excessive?"
"In my opinion, no. It's a little scary to be honest... without my gun I wouldn't even step foot here considering there's only thirty of us compare to over four hundred inmates." The security guard replied.
"Four hundred? That many people?" Xiaoyun was surprise by the number.
"Yes, we are almost over capacity too... Anyway we're at the front desk now. You can ask Mingbei to lead you inside, I have to go back to the front.."
"Thank you. Take this for the trouble." Xiaoyun handed five food stamp over.
"No No, I cannot accept this." The security guard pushed back the food stamp and immediately started walking back.
Xiaoyun put the food stamp back to his pocket and walked over to the front desk.
"What are you here for?" The receptionist looked bored out of his mind as could barely keep his eye open.
"Can I see someone?" Xiaoyun asked.
"Name?" The receptionist took out a folder.
"Tianci."
After finding the paper with Tianci's name on it, the receptionist asked another question.
"Can I see your request document?"
"Um, I don't have that." Xiaoyun awkwardly scratched his head.
"Then why are you here for? Are you stup——" As the receptionist finally looked up in frustration, he realized who he was talking to.