Chapter 78: Court Defense

  Wang Fan nodded and said: "Don't worry, I'm not so tasteless. It's just that I think this foreign girl Cola has a bit of personality, I quite appreciate it, there's really some intention to pursue her".

  "Look at you, you're so used to being mistreated. You don't like it when people are nice to you, but you keep thinking about those who are mean to you. It's like you're addicted to being bullied, just like that poor woman who got taken advantage of. It's really annoying to watch."

  After finishing breakfast, the two of them watched TV for a while. Then Henry brought over a young white guy and introduced him as his assistant. An Na handed her phone to Henry, who put it in a bag, sealed it, and then briefed the two on what to do next before leaving.

  Two people did not go out to play today, waiting for the trial. They really had no interest in going out, so they stayed in the hotel, surfing the internet and playing games. Wang Fan continued to knit his big pineapple third generation.

  Finally the day of the trial arrived, Ju An and Wang Fan got up early, washed up, put on their suits and got into Henry's car, arriving at the New York courthouse.

  When he entered the courtroom, Ju An only then discovered that it was different from what he had seen on TV. The space was small, with only a few rows of spectator seats in the back, and high judges' benches, as well as two rows of wooden tables facing the judges, and the jury's seats.

  Henry, with Ju An and Wang Fan by his side, sat down in front of a wooden desk on the right-hand side. Then Henry said to the two of them: "Later when you are asked questions, first look at me. If I nod, you can answer. If I don't nod, it's an objection. The judge will ask you to answer, and that's basically it."

  "Hey Henry, I thought there would be more people here for the trial, like on TV."

  Henry smiled and explained: "Our small case has no influence at all, basically no media attention, and it won't be arranged to be tried in a big court."

  Yu An nodded slightly, then looked around at the wooden wall skirt that was about one person high, with snow-white eaves and ceiling. The entire courtroom was only two colors, dark brown and white, giving a solemn feeling.

  After waiting for just a few minutes, several people wearing suits and ties came in, shook hands with Henry and the others, and then returned to tell Ju An: "The prosecutor's people have arrived." Ju An thought that they were probably equivalent to our domestic procuratorate.

  After a while, the judge arrived and everyone stood up to wait for a black judge in his fifties. After the judge sat down, he announced: "The New York Brooklyn Primary Court is now in session for the trial of Wang Fan's injury to public morals case. Please state the charges."

  Then a white man in a suit stood up from the long wooden table: "We accuse Messrs. Ju An and Wang Fan of engaging in ** behavior on the evening of x year x month x day, and were caught on the spot by our undercover female police officer. We have audio evidence recorded by Officer Cora, as well as the $50 evidence handed over to Officer Cora by Mr. Wang Fan. We believe that the two gentlemen have indeed violated the law." After finishing speaking, he sat back down.

  The judge asked: "Does the defense attorney have anything to say?"

  "Henley stood up and said: 'My two clients are innocent, my two clients have received good education, no one would believe that my two clients would do such a thing as to solicit prostitutes. This is a smear on my two clients, Your Honor.'"

  The judge looked at the empty position and said: "The prosecution presents evidence."

  The white man in the suit then stood up again and said to the judge: "Your Honor, I request that my witness, Officer Cora, be called to testify."

  The judge nodded, and then Ju An saw the female roadblock from yesterday. Today, she was wearing a police uniform. At first glance, Ju An found that Wang Fan did have some taste. Her golden hair, big blue eyes, and healthy wheat-colored skin made her look great. Unlike the sickly thin urban girls, her figure was fit and toned. The blue police uniform added to her refreshing aura. Her face shape resembled Blake Lively's, although she looked a bit older, but still had a unique charm.

  The female police officer, Cora, stood up in the witness stand, was sworn in and then sat down.

  The white man on the prosecution side asked: "Please state what happened at that time in front of the judges and the jury."

  Then he heard Officer Kola recount what had happened. Ju An listened and felt that the woman hadn't exaggerated, it was basically true.

  The prosecutor's side followed, "Then please point out the man who was driving and the man who gave you $50 separately." Then Kola stretched out his hand and pointed at Ju An and Wang Fan.

  At the judge's nod, Henry walked over to the witness stand and asked, "Is this Officer Cora's first time doing this kind of work?"

  The prosecutor immediately stood up loudly: "I object, your honor, this is irrelevant to the case."

  "The judge asked: 'Defendant, please state your reason.'"

