Justifiable Defence Episode 3 Recap
> Justifiable Defence Recap
When questioned by the police, Duan Hongshan requested water and stated he did not know the deceased, claiming the man had kidnapped him and intended to kill him. Recounting the night, Duan said that after dinner, around 8:30 PM, he went out to meet an old friend but declined to reveal the friend's name citing privacy.
He described passing a ring toss stall, winning a Rainbow Dash doll he intended to take home for his daughter, who loved Twilight Sparkle and slept with a doll of that character nightly. He then turned into a dark alley where he was hit on the back of the head. He woke up the next morning tied up at the East Suburb Fishery, unable to move.
Duan recounted that his captor called the place a "maritime court" and himself the "judge" who would push Duan overboard if found guilty. The captor emphasized that no one knew Duan was missing, noting Duan had missed work and his daughter's school interview. Duan then deliberately hit a pillar to leave his DNA at the scene.
He offered his captor two choices: either the captor would eventually be found if he continued, or he could release Duan, and Duan would help create a plausible story to cover the incident. At this point, the captor reacted angrily, calling Duan a liar. He then presented a live stream, identifying himself as Zhou Delong and Duan Hongshan as the Director of the First Procuratorial Department of the Wuyan Procuratorate.
He read comments from viewers calling Duan corrupt and suggesting he should be killed, accusing the law of protecting the rich over ordinary people. Zhou Delong identified himself as the father of his son Lin, stating Lin had died on the 28th, referencing the Case 6. 28 from 14 years prior. Duan managed to break free from his restraints during a struggle and obtain a dagger. Zhou Delong told him to run, but Duan was struck and fell.
As Zhou Delong approached with a pickaxe, Duan, fighting back, stabbed Zhou Delong. When asked why he killed Zhou instead of simply escaping after freeing himself, Duan stated that Zhou Delong had been trying to kill him.
Asked if he remembered the case involving Zhou Delong's son, given Zhou Delong mentioned his son's death was due to him, Duan said he had handled 4370 cases and interrogated thousands of suspects over his 20-year career and maintained a clear conscience in every one. Police informed Duan that their crime scene investigation contradicted his account: they found no bloodstains on the railings or metal plates, and no signs of a struggle at the scene.
Furthermore, they confirmed with the streaming platform that there was no livestream on the date Duan mentioned, despite his insistence that over 5000 people were watching. Police also reported that neither the deceased's phone nor Duan's phone was found at the scene, and even if recovered from the water, data restoration would be difficult. They pressed Duan on the consequences of concealing information, but he insisted his actions were justifiable defense.
Mei Zheng contacted the police to provide information, identifying the deceased as Zhou Delong, the father of Zhou Lin, the student who had died 14 years prior. News reports stated that Prosecutor Duan from Wuyan City had voluntarily surrendered to police at the Duanke Town Police Station, admitting to killing someone, drawing significant attention. The body found at the East Suburb Fishery was confirmed to be an East Suburb Fishery truck driver.
The report noted that Duan had driven a fishery delivery truck to the police station to surrender and was now in lawful detention. Prosecutor Gong informed Fang Lingyuan that Duan Hongshan had begun to confess and that Zhou Delong died from a single stab wound to the chest. Fang Lingyuan visited Zhou Delong's former rented residence as part of the investigation, finding it messy with various materials about Duan Hongshan posted on the walls.
Later, while Fang was dropping off her daughter, Duan Yingying, she learned from Ding Yi that police were investigating the house next door, which Fang realized was Zhou Delong's residence. A police officer confirmed to Fang that Zhou Delong was also the source of the anonymous report against Duan Hongshan, prompting Fang to note the striking coincidence of the reported person killing the reporter.
