Tokyo: Rabbit Police and Her Evil Partner

Chapter 592 Obituaries and Death Penalties

72 hours after the release of the Cat Island video, the cabinet's approval rating fell below 10%, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical's stock price went to zero, and more than 200 demonstrations broke out across the country.

The Asahi Shimbun published a large photo of Kujo Yui's resignation letter on its front page, marking the first female Superintendent General of Police in history's history as she ultimately chose to face the consequences of resigning.

In the spring of 1994, NHK news broadcast an obituary:

Detective Tamako Minamoto (aged 23) of the Sugamo Police Station's Criminal Investigation Division died in the line of duty and was posthumously awarded a First-Class Merit by the Metropolitan Police Department. During the Tokyo Tower incident, she was struck by a stray bullet while subduing a heinous criminal and died at 23:17 PM that day despite attempts to save her.

In accordance with his wishes, his body will be donated to a medical institution. The funeral service will be limited to family members, and members of the public can offer flowers at Zojoji Temple on February 20.

……

In May of the same year, the attack case officially went to trial after compromises were reached among the parties involved.

The gallery was packed with people. In the front row were bureaucrats dressed in black suits, in the middle were the victims' family members with their faces covered by masks, and in the back row was the press area, filled with filming equipment, broadcasting live. The whole country was watching this trial.

Bulletproof glass separated the defendant's dock into a transparent cage. Fushimi Shika was wearing an orange prison uniform, and the shackles on his feet were locked to the metal floor, making a dull thud with each movement.

He hadn't cut his hair or shaved for months, and he looked much more haggard. His hair covered his eyes, and his chin was covered in stubble, making him look like a man in his thirties.

The judge struck the gavel, announcing the official start of the trial.

This time there was no plea bargaining, no collusion between lawyers, only a fair and just trial, ensuring that all sentencing was legal and compliant.

The prosecutor formally filed charges, listing eighteen criminal offenses, including 'intentional homicide,' 'intentional arson,' 'causing an explosion,' and 'unlawful imprisonment.'

The judge asked the defendant if he had any objections, but the defendant remained silent. The judge had no choice but to take this as acquiescence, and the prosecutor continued to speak.

Next, the prosecutor presented witness testimonies and physical evidence to prove that the Metropolitan Police Department attack and the Tokyo Tower hostage crisis were indeed committed by the suspect, with irrefutable and conclusive evidence, and demanded the death penalty.

The judge asked the defendant if he pleaded guilty, and the live broadcast camera gave a close-up of his face with a telephoto lens. Fushimi Shika seemed to nod almost imperceptibly.

"Alright, now it's time for the defendant's lawyer to speak." The judge struck the gavel.

Fushimi Shika's defense lawyer was a middle-aged man in his thirties. The fact that he dared to take on this high-profile case that had attracted national attention showed that he was very confident in himself—if he could get the case to life imprisonment, it would be enough to make him famous and renowned in the legal community.

He made thorough preparations for this, starting with the criminal motive and stating that the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department was negligent in its duties and that the suspect's actions were not 'profit-driven'.

He delivered a passionate speech in court:
"When the judicial system itself becomes a breeding ground for crime, should citizens' acts of self-defense still be defined as crimes?"

“Look at these names marked as ‘suicide’ or ‘missing’ in official records! When the Metropolitan Police Department shreds police reports and the prosecutor’s office falsifies autopsy reports, my client is merely filling a void in this country’s dysfunctional justice!”

……

The lawyer's speech was a great success, with thunderous applause from the audience. Those who knew Fushimi Shika could even see glimpses of old friends in him.

The judge nodded, indicating that this would be taken into account when sentencing.

After the judges voted, the court adjourned temporarily to hold an internal meeting to discuss sentencing. After waiting for more than two hours, the court reconvened, and before the final verdict, the judge asked the defendant for the second time whether he pleaded guilty.

"Regarding your sentencing, please answer carefully, defendant," the judge said solemnly.

Defense attorney Ryoto Asai heard a glimmer of hope for a life sentence. He stared intently at his client, leaned in, and whispered to Fushimi Shika that he should plead guilty.

As long as you confess, you can live.

Fushimi Shika raised his head slightly, glancing sideways at Asai Ryouto, the cold light in his pupils shining through the gaps in his messy hair.

He said jokingly in a voice only the two of them could hear, "They're playing a trick on you, can't you tell?"

Asai Ryoto was taken aback and subconsciously looked up at the judge, who still had a meticulous and rigid expression.

"How could that be? Don't overthink it, this judge is very responsible..."

Before he could finish speaking, Fushimi Shika suddenly raised his head, straightened his body, and stood up. This single action of standing up made him the center of the court's attention. The gallery held its breath, the magistrate leaned back, and the judge interlaced his fingers, awaiting his speech.

Fushimi Shika looked around, but before he could speak, the staff had already placed a microphone in front of him.

"Gentlemen, I do not wish to defend myself."

"While I can still speak, while there are still people willing to listen to me, I will only say one thing here."

"Regarding the so-called divine punishment."

"Perhaps everyone thinks that the people I killed deserved it. 'If you don't do bad things, you won't die.' People view the dead with this kind of thinking, which is no different from those derelict judges, politicians, and Metropolitan Police Department detectives."

Why are judges' rulings always met with skepticism?

"Because they are just like you, it's hard to avoid the inherent flaws of being human. 'If you don't solicit prostitutes, you won't be falsely accused,' 'If you don't fight, you won't get beaten,' 'The powerful should yield to the weak'... Everyone has preconceived notions and labels people in their minds."

"He is a good person, he is a bad person, he is in the wrong but has a pitiful background, he is in the right but is aggressive."

"It is a very complicated and difficult thing to implement true justice. Most people do not have the ability or energy to explain every single thing clearly and convince everyone. So we can't help but start to take shortcuts."

"As long as the criminal is caught, evidence and such don't matter."

"As long as a crime is committed, the severity of the sentence depends on the suspect's attitude."

"Law enforcement officers will exploit loopholes in the law as long as there is profit to be made."

"By this analogy, as long as revenge is possible, then violence is not necessarily a bad thing. In the end, if you want justice, you will only get the words: 'Flies don't land on eggs without cracks, you can only blame your bad luck.'"

“The material foundation determines everything. I know that East Asia is currently incapable of building a relatively fair law enforcement environment, and everything else is just empty talk. But only by discovering the problems and facing them squarely can we solve them.”

"Anyone who attempts to discipline the people in an unjust way, no matter how noble their ultimate goal may be, is essentially hypocritical."

Fushimi Shika paused, and amidst the uproar, he calmly stated:

"Yes, I don't care about the victims' families."

"Yes, I don't care about so-called justice."

"I am just a criminal who kills indiscriminately to satisfy my inner arrogance, vanity, and hypocrisy."

"Similarly, if a law enforcement officer makes a judgment out of arrogance of judicial power, vanity of public opinion, or hypocrisy of the dignity of the law, then he is also a criminal."

"According to the law, those who commit the above eighteen serious crimes should indisputably be sentenced to death."

"I have no idea what they were discussing for those two hours."

"All I know is that if I live, and if judges can tolerate the so-called 'divine punishment,' then the dignity of Japanese law will be completely destroyed."

"Yes."

"I beg you gentlemen to sentence me to death."

……

The courtroom fell silent; you could hear a pin drop.

The live stream camera zoomed in on the referee's face, giving him a close-up. The referee took off his glasses, sighed deeply, and looked ashen-faced.

"Court adjourned." The judge slammed his gavel down.

(End of this chapter)