  Who would have thought that Henry immediately came up with a sentence, "Sorry." Then he asked, "So how did you communicate with the buyer, was it like the tone in the recording just now?"

  Ke La said: "Yes".

  "Henry asked: 'Then do you know? Where did this Mr. Wang Fan, who is talking to you, come from?'"

  "Traveling from China to New York."

  Henry looked at Cora and smiled: "So what do you think of my two clients' English?"

  "Not bad, spoken very fluently"

  "Henry turned around and said, 'Your Honor, please call our witness.' The judge nodded. A white woman in her thirties took the stand."

  "Excuse me, have you ever worked at the Manhattan Police Department and during your years of service, have you also disguised yourself as a decoy prostitute to catch johns?"

  The woman replied: "Yes".

  "If it were these two young men opposite us who invited you to get into their car, would you go?" Henry asked, pointing at Ju An and Wang Fan.

  "No, it's too dangerous," the woman replied with a shake of her head.

  "Suppose you get on the bus, how will you talk to the men and what means will you use to induce them to express their thoughts?" Henry asked.

  The woman said, "In this situation, it's very difficult. The customers who let you get in the car are usually old hands, and after getting in the car, they will generally make a request, that is, to show them your ***, so as to determine whether you are a police officer or not. If they don't ask, then I'll let him say something with ***-related words or hints."

  "Henry said at the interface: "Like what Officer Kora did?"

  The woman nodded and said: "Yes".

  "Henry nodded and continued to ask: 'Then they wouldn't directly mention words like prostitution or solicitation'."

  "They won't, they won't mention that word, when talking to you they will avoid using that word, when giving you money they will say it's for your child's education or buying toys, so even if caught there is no way to accuse them."

  "Based on your personal experience, having heard the prosecution's evidence just now, what do you think is the probability that those two are seeking pleasure?" Henry asked again.

  The woman replied: "I think the chances are not great, one of the men hardly inserted any topics into the conversation, and another man did not mention a word about evading the law throughout the entire conversation."

  Henry looked at the jury and asked, "Isn't it because of the purpose of protecting female police officers that you are not allowed to get on the suspect's car, so you don't get on other people's cars?"

  "Yes, the vast majority of female traffic police who are forced to get on the car will eventually be unable to file a complaint, and in order for a single female police officer to face one or several men, personal safety will be threatened to some extent, which is also why it is required that female police officers should not be allowed to get on the car as much as possible."

  "Henry said: 'Your Honor, I have no further questions.'"

  Then the judge nodded to the prosecutor, who stood up and asked: "When did you join the police force?"

  The woman replied: "Seven years ago".

  "The prosecution asked again: 'What was the reason for leaving the police station?'"

  "I'm married and have children who need me to take care of them," the woman replied. She then nodded to indicate that she had finished questioning herself, and returned to her seat.

  Henry stood up again and asked the judge to ask some questions to Ju An. When Ju An arrived at the witness stand, he asked: "Please tell me why you stopped the car to let this lady on board."

  "When I first came to the United States and just got out of the airport in a town in Montana, it started raining heavily and couldn't find a taxi. At that time, someone drove a car and kindly took me to my destination. So when someone wants a ride, I will stop and give them a ride whenever I'm on the road."

  "Henry asked again: 'Do you think this Officer Cola wants a ride?'"

  "Right," said Henry, nodding his head. Then he signaled to the judge that he had finished questioning and returned to his seat.

  At this time, the prosecutor asked to inquire about Wang Fan. When Wang Fan took the witness stand, the prosecutor walked in front of Wang Fan and asked: "Why did you think at that time that a girl with revealing clothes wanted to hitchhike?"

  "Henry jumped up and said: 'Your Honor, I object. Clothing cannot be the standard for judging a street girl. The prosecution is leading the witness.'"

  The judge said: "Objection sustained, prosecutor watch your language."

  "The prosecution then asked: 'Then how do you usually distinguish between a street girl and others?'"

  Wang Fan glanced at Henry and saw him nodding, then said: "At that time, the streetlights were very bright, and the surrounding shops were all lit up. In our country, streetwalkers wouldn't appear under such bright lights because the police work very seriously and crack down on illegal activities too severely. As for her revealing outfit, I think it's her own business what she wears." Wang Fan's answer made the prosecution a bit embarrassed, as it was a clear slap in the face. Chinese streetwalkers are all driven to dark alleys, while American streetwalkers are out in the open under bright lights - how can this make American police feel?

  He then asked two more people a few questions and the prosecution sat back down at their table.