The situation at the Procuratorate was tense, with many people from cases Duan Hongshan had previously handled gathered there, highlighting the principle that prosecutors are accountable for their cases for life. Colleagues discussed the difficulty of the case involving a chief prosecutor claiming justifiable defense after killing his accuser, noting the high public scrutiny and public opinion challenges. Meanwhile, Duan's daughter, Yingying, faced ostracism from classmates aware of her father's situation and appeared distressed after seeing news about him.
Fang Lingyuan met with Duan Hongshan in the detention center. She asked about his initial silence. Duan explained that, as a prosecutor, he understood the significance of a suspect's first statement as the key to their "maze," but when in the position himself, he was unsure what to say, feeling like he was in a self-imposed dilemma or playing a chess game against himself. Fang suggested his silence was deliberate.
Duan maintained his actions were justifiable defense based on his prosecutorial experience and argued he should not be charged with excessive defense, predicting a court would rule it justifiable defense. When Fang asked who kidnapped him, Duan claimed he hadn't figured it out yet. Fang provided a hint, mentioning the Case 6. 28 from 14 years ago, which Duan had handled, involving the deceased Zhou Lin and suspect Li Mufeng.
Duan didn't recall anyone from that case matching his kidnapper's age. Fang revealed the kidnapper was Zhou Lin's father, Zhou Delong. Duan expressed surprise, recalling only meeting Zhou Lin's mother and later learning the parents were divorced. Fang stated that Duan's killing of Zhou Delong could be interpreted as justifiable defense or intentional homicide disguised as such.
Duan then clarified that Zhou Delong orchestrated the kidnapping with the intent to either destroy Duan's present by killing him or destroy his past by being killed by Duan. Duan asserted that Zhou Delong used the Case 6. 28 from 14 years ago as leverage, like a fulcrum, to challenge all his previously settled cases, aiming to ruin his reputation and undermine public trust in the justice system. Lei Shuang, Duan Hongshan's lawyer, visited him.
She told him the case was complicated and his identity special, advising him to provide a truthful account, suggesting his actions constituted justifiable defense. She presented agreements for the transfer of custody of his daughter, Duan Yingying, and a real estate transfer agreement, noting she had adjusted the visitation schedule on the custody agreement to once a week.
Duan questioned why, and Lei Shuang stated she no longer acts impulsively and prepares backup plans, mentioning the apartment is old but meant for Yingying. She asked about his confidence in winning and offered alternative representation if he wasn't sure. Duan then revealed the kidnapper was Zhou Delong, Zhou Lin's father. Lei Shuang stated she didn't care who it was, but the proximity of the crime scene to Duan's house indicated a deliberate, premeditated kidnapping.
She offered to waive her fee and said the agreements could be signed after he was released, taking his silence as acceptance. Lei Shuang later met with Li Mufeng, whose case she and Duan Hongshan handled 14 years prior. She asked if he harbored any resentment towards Duan. Li Mufeng replied that without Duan, his situation might have been worse, acknowledging Duan had tried to assist him after his release.
When Lei Shuang asked if Zhou Lin's family hated Duan, Li Mufeng was unsure. Lei Shuang then revealed that Zhou Delong, Zhou Lin's father, had kidnapped Duan and was killed by him in defense. She noted the apparent contradiction in Zhou Delong hating Duan more than Li Mufeng.
Li Mufeng confirmed Zhou Delong hated him and had threatened him after he was released but declined to provide details, suggesting she share the information with investigators instead, as she was Duan's lawyer. At the East Suburb Fishery, police requested assistance from local divers to search underwater for critical evidence like phones, keys, or knives, citing a lack of skilled divers and challenging conditions due to rain. Mei Zheng volunteered to dive despite the weather.
While searching underwater, she located an item, implied to be a phone, but concealed it before surfacing, reporting to the officer that she found nothing. Meanwhile, in the detention center, prosecutor colleagues discussed Duan Hongshan's state, noting he appeared like any other new suspect despite his two decades as a prosecutor and former directorial position. They recalled his past statements emphasizing that prosecutors should always remain calm, rational, and objective, questioning if his current demeanor was feigned.
