Justifiable Defence Episode 10 Recap
> Justifiable Defence Recap
Confined, Duan Hongshan reflected on his situation, explaining that while isolated, he could rearrange information brought by Fang Lingyuan to uncover new possibilities. He pointed out that Mei Zheng claimed to have witnessed the entire incident, using a flashlight beam to distinguish between two knives, yet Jiang Ting's testimony never mentioned this light. This discrepancy led him to two conclusions: either Mei Zheng didn't use a flashlight, or she didn't witness the murder at all.
Duan Hongshan speculated Mei Zheng might have anticipated Zhang Yuan would find Jiang Ting, intending to incite Jiang Ting's revenge so she could later testify that Jiang Ting acted in justifiable defense, thus completing a perfect revenge. He pondered whether Mei Zheng simply sought Zhang Yuan's death or aimed to implicate Jiang Ting as well. Regardless, he believed the most critical evidence lay with Mei Zheng, who served as the crucial link connecting Li Mufeng's and Jiang Ting's cases.
Fang Lingyuan later interrogated Mei Zheng, observing her nervousness. When Fang Lingyuan mentioned that unlike other classmates, she wouldn't cook for Jiang Ting, she was pointedly implying that Mei Zheng had, which could suggest conspiracy. Mei Zheng retorted that her contact with Jiang Ting shouldn't automatically be interpreted as a premeditated revenge plot. Fang Lingyuan urged Mei Zheng to confront her past, emphasizing that one should not remain perpetually bound by it.
When pressed on whether she had conspired with Jiang Ting, Mei Zheng denied any plan and challenged Fang Lingyuan to provide evidence. She explained that she merely wanted to help Jiang Ting escape her dire situation. Her initial plan was to install a recording device to capture Zhang Yuan's domestic abuse, enabling Jiang Ting to file for divorce. While both women anticipated Zhang Yuan would eventually appear, they did not expect his early arrival.
Mei Zheng described discovering Zhang Yuan on Jiang Ting’s balcony assaulting her, prompting Mei Zheng to record the incident on her phone. Upon reviewing the blurry video footage, Fang Lingyuan noted the absence of the "beam of light" Mei Zheng had mentioned in her testimony. This suggested Mei Zheng had likely committed perjury, which explained why she had specifically singled out Zhang Yuan during the hearing.
The situation posed a complex legal challenge: while Mei Zheng's actions might constitute "preparation for a crime" due to the deviation from her original plan, the objective evidence regarding Jiang Ting's actions remained ambiguous, making it difficult to determine her culpability. Fang Lingyuan presented the blurry video to Jiang Ting. Jiang Ting initially denied being the person in the video but changed her stance when told the footage could be restored, vehemently insisting her actions constituted justifiable defense.
After Fang Lingyuan encouraged her to be truthful, Jiang Ting recounted her relationship with Mei Zheng. They met at a bus station where Jiang Ting was struggling with her child. Mei Zheng, upon learning of Jiang Ting's plight, helped her settle in and even gifted her a blue gourami fish to bring some life into her home.
Jiang Ting described receiving a distressing phone call from Zhang Yuan, which caused her to lose control and grab a knife to confront him. Mei Zheng intervened, advising her that if Zhang Yuan initiated the confrontation, her actions would be deemed "justifiable defense." Jiang Ting admitted she believed she was trapped in that abusive situation forever. Fang Lingyuan arranged for independent third parties to analyze the video footage frame by frame.
Following their reports, she convened a joint meeting of prosecutors. During the meeting, various subjective interpretations of the video emerged. While some argued Jiang Ting’s initial stab might be justifiable, they contended that the subsequent six stabs constituted intentional assault, as Zhang Yuan was already incapacitated. Fang Lingyuan countered by highlighting Jiang Ting's severe emotional distress, having endured nearly twenty harassing phone calls daily from Zhang Yuan for months, and suggested the knife could have been a tool for self-defense.
Fang Lingyuan argued that the concept of "justifiable defense" should encompass situations where unlawful harm is imminent or danger persists after an initial attack, advocating for the "last opportunity" principle. She urged her colleagues to consider Jiang Ting's five years of domestic abuse and the profound fear she experienced. In such extreme circumstances, she argued, one cannot calmly assess the precise number of stabs necessary, as the abuser might retaliate if not fully incapacitated.
Fang Lingyuan concluded by emphasizing that their work involved human lives, not merely legal cases, and that the law must never yield to wrongdoing. Therefore, she recommended that Jiang Ting's actions be classified as justifiable defense and that no prosecution be pursued. After Jiang Ting's release, her lawyer, Lei Shuang, picked her up. In the car, Jiang Ting noticed spicy strips in the back seat.
She ate them freely, reflecting on how her mother used to forbid her from eating such snacks and had used her to please superiors. Upon returning home, Jiang Ting found her mother, who expressed shame over the incident and admitted she had never visited Jiang Ting in detention because of it. Jiang Ting firmly declared she would not return to her mother's home and forced her to leave.
Later, at the beach, Jiang Ting tearfully apologized to both Mei Zheng and Fang Lingyuan. She showed them the scars on her body, expressing that her ten years with Zhang Yuan had been her retribution. She vowed to live with guilt and dedicate her life to atoning for her past mistakes, specifically mentioning the harm she had caused to Mei Zheng and another person years ago.
