Spy Wars: Red Shopkeeper

Chapter 36 Court Three
Richard was clearly stumped.

Smith advanced cautiously and pressed forward step by step. The only answer to this question was that some Japanese soldiers arrested people without permission.

The consequences of this answer may not be acceptable to the Japanese collaborator.

This is something that every country will report, saying that their own soldiers are rampant and enforce the law arbitrarily. Although this is true, the Japanese consul may not really like this result.

Maybe they will even start fighting among themselves.

And behind this question, Richard suspected, no, was certain that there would be other traps waiting for him.

"Lawyer Gu, Lawyer Gu," he muttered anxiously.

"be opposed to."

As soon as Gu Yansheng's voice came out, Richard felt that it was the most beautiful voice he had ever heard in his life. The figure who stood up was comparable to God!

Gu Yansheng stood up and said, "Your Honor, I object to the defendant's lawyer's groundless speculation. Not to mention that the defendant's lawyer can't provide evidence to prove that those people are Japanese soldiers, even if they are, arresting people and transferring law enforcement authority are two completely different concepts. The defendant's lawyer is confusing the public."

Smith turned his head and chuckled, "The plaintiff's lawyer likes to object. That's fine. From what he's saying, as long as I can produce evidence to prove that some of those people in the alley are Japanese soldiers, then he's admitting that the other party's arrest is true?

Your Honor, the photos I just received before the court are enough to prove that among those who arrested people at that time, there were active-duty Japanese soldiers!

I'm sorry, plaintiff's lawyer, this happened suddenly and I didn't notify you. You wouldn't be so guilty as to not submit such important evidence, right?"

According to the trial rules, a list of all witnesses and physical evidence must be submitted before the court so that both parties can see it and make preparations. It is not impossible to conduct a surprise evidence raid in the middle of the court, but there is always a risk of being opposed and not being able to submit it.

Gu Yansheng met his eyes and indeed did not object.

Seeing that Gu Yansheng had no objection, the assistant immediately handed the photos to the court for the judge to review.

Smith then held up a photo and a newspaper and said loudly, "The photo was taken by an American reporter in the alley of the police station on the day of the incident. It clearly shows a Japanese soldier wearing standard Japanese military boots and plain clothes, looking up at the reporter's camera.

The newspaper in my hand is from Japan's own newspaper media, the Nichi Nichi Shimbun, which took some photos of some officers during an interview with the Military Police Headquarters in Shanghai three months ago.

Please look, this plainclothes officer is the same person mentioned in the newspaper, Kojima Shoichi, a captain of the Military Police Headquarters."

Smith glanced at Gu Yansheng and said, "The same person in these two photos is enough to prove that the person who appeared in the alley in the French Concession at that time was a Japanese soldier!

And he's an active-duty soldier!
Please don't tell me he was fired. I would consider that an insult to the court, and I believe your Honor would not tolerate it."

Smith stared at Gu Yansheng, blocking all his escape routes.

The repeated whispers from the audience were the most conclusive evidence since the trial began that the Japanese army was involved in the arrest operation in the French Concession.

From military boots to active service hammers, it can be said to be a big step forward.

"Waiting here."

Wolf whispered into Gu Yansheng's ear: "If our initial strategy had not acknowledged the involvement of Japanese soldiers here, this attack would have been enough to defeat all our efforts."

Gu Yansheng nodded slightly: "I work hard enough and I'm lucky enough."

Smith had only been in charge of the case for a few days when he dug up a photo from a newspaper three months ago.

Smith had the match point and directly confronted Gu Yansheng, "Then, plaintiff's lawyer, you should admit that it was true that Japanese soldiers arrested people near the police station that evening, right?

Your Honor, I have no further questions."

Smith didn't even wait for an answer and turned back to his seat.

"Silence, silence." The judge struck the gavel.

"Plaintiff's lawyer, do you have anything to add?" the judge said after taking note.

Gu Yansheng stood up and said, "Your Honor, I request to question the defendant of the Damei Evening News."

"allow."

Wait until the reporter from Damei Evening News who appeared in court came to the stage and testified under oath.

Gu Yansheng leaned aside and asked, "Are you the American reporter the defendant's lawyer mentioned who was taking photos at the entrance of the alley?"

"Yes." Although the American reporter is currently representing the defendant, he is still quite excited, as if going to court is something worth bragging about.

Gu Yansheng smiled and asked, "You seem to be in a good mood. Is there anything good?"

However, as soon as Gu Yansheng finished speaking, Smith raised his hand and said, "Objection! The plaintiff's lawyer's question has nothing to do with this case."

"The objection is valid and the defendant does not need to respond." The judge made a quick ruling.

“It’s okay, I just wanted to say it.

As a journalist, I feel very honored that my photos were used in such a major event. This may be the most valuable photo I have ever taken in my life. This photo may appear on the front page of all newspapers tomorrow. I am so excited. "

The American reporters were laughing happily, showing off their happiness to the reporters in the audience without hiding it at all.

