Justifiable Defence Episode 5 Recap
> Justifiable Defence Recap
As Ding Yi analyzed the case details on a board, Fang Lingyuan joined him. They discussed the connections between the three cases: Li Mufeng killing Zhou Lin for Mei Zheng fourteen years prior, Jiang Ting killing her husband Zhang Yuan fourteen years later, and Duan Hongshan killing Zhou Delong, who was Zhou Lin's father and had been living next door to Duan Hongshan, presumably harboring resentment towards Li Mufeng and Mei Zheng.
They also noted that Jiang Ting had testified against Li Mufeng and Mei Zheng fourteen years ago, claiming an emotional entanglement between them, but Mei Zheng had testified for Jiang Ting fourteen years later. Duan Hongshan had been the lead prosecutor in both the earlier Li Mufeng case and the later Jiang Ting case. Ding Yi initially believed everyone was connected to the original case, but Fang Lingyuan pointed out they were all linked to Duan Hongshan.
Fang Lingyuan stated her goal was to uncover the truth and announced they would investigate the three cases jointly. Fang Lingyuan met with Li Mufeng to discuss the events of fourteen years ago. Li Mufeng recounted that after finishing the college entrance exam, he frequented the library. On the day of the incident, he heard cries for help from the reading room and found Zhou Lin assaulting Mei Zheng.
Acting impulsively, he pushed Zhou Lin away and tried to flee with Mei Zheng, but Zhou Lin, armed with a stick, caught up and struck him on the back of the head. Zhou Lin continued to beat and kick him after he fell. In the midst of the beating, a knife fell to the ground. Terrified and unable to defend himself otherwise, he grabbed the knife and fought back.
He confirmed that both he and Mei Zheng had called for help, but due to it being a holiday, the rain, and the lack of people in the library, no one came to their aid. He explained that he and Mei Zheng were from the same school, she was a year ahead, and they had never spoken, only vaguely recognizing each other. He clarified that saving someone's life did not require romantic feelings.
He admitted that Duan Hongshan had prosecuted him for excessive defense, resulting in a four-year sentence. While he had initially blamed Duan Hongshan, he had eventually come to accept the outcome. Fang Lingyuan later reviewed Mei Zheng's statement from the time. Mei Zheng described going to the library during the university break to return books. She mentioned the librarian was distracted.
Zhou Lin trapped her by using a wheeled bookshelf to block her in, then approached her with a wooden stick, his expression terrifying, and was about to assault her. She screamed for help. Li Mufeng arrived and tried to pull her away, but Zhou Lin knocked Li Mufeng down with the stick and continued to violently beat him. Mei Zheng, terrified, curled up in a corner.
She saw a knife fall before Zhou Lin could attack Li Mufeng again, and saw Li Mufeng pick it up and stab Zhou Lin. She stated the day was chaotic and she only remembered these events. Discussing the two accounts with Ding Yi, Fang Lingyuan noted that while they were largely consistent, there were subtle differences in details.
She posed a hypothetical question: what would they do if someone who had severely wronged them in the past later needed their help, and they could prove their innocence? Ding Yi suggested he would remain silent if the person had truly harmed him. Fang Lingyuan drew a parallel between Li Mufeng testifying for Duan Hongshan and Mei Zheng testifying for Jiang Ting, suggesting Li Mufeng's action might stem from gratitude if he felt Duan Hongshan had been lenient.
She concluded that the crucial point was understanding whether Li Mufeng felt gratitude or resentment towards Duan Hongshan fourteen years ago. Li Mufeng traveled by bus to the provincial capital for an exhibition. The bus was stopped for a routine police check, and Li Mufeng was singled out and questioned after his identity revealed his past record. Other passengers on the bus reacted with visible discomfort and whispered about his history. Before the exhibition, Li Mufeng visited his mother.
