Chapter 491: 491
Dai Li looked a little confused . He didn't know what to choose .
If he didn't plead guilty, the trial would continue . However, even Wilfrid, who specialized in criminal cases, couldn't guarantee he would win the case . Dai Li didn't want to be imprisoned, let alone be imprisoned for more than a decade . Just as Reiss said,even if there was only a 10% chance of a guilty verdict, Dai Li would not be willing to take that risk .
Compared with ten years in prison, the sentence that came with pleading guilty was much lighter . A few years of probation was quite acceptable and the community service also could be regarded as physical exercise .
If I was on probation, I would need to report to the probation officer twice a week and there may be 1000 hours of community service . If I could do four hours a day, I would need 250 days in all . That means that if I do community service five times a month, I would need 50 months . That's over four years; however, it's better than ten years in prison .
Why should I plead guilty when I'm actually innocent? The nonsense of the American justice system! Dai became irritated .
Reiss seemed like he was being nice in advising me to plead guilty . He would drop the first-degree murder charge if I did . However, I didn't intend to murder that guy! He wanted to make a bargain with me regarding something that I didn't do . He just let me think I could benefit from it . Why should I accept his condition?
I shouldn't compromise! Dai Li had already decided in his mind . He knew it might be irrational, but he decided to follow his beliefs this time .
Taking a deep breath, he stood up and walked to Wilfrid .
. . .
Wilfrid sat quietly in the corner of the lounge, thinking about what to do next .
He knew that he had lost to Reiss just now . Wilfrid had to admit that Nick Reiss was indeed a good negotiator . Reiss set high conditions deliberately at the beginning and, when he lowered them, it was easier for his opponent to accept .
What's more, Nick Reiss clearly knew his opponent's thought processes . He knew that a rich man would never bet on freedom . When someone is completely unwilling to lose what he has, he is forced to compromise .
This was what Nick Reiss usually did . As a prosecutor with a 100% conviction rate, Reiss knew how to get the defendant to plead guilty as soon as possible .
In the face of the terms offered by Reiss, if Dai Li didn't plead guilty, Wilfrid had to win Dai Li's case . If Dai Li agreed to plead guilty, Wilfrid would still need to negotiate with the prosecutor for better conditions, such as shorter term of penalty or probation and shorter community service .
Wilfrid therefore had to make two plans, one for each of Dai Li's potential decisions .
What are you thinking? Wilfrid glanced at Dai Li, who stood up and walked over to him .
It seems that Mr . Li has decided .
. . .
"Mr . Li, you should make your decision . Shall we accept the prosecutor's proposal?" asked Wilfrid .
"I don't intend to accept prosecutor's 'kind proposal' . I'll keep the trial going," said Dai Li .
"You sure? I mean, do you really know the risks of continuing this case?" said Wilfrid .
Dai Li didn't answer him immediately . He asked Wilfrid another question . "Wilfrid, do you know about the flood?"
"The flood? Has there been a flood recently?" Wilfrid was confused and asked .
"I'm talking about the prehistoric flood, the legendary one," said Dai Li .
"Sure," Wilfrid nodded, "it is said the great flood inundated Atlantis . What does it have to do with our case?"
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"Many ancient civilizations recorded that flood, like Mesopotamia, Greece, India, China, and the Mayan Empire . The all had different reasons for why this flood occurred though . For example, in Sumerian myth, Eniel, the king of gods, felt humans were too noisy and he sent a flood to destroy them . According to Mayan civilization, humans forgot their creator, so the creator decided to send a flood to destroy them . In the Bible, God saw the earth filled with corruption, violence and evil, and he intended to use the flood to destroy all evil people . "
Wilfrid didn't say anything, but listened to Dai Li carefully .
"In Sumerian myth, there is a kind-hearted water god named Enki . He arranged for a man called Utnapishtim to board a ship and escape the flood . It is very much like the story of Noah's Ark in the Bible, right?" asked Dai Li .
"Yes, God found a good man named Noah, so he instructed Noah to build an ark . He took his wife, son, daughter-in-law, and two of every animal . Then came the flood . All the fountains of the great deep were awoken and the windows of heaven were opened . It rained heavily on the earth day and night and the waters flooded the highest mountains . All the creatures on the land died . Only Noah and his family survived in the ark . After 220 days of flooding, Noah's ark stopped near Mount Ararat . Forty days later, the flood retreated and Noah sent a crow out for information . The crow never returned . Seven days later, Noah sent a dove . This time, the dove returned with a branch from an olive tree, indicating that the flood had finally gone," Wilfrid explained . As someone who had grown up in Western civilization, he obviously knew the story of Noah's Ark better than Dai Li .
"Do you know how the story of the flood was recorded in the east, or in China?" asked Dai Li with a smile .
"I'd love to hear about it," said Wilfrid .
"It is also a story about fathers and sons . According to ancient Chinese books, the boundless flood inundated crops, mountains, and houses . People were displaced and had to leave their homes . The flood brought untold disaster to everybody . Yao, the ruler of that time, decided to control the flood . He found a person named Gun to tame the flood . However, he failed after nine years of work .
"Then Shun, the successor of Yao, killed Gun and let Gun's son continue to tame the flood . His name was Yu . He finally tamed the flood after thirteen years of work . During that time, he never went home, even when he passed by his own house . Thirteen years later, his son barely knew him .