Besides, he was just a conscripted soldier, not the defendant in any criminal case, so it didn't affect his mood at all. If the other party was willing to talk, then Smith had no choice but to sit down. Fortunately, answering it didn't affect anything.

Gu Yansheng said with a smile, "Congratulations! An average reporter might never be able to take a photo as valuable as this in their entire life. Since you're so young, you might have another chance in the future. How many years have you been a reporter?"

"Seven years."

"When did you come to Shanghai?"

"four years ago."

"So you experienced the entire war in Shanghai and knew about the recent assassinations in the International Settlement and the French Concession?"

"Of course I know. I've done a lot of reporting on this. This is the meaning of my work in Shanghai."

"So, how many assassinations have occurred in the concession in the past two months? How many do you know about?"

"Objection! Your Honor, the plaintiff's questions are irrelevant to this case. This is a waste of everyone's time!"

Smith endured for a few times, but he could no longer bear it. Although these problems were nothing, he already knew that Gu Yansheng's strength should not be underestimated, so he had to be vigilant, as any problem could be a trap.

Gu Yansheng immediately retorted: "Your Honor, I will prove that the questions I asked are absolutely relevant to this case."

"Plaintiff's attorney, please make your intention clear as soon as possible. Defendant, you may choose not to answer this question."

"At least a dozen times, right?" The American reporter felt that there was nothing wrong with this question. Many people knew about it, so he was just telling the truth.

"More than a dozen times. How many times did they use guns? In other words, did shootings occur?"

"Then guns must be used. They should be used every time, right?" Isn't this common sense?
"On the day of the incident, in the alley outside the police station, you filmed Japanese soldiers arresting people. Did you see or simply hear any gunfire?"

"No."

"Objection!" Smith knew where the trap was and stood up instantly: "Your Honor! I object to the plaintiff's lawyer inducing the defendant to make such remarks!
The presence of gunshots cannot be used as a criterion for whether an assassination attempt occurred.

The defendant himself is not from Chongqing, let alone a member of the Japanese military. It is unclear whether guns were used in the previous assassinations. Everything is based on speculation and cannot be used as a basis for judgment or even evidence!

"The objection is valid," the judge said. "Plaintiff's lawyer, please refrain from making any elicited remarks."

"Your Honor, I have no such intention, and the defendant's attorney should not be impatient. I will not use the use of a gun to prove whether there was an attack that day."

Gu Yansheng bowed his head and looked at the American reporter: "You saw it with your own eyes that day. The photos you took showed a few plainclothes officers capturing a few people in an alley, right?"

"Yes."

"Did you see any Japanese soldiers holding guns?"

"I didn't see that."

"Okay, thank you." Gu Yansheng picked up a pile of newspapers on the table and held them high, looking around the courtroom. "It's not that the reporters didn't see it, but no one on the Japanese side was carrying a gun on the day of the incident!

This is a photo of all the newspapers on the market on the day of the incident. I mean all the newspapers sold in Shanghai!
As we all know, assassinations have occurred frequently in Shanghai and the concessions recently.

Even if not all assassinations involved shootings, at least half or even most of them involved guns on both sides of the conflict.

Many of you here are consuls from various countries. I believe that you will receive corresponding reports every time an assassination occurs.

All of you journalists are working on the front lines of news reporting. I believe your newspapers have quite a few pictures of shootings.

This brings up a problem. If the Japanese soldiers obtained law enforcement power in the French Concession, their first target would be Chinese agents, or at least their imaginary enemy would be them.

So at the very least, they have to have guns to enforce the law, right?
Where's the gun? Where's the gun?

The defendant's lawyer has been wondering whether the soldiers outside the police station were Japanese soldiers.

Of course! My client has never denied it!
But they want to use the appearance of Japanese soldiers, in plain clothes, to prove that our party has transferred the law enforcement power. This is simply a joke!

Have you ever seen law enforcement without a gun?

There are so many reporters here!
Among all the photos taken by reporters, is there a single one that shows a gun, either in a hand or on a waist?

Everyone present should know what a Japanese spear looks like. There is not a single one in the photo.

Some people really don't know what the Japanese pistol looks like. Let me tell you, it's called the Type 14 Nambu pistol, which is standard equipment for Japanese military officers and special agents.

According to the specifications, these military police and special agents who came to protect the Japanese nobles should be equipped with such firearms, but have you seen any of them holding pistols or rifles?
No!

None!

Only plainclothes officers were deployed to capture people through hand-to-hand combat.

From beginning to end, among all the photos taken by reporters, the only thing that could prove that those people were Japanese soldiers was the military boots worn by the military police captain, which the defendant's lawyer took the trouble to prove for us!
why?
Because the French Concession never, and could not, transfer its law enforcement power to the Japanese authorities!
It's only granted temporarily! It's just the right to assist in melee combat!"

(End of this chapter)