He told her about his exhibition nearby and offered tickets, hoping she and her family could attend. His mother responded with coldness, stating she was busy but would try to go. She asked about the potential for prize money and the chance to compete internationally if he won. When her husband and their younger son arrived, their conversation turned to the younger son's future school prospects, specifically the English special class at Experimental Middle School.
His step-father expressed concern that Li Mufeng's criminal record might negatively impact his half-brother's school applications, including potential future government positions, despite having been told by the police it might only be an issue for government jobs. Li Mufeng apologized, but his mother told him he didn't need to apologize to her; he only owed himself an apology, referencing her previous statement about him misleading her in the past.
Fang Lingyuan went to see Li Mufeng's mentor, showing him a photo of Zhou Delong. The mentor initially claimed not to recognize him. However, Fang Lingyuan mentioned that Zhou Delong had visited the workshop about six months prior and damaged one of the mentor's glass pieces. The mentor then confirmed the visit, recalling that Zhou Delong had threatened to kill him, Duan Hongshan, and Mei Zheng before breaking his work.
He added that only he had the right to damage his own creations. Fang Lingyuan and Ding Yi discussed the mentor's confirmation of Zhou Delong's visit and threats, which contrasted with Li Mufeng's earlier statement, suggesting Li Mufeng might have committed perjury. Fang Lingyuan decided to speak with Duan Hongshan first. She met with Duan Hongshan, remarking on his reputation as an excellent prosecutor.
She asked for the basis of his excessive defense ruling in Li Mufeng's case fourteen years ago. Duan Hongshan explained that Zhou Lin was armed with a stick, while Li Mufeng had a knife. He maintained that Zhou Lin's stick was not a lethal threat, and Li Mufeng's use of a knife to kill exceeded the necessary force for defense. He reiterated that Li Mufeng claimed the knife was not his but could not prove its origin.
Duan Hongshan also noted that Li Mufeng's first choice for college was the School of Law at the University of Politics and Law, that he had already been accepted, and had judicial study books at home, suggesting a deep understanding of the law, specifically the concept of justifiable defense, and implying Li Mufeng might have been trying to manipulate it.
Fang Lingyuan then directly addressed Li Mufeng's recent testimony about Zhou Delong threatening him, Duan Hongshan, and Mei Zheng, labeling it a "false testimony" and a "lie easily exposed." She questioned why Li Mufeng would offer such testimony that was easily disproven, suggesting it was because Li Mufeng had always believed he acted in justifiable defense and felt Duan Hongshan had ruined his life by convicting him.
At the exhibition, Li Mufeng saw his mother, step-father, and younger half-brother admiring his artwork, piece number nine. They praised its concept, structure, and execution, calling it the best piece they had seen. Li Mufeng watched them with a smile. Fang Lingyuan approached him and asked him to accompany her. She informed him that giving false testimony was a punishable offense, questioning why he lied when he knew he had a text message from Zhou Delong proving the threat.
Li Mufeng admitted the threat message was real but explained he fabricated the rest because he feared his life being in danger would not be taken seriously, referencing his previous experience where his life was not deemed threatened despite the circumstances. He stated that only one person had genuinely cared for him: Duan Hongshan.
He revealed that after his release from prison, when he was jobless, homeless, and abandoned by his parents, Duan Hongshan had quietly introduced him to his current mentor and helped him find work. Duan Hongshan had also encouraged him to enter the current competition.
Li Mufeng shared that Duan Hongshan had told him that fourteen years ago, justifiable defense was a "dormant legal provision," which was why the court couldn't find him not guilty, but that now Duan Hongshan wanted to revive the issue of justifiable defense. Reflecting on this, Li Mufeng commented that if viewed from this perspective, his artwork was "nothing special," and the concept of using a cage to represent his prison experience seemed "dull" and "crude." Li Mufeng then returned to the exhibition floor, his work now subject to scrutiny and devalued by others aware of his criminal record. Mei Zheng appeared nearby.
