MWC – Chapter 128 The Three-Man Committee

I AM DROPPING THIS NOVEL. IF ANYONE WANTS TO CONTINUE THEY CAN. IF POSSIBLE PLEASE SHARE THE LINK SO I CAN BINGE READ TOO.

In the afternoon, all the major media outlets and newspapers were flooded with news about the “Little Renault Case.” However, there were significantly fewer references to it as the “Little Renault Case,” and the title “White Rose Case” was being used much more frequently.

…

Sitting in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows in a study that resembled a presidential suite in the Jinmac Hotel, Lu Ming looked at the newspaper in his hand.

It was a photo of Old Renault and Judge Dempsey having dinner together, exposed by a tabloid reporter. Now, along with the witness attack incident, it had made the front page of all the major newspapers.

Lu Ming shook his head and casually tossed the newspaper aside.

“The public opinion has reversed for the first time, and now everyone is criticizing the Renault family! Annie, aren’t you happy?”

Han Annie, who was organizing folders on the bookshelf, gently shook her head, “Could it be Richard’s trick to nullify the trial?”

Lu Ming was slightly taken aback and glanced at Han Annie’s graceful back, “Annie, you’ve grown up!”

Han Annie bit her red lips, realizing she shouldn’t have answered his question seriously.

“I’ve been thinking about whether I want you to come with me when I leave, or if you prefer to stay in the Grand Prosecutor’s Office?”

Han Annie was startled and turned her head, “You’re leaving?!”

Just as Lu Ming was about to say something, the office door was gently knocked.

“Commissioner, Hank Renault is here to see you,” an action team member lightly pushed open the door.

Hank Renault, that is, Baron Old Renault.

Seeing that Lu Ming did not respond for a long time, the team member gently closed the door.

“Old Renault has gone mad. For the sake of his youngest son, he’s willing to sacrifice the entire Renault family’s reputation. You’d better not see him. Who knows what trick he’s up to again,” Han Annie said with concern.

Lu Ming nodded, “Because if he loses the lawsuit, his most beloved youngest son will end up on the guillotine.”

Standing up, “I’ll go see him and hear what he has to say.”

…

In the conference room, Lu Ming sat far at one end of the table, and Old Renault sat at the other end.

Inside the conference room, there were three prosecutors sitting on either side of Lu Ming, and a row of armed action team members stood, watching Old Renault’s every move. In fact, before being brought in, Old Renault had been thoroughly searched to prevent the old madman from bringing in a grenade or something similar to take Commissioner Lu down with him.

Apart from in court, this was the first time Lu Ming had seen Old Renault up close.

His face was haggard, a far cry from the dashing old baron seen in the newspapers. Even compared to his first appearance in court a few days ago, where he had a rosy complexion, he looked completely different.

“Commissioner Lu, I’d like to speak with you alone,” Old Renault said, staring at Lu Ming in a calm tone.

Lu Ming waved his hand, “There’s nothing that can’t be said openly. We can be completely honest with each other.”

Old Renault looked at the room full of people and thought for a moment, “Renault Pictures will sell 30% of its shares to Nadu Pictures.”

In the room, apart from Lu Ming and Renault, probably no one knew what he really meant.

Lu Ming shook his head, “Baron Renault, if this is all you want to talk about, then I think we have nothing more to discuss.”

“Jeff’s mental illness is very severe. Why must you insist on taking his life?” Old Renault frowned, looking at the prosecutors around Lu Ming, “Even if he dies, what good will it do you? We all live in the East Sea.”

Some of the prosecutors immediately felt a chill in their hearts.

This old madman, if he were to seek revenge on each of them in a few years, their lives would indeed be in danger.

“Baron Renault, if you are threatening my people, I can tell you that your wealth and reputation will soon vanish. And without money, the Renault family will lose all its power.”

“I advise you to abandon this dangerous idea. Otherwise, not only you but the Renault name will be destroyed by your own hands.”

Lu Ming looked at him, his tone extremely calm.

The prosecutors and action team members, who had been somewhat fearful, suddenly stood tall.

Old Renault was indeed a terrifying person, but sitting with their young superior, he suddenly didn’t seem so formidable.

Old Renault hesitated, staring into Lu Ming’s eyes. For a moment, a huge sense of powerlessness surged in his heart.

Never had a young person in their twenties given him such a feeling.

