Chen Daoguang glanced at him. He couldn't help but show a look of contempt.

The defense statement this lawyer gave him yesterday was all about admitting guilt, accepting punishment, and expressing a willingness to reform and start anew. This was clearly sending him to prison. If he really listened to him... His own ten-year sentence would definitely be unavoidable.

「Meanwhile.」

Nursing Home.

Zhang Qingyuan, Li Weiguo, Song Tiancheng, and others sat in the courtyard, looking up at the projection screen. Their faces were etched with shock.

"Is the sentence for illegal detention that severe? I heard he just blocked Chen Qi's family for one day, and they're asking for a ten-year sentence?"

"Seventy-eight people, each receiving a sentence. Only Chen Daoguang was in a league of his own, clearly being singled out by the prosecutor."

"There's something about Chen Daoguang's defense. His defense lawyer wouldn't also consider... a not guilty defense, would he?"

"This lawyer seems to be a legal aid lawyer. I've seen him in criminal cases before, many times."

With astonishment, people began discussing, one after another.

The ten-year sentence proposed by the public prosecutor almost threw out their old backs again.

To put it in perspective, a ten-year sentence is generally the starting point for top-tier serious crimes like robbing a bank, intentional homicide, or illegal possession of firearms. Even for involuntary manslaughter, the sentence is typically three to seven years.

And Chen Daoguang, just by blocking a door... with a single day's effort, had successfully earned himself ten years of guaranteed keep.

This sentencing recommendation was truly frightening.

To be honest, they even started to doubt whether the public prosecutor was acting out of a personal vendetta.

Besides, Chen Daoguang's defense was also quite splendid. He firmly denied the crime of illegal detention.

It seemed... this free legal aid lawyer was hiding his true capabilities and possessed a strong desire to make a bold play.

"The public prosecutor's request for a ten-year sentence should be within a reasonable range."

In the courtyard, Qin Mu watched the trial footage and pondered slightly, "He committed the crimes of illegal detention and creating disturbances. According to criminal law principles, he would be sentenced based on the more serious of the two crimes."

When one act triggers two charges, the more serious offense takes precedence in sentencing.

According to the circumstances of the two crimes Chen Daoguang committed, the sentencing range for illegal detention is up to three years imprisonment, and for creating disturbances, it is up to five years.

Therefore, the final judgment would be based on the charge of creating disturbances, and logically, Chen Daoguang's sentence shouldn't exceed five years.

However... in the charge of "creating disturbances," four prohibited actions were specifically stipulated:

1. Wanton assault of others, where circumstances are vile;

2. Chasing, intercepting, abusing, or intimidating others, where circumstances are vile;

3. Forcibly taking or arbitrarily damaging or occupying public or private property, where circumstances are serious;

4. Inciting disturbances in public places, causing severe disruption to public order.

Furthermore, it stipulated: "For repeatedly assembling a group to engage in the above actions, the punishment shall be five to ten years of imprisonment, with a possible additional fine."

Perhaps the Procuratorate had discovered Chen Daoguang's past "deeds."

That's why they gave Chen Daoguang special "attention" and directly raised the sentencing recommendation to ten years!

After all... just yesterday, Chen Daoguang had defied everyone and everything, not even sparing the public prosecutor.

This was also the first defendant Qin Mu had ever seen who dared to berate the public prosecutor. As for Chen Daoguang's "not guilty defense" argument, he highly doubted that it was Chen Daoguang's own improvisation and that it had little to do with his defense lawyer. In such a case with conclusive evidence... No one could possibly win a not guilty verdict!

"So that's it, he must have offended the public prosecutor?"

"Yesterday, he was sitting next to the public prosecutor as a victim. He probably never dreamed this day would come."

"Now I finally understand! Offending a judge isn't really that scary, but offending the public prosecutor is the most terrifying—they directly raised the recommended sentence by a tier!"

"Could it be that the public prosecutor worked overnight, screened his records, and found new criminal entries for Chen Daoguang...?"

Zhang Qingyuan and others swallowed hard. They became even more agitated.

The judges and members of the tribunal, representing the court, held the power of judgment. The public prosecutor represented the Procuratorate, holding the power of accusation. Most criminal defendants... were accused by them. Sentencing recommendations were also first proposed by them.

And Chen Daoguang's actions the previous day were undoubtedly a case of him shooting himself in the foot.

"Xiao Qin, thank goodness for you; otherwise, I wouldn't understand these sentencing requirements at all..." Wan Zhongyuan, sitting on a small stool beside him, also listened with great interest and couldn't resist commenting.

From Qin Mu's explanations, he, too, had learned quite a lot.

The most direct lesson... was not to offend someone like Qin Mu who knew the law. An incident of blocking a door... through a series of coincidences, had escalated directly to a ten-year prison sentence! He resolved he would never again dare to block someone's door. This matter... in his eyes, had escalated to the same level as murder and arson.

「At the same time.」

Jin City Court.

Chen Daoguang finished his statement, expressing a firm refusal to accept the ten-year sentence.

Zhou Quanmin furrowed his brows and continued looking at the other defendants.

He asked solemnly, "What is your defense against the accusations of the public prosecutor?"

This stage was to showcase the human rights of the defendants, providing them an opportunity to express their views and to prevent instances of wrongful convictions where the defendant has no chance to speak. And as the case involved many people, he needed to inquire about the views of most individuals to prevent potential individual wrongful convictions.

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