"In Christianity, God saved everybody and the humans just hid on a boat . Inn China, we didn't get any help from gods . Without boats, we didn't compromise to the flood . We had to fight on our own . W fought had to fight against the flood!" Dai Li's tone was calm but his voice was persistent . He took a deep breath and went on,
"There are many similar myths in China . One story says that there were ten suns in the sky, searing the earth, and one skillful archer saved the planet by shooting down nine of them . One story says that a bird called Jingwei tried to fill the sea with pebbles . Another story says an old man called Yugong decided to remove a mountain with a shovel because it was in his way .
"I've heard many such stories throughout my life . Some are about brilliant heroes and others are about fools . However, when natural disasters came, our ancestors never chose to compromise, never chose to escape, and never chose to wait for God's help . They chose to fight, to defeat disasters! If they couldn't do it in a year, they would spend ten years, or twenty years . If one generation couldn't make it, two, maybe even three, generations would try until they succeeded!
"Many people say that the Chinese are materialists . They think we don't believe in gods and that we have no religious belief . That's because we know that no god can save us in times of trouble! We have to fight like our ancestors and never give in!
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"In Christian mythology, god may not be perfect, but he is absolutely invincible . In China, we think that a man is the master of his own fate! If God gets in the way of our survival, we will push him down!
"Therefore, today, I will not compromise or give in . I firmly believe that I am innocent, so I will not plead guilty . Even if I am found guilty, I will choose to continue to appeal . I will fight firmly to the end, because an unyielding spirit flows through my blood!"
As he listened, Wilfrid nodded earnestly . "I see . I understand what you mean . Mr . Li, let's discuss the trial this afternoon! I'll do everything I can to help you win this case . "
. . .
Pointing to the document on propensity for violence in his hands, Wilfrid said, "A for the problem of propensity for violence, we can apply for a professional psychological test to prove that you aren't abnormally prone to violence . It will take some time . Therefore, we need to apply for an extension of the case on the grounds of preparing key evidence . "
"I have no problem with that . " Dai Li then sat in thought for a few seconds before he asked Wilfrid a question . "Since we have to apply for an extension anyway, why don't we prepare more evidence? I have an idea, but I don't know how to implement it and I'm not positive it would work . "
"That's why you pay me,because that's where my value lies . If your idea is really good for the case, I can help you implement it in the most effective way," said Wilfrid .
"I remember this morning that Reiss listed the reasons for my first-degree murder charge . One of them was that the gunshot could have killed the victim directly, so he affirmed that I didn't care about the life of the victim," said Dai Li .
Recalling the situation, Wilfrid said, "Reiss tried to distort the reason you shot the gun . He intended to make the jury think you are a murderer who killed people indiscriminately . "
"If we can prove that I have the ability to make sure that the shot would not kill that man but just disable him temporarily, wouldn't it mean that I did care about the life of the victim? Could I be cleared of the first-degree murder charge that way," asked Dai Li .
Wilfrid thought for nearly half a minute, then said, "This causal relationship is valid . How can you prove that you are able to shoot somebody with such accuracy?"
"I can prove that I shoot well . Is that enough?" asked Dai Li .
"It depends on how well you shoot," Wilfrid said .
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"As well as a professional shooting athlete . I'm as good as an Olympian 50-meter rifle athlete . How about that?" asked Dai Li .
Wilfrid thought for a while . He took out his laptop and searched something . Minutes later, he said, "According to the information I have found, it's complicated because athletes who shoot don't do so in actual combat situations . However most people know they can shoot very well . The jury is made up of everyday people . If they see your results are the same as a professional athletes, it will prove that you can shoot well . "
"Then I'll give them a shocking performance!" Dai Li lowered his voice and discussed his plan .
. . .
Nick Reiss looked at his watch . Court would begin in half an hour . He looked at Dai Li, and saw that Dai Li and Wilfrid were talking about something .
Haven't they talked it over? It's taking so long! Reiss sighed, and reluctantly continued to wait .
Wilfrid finally ended his discussion with Dai Li ten minutes later . He stood up, adjusted his clothes, and walked over to Reiss .
"It seems that you two have reached a decision . " Reiss firmly believed that Dai Li would plead guilty, so he was relaxed . He stood up and walked to meet Wilfrid .
"Do you have good news for me Wilfrid?" asked Reiss with a big smile .
"I'm afraid I have to disappoint you, Reiss!" Wilfrid was also smiling . "My client will not accept your proposal . He will not plead guilty and the trial will continue . "
"Ah?" Nick Reiss looked surprised . Though he had prepared for this possibility, he thought the probability of Li rejecting his deal had been extremely low . In all the cases he had dealt with, every defendant in similar cases chose to compromise with him and plead guilty .
Reiss couldn't help but ask, "Wilfrid, have you really told your client all the risks involved in this decision?"
"Please don't doubt my professionalism, Reiss . " Wilfrid became serious and said, "My client considered his options and decided that this was the course he wanted to take . As his attorney, I will do everything I can to do it well . So . . . " Wilfried intentionally paused for dramatic effect . "See you in court!"Please download our sponsor's game to support us!