“Alright, Commissioner Lu, I hope you thrive in the East Sea!” Old Renault slowly stood up and walked out, his steps unsteady, his back looking like that of an old, decrepit man.

Watching his back, Lu Ming asked, “Do you think he’s a good father to Little Renault?” Without waiting for an answer, he continued, “I don’t think so.”

He stood up and walked out.

…

In a lounge at the Eastern Sea High Court, Lu Ming and Richard sat quietly, ignoring each other.

It was Lu Ming’s first time at the High Court. The statue of the Goddess of Justice, Alice, on the grand court’s plaza seemed even more majestic. Her outstretched arm pointed towards the vast sea, as if she wished to lead all citizens of the empire into a utopian paradise.

At that moment, Lu Ming was still reflecting on the benevolent gaze of the Queen’s statue.

Perhaps, for people of such stature, their thoughts and concerns were beyond the comprehension of ordinary citizens.

However, the current royal family didn’t have a very good reputation, and they were not of Alice’s bloodline. After all, she was a queen who had remained unmarried all her life.

After her death, her nephew inherited the crowns of the Kingdom of Gryffindor and the Great Emperor of the Empire.

Originally, as a federal state, according to the true intent of the imperial code, this empire shouldn’t be the way it is now.

He inexplicably thought of the small figure in the white sacrificial robe. What was the meaning behind using the forbidden name of the empire?

“Attorney Lu?” Richard suddenly spoke.

Lu Ming looked at him.

Due to the photo of Old Renault and Judge Dempsey dining together being exposed, along with the key witness against Little Renault being attacked while leaving the court, the Renault family was immediately thrust into the eye of the storm. The TV and magazines were fiercely condemning them, making people speechless.

Back then, there was so much sympathy for Little Renault, but now there was just as much hatred for the Renault family, with everyone eager to remove the label of sympathizing with inhuman perverts.

As a result, Richard, the defense attorney for the first defendant, Little Renault, filed an appeal with the Eastern Sea High Court, requesting the trial be declared invalid.

The reasons were:

Firstly, Judge Dempsey’ impartiality was seriously questioned.

Secondly, the current media was heavily biased against the Renault family, and since the jury was not sequestered, the media would greatly influence their judgment.

Continuing with the trial would result in a grossly unfair verdict.

Therefore, Richard not only requested the trial be invalidated but also requested that a new trial be held outside the Eastern Sea, in the courts of the western states, to avoid the enormous influence of public opinion in the Eastern Sea.

There were precedents for this.

Consequently, the Eastern Sea High Court formed a three-judge committee to hear the opinions of both the prosecution and defense, as well as Judge Dempsey, before deciding whether the trial should be declared invalid.

It was not yet Lu Ming and Richard’s turn.

At this moment, Richard suddenly spoke, “Attorney Lu?”

Lu Ming looked at him.

“I have no knowledge of what’s happening now, but I will do what I must for my client’s best interest.”

Lu Ming nodded.

At this point, the door opened, and a court staff member gestured for Richard to enter.

Richard stood up, glanced at Lu Ming, “I look forward to your growth. I hope one day we can stand against each other in court again.”

Lu Ming smiled, “On the contrary, I don’t look forward to it. I don’t think you are a criminal defense lawyer worthy of respect.”

Richard was stunned, his face immediately turning ashen, and he turned and walked out.

Lu Ming shook his head. Richard spoke grandly, claiming no involvement in the current situation but still sought to invalidate the trial for his client’s benefit.

Yes, it was likely that Old Renault had gone mad, orchestrating the witness attack and the photo with Judge Dempsey, willing to sacrifice the family’s reputation. Richard probably wouldn’t have suggested such a reckless act.

However, Richard had crossed many lines in this case, including manipulating Booker, setting traps, and instructing witnesses to give false testimony, actions that went beyond a lawyer’s ethical boundaries. Lu Ming didn’t respect his character.

But technically, Richard had exerted pressure on Lu Ming like never before.

Despite not looking forward to it, Lu Ming anticipated facing him again, hoping for a fair, information-equal battle.

Richard was a true giant in the empire’s legal world. When the time came, Lu Ming wasn’t sure if he could truly defeat him.

Even if this trial were declared invalid, Lu Ming would have won technically, but Richard’s advantage was due to insider information from Old Renault and Little Renault, who must have concealed some truths.

Richard had certainly hinted at witness tampering and bribery, though he wouldn’t participate directly. Every courtroom strategy was meticulously planned by him.

