一次法庭探訪
   
   1994
   
   FOR SENTENCE

   
   I went to the court on 8th April, 1994 and arrived it at half past nine in the morning. I decided to go to the 7th court on the fifth floor to listen for the closing speech of a case after watching carefully to the notice board.
   
   The case number was 259/93 and was the time for sentence.
   The prosecutor was the Queen and the defense lawyers were David Y.Y. Fung and W.K. To, as there were two accused, one was Chow Sai Kit, another one was Law Ka Kei. Each lawyer employed two assistants. The judge who was responsible for the case was KEITH J.
   
   After entering to the court, I saw the two accused who had handcuffs on their hands and besides them, there were four court-guards, two for each accused. I saw that there were three secretaries and were responsible for recording the conversations by radio recorder ,by paper, and to be the judge assistant respectively. There was also one translator who helped the accused to understand what had the judge and the lawyers said. All the conversations were in English.
   
   I thought that I could listen to the final speeches of the prosecutor and the defense lawyers and by that, I could understand what the case was about. Out of my surprise, the defense lawyer of Chow applied for the delaying of the trial because he had made a revised statement. Chow also said that he made the former statement unwillingly.
   
   ‘He was so frightened that he became mindless,’ The defense lawyer said, ‘and he was also been beaten by the policemen heavily that what he could do was to obey them. It is absolutely unfair to my ~ client.’
   
   The judge at first opposed the idea.
   
   it would have to be delayed until the next Monday and the juries had to be recalled if I allow you to do so,’ The judge said,’ It was also unfair to the Police and the other accused.’
   
   I agree with him,’ the other two lawyers replied, ‘Let’s delay it in order to make the documents up.’
   
   ‘Ah ‘ the judge finally gave his way up. ‘O.K.’
   
   Then, the judge decided to terminate the trial and it would be continued on the next Monday.
   
   ‘Court!’
   
   The trial was lasted for about half hour.