Therefore, this battle couldn’t be said to have favored Lu Ming.

It could only be said that ultimately, justice triumphed over evil.

…

In a small, ivory-colored room, Lu Ming sat on a small chair, facing a long table where three solemn judges were seated.

Looking at Christine, dressed all in white and sitting in the center, Lu Ming felt a bit helpless. It seemed that evil really couldn’t triumph over good.

Christine’s face was very serious.

A staff member handed Lu Ming a sheet of paper with the names and positions of the three judges.

The paper also served as a feedback form. If the witness felt there was something more to add after being questioned by the three-member committee, they could write it down on this form.

Christine’s position was listed as a Justice of the Eastern Sea High Court.

Lu Ming was taken aback. He hadn’t realized Christine had already become one of the eleven Justices of the High Court.

She hadn’t mentioned it during their last meal together, and he hadn’t heard any news. It must have been a recent appointment.

The other two judges were career judges from the appellate division of the High Court. Thus, the three-member committee was led by Justice Christine.

It was a bit regrettable that he would rarely have cases heard by her in the future.

The High Court typically dealt with interpretations of laws affecting the national and civil life of the Eastern Sea, such as the legality of abortion.

Only particularly complex cases involving the fundamental principles of law would bypass the appellate courts and go directly to the full bench of eleven Justices.

“Attorney Lu Qianxing, during the trial of case number 950092158 at the Eastern Sea First Circuit Court, did you feel that Judge Dempsey showed any bias towards the first defendant?” Christine asked sternly.

Lu Ming knew that his friend might be inclined to side with him, but if he couldn’t convince her on legal grounds, it would be futile.

Choosing his words carefully, he replied, “Emotionally, I did feel Judge Dempsey had some sympathy for the first defendant; however, from a legal standpoint, Judge Dempsey was fair and showed no misconduct in this case. Every judge has personal likes and dislikes. If a judge dislikes me and glares at me, it doesn’t mean they are being unfair.”

Looking at Christine in her immaculate white outfit, exuding an extraordinary charm amidst the usual old male judges, Lu Ming found the situation amusing and had to suppress a smile.

The average age of the Justices in the Eastern Sea High Court was around eighty, and they were often referred to as the legal undead, surviving as long as they could still sign documents, unless they voluntarily resigned.

Any change in the bench could affect the political balance of the Eastern Sea, leading to fierce political battles. Hence, the status quo was usually maintained.

Christine frowned and glared at Lu Ming. “Are you complaining about me?”

“No, no…” Lu Ming was startled.

He hadn’t expected that Christine, now a High Court Justice, would still be so candid, treating this as if it were her courtroom.

The other two elderly judges remained stern, showing no change in expression, which Lu Ming found admirable.

Christine continued, “The defense attorney for the first defendant claims that current public opinion is extremely unfavorable to the first defendant and will severely impact the jury’s judgment. Do you agree?”

Lu Ming shook his head. “I disagree. In every trial, there are certain rules within the legal limits. For this case, neither the prosecution nor the defense requested to sequester the jury. The defense was the first to manipulate public opinion, and the prosecution was always on the defensive. Now, the defense cannot claim the trial rules are unfair just because their manipulation of public opinion failed. That would be extremely unfair to the prosecution!

Moreover, the current public opinion is due to the misconduct of the Renault family. If this committee invalidates this trial that has been going on for over ten days, it would be the most absurd decision, an insult to the imperial and Eastern Sea law. If the committee rules this way, I would see it as blatant protection of criminals!”

Initially, the two elderly judges nodded in agreement with Lu Ming, but as he became more vehement, criticizing the committee, the judges seemed exasperated. One said, “Attorney Lu Qianxing, please calm down. We are listening to all sides without any preconceived notions.”

Christine quickly closed her folder. “Alright, we can conclude here. Also, Attorney Lu Qianxing, for your contempt of this committee, I sentence you to one hour in detention to calm down and write a formal apology. Otherwise, I do not rule out further legal action.”

She stood up and walked out, leaving the two elderly judges looking slightly bewildered. The new Justice seemed quite harsh on the young lawyer.

They thought that this talented young lawyer, who had bested Richard from the imperial capital, should be nurtured, not punished.

But with no choice, they followed Christine out.

Lu Ming scratched his head. It seemed he might have overplayed his part, but since the two old judges seemed to agree with him, it shouldn’t cause Christine any trouble.