[mslee's thoughts] A New Leaf Episode 9 - Lee Ji Yoon Handles Her First Case

Episode 9 brings a new light to Lee Ji Yoon as a first time trial lawyer. Representing the suspect who killed his father because he did not show any sadness from his grandparent's memorial. The suspect is believed to be psychologically unbalanced and was constantly being beaten by his father. Neighbors who Ji Yoon questioned told her stories of violence from the family every time the father was home. His mother who died two years back was believed to be killed by his father. He even testified that he did it but due to lack of evidence, the father was acquitted. It was said that he had an alibi at that time, still he claimed the murder as his own doing.

The son now is the suspect in the murder of his father, charged with "patricide". He is still young and unstable. Lee Ji Yoon committed herself to defend this young man from being sentenced to life. She is on her own. Kim Sek Joo is not interested in the case. She tried hard to find witnesses who will testify on the suspect's psychological problems and the abuses he received from his father when he was living. Her aim is to at least lower the sentence to only a few years.

She bumped into Jeon Ji Won while studying her case and he advised her to have a trial by jury. She needs to get sympathy from the jury to understand that the killing is not pre meditated  but was a defensive act by the suspect from his abusive father.

During the trial, one of the lawyer of the firm went with Ji Yoon and present her in front of the judge as the lawyer of the defendant, because she has not have her license yet. The trial began. Kim Seok Joo went to watch silently the trial at the side.

While doing her closing remarks, she is explaining why the suspect should not be sentenced to life, that he is unstable, that his father also confessed to the murder of his wife two years ago even though he had alibi, she was suddenly aware of the suspect's actions by her side. His fingers were restlessly moving. To realize that she may have somehow read the whole crime wrongly, to realized that the suspect really killed his father with intent, that she realized the flow of her sentence pertaining to the confession of the father even though he had alibi is somehow contradicting, leading to a possible conclusion that he was protecting someone....all these made her confused, but she continue with her closing remarks. It was as if it dawned on her that she might have made a big mistake. 

But the jury granted the defendant a 5 year sentence only, which is her initial goal, to make it shorter for the suspect. Her first win as a trial lawyer. But it left her confused and sad.

Reality is not only about black or white.

Lee Ji Yoon handled her first case and even though it was a success on her part as the lawyer, she realized that not all what it seems is what is right. A mistake that she will carry and will give her lesson on how to read  people. This is real. She is the typical first time lawyers who wants to protect the victims. But reality is so unlike from what she expected.

Kim Seok Joo looked at her as she walked away feeling bad.

I am not really informed of how to solve a case like this where the suspect is psychologically unstable. But I think he needs to be admitted to a mental facility to be treated. But he also needs to pay for his crime. Although a lawyer can always plead for insanity, which  I think Ji Yoon also did. 

There's nothing much happened in this episode. Kim Seok Joo decided to drop the case involving the company of Yoo Jung Sun. Cha Young Woo told her grandfather to find another lawyer who will represent them.

In the end, Jung Sun was called in the prosecutor's office for investigation. Kim Seok Joo stood there as he received the call while he stared at Ji Yoon's back walking away sadly.

What will he do?

-mslee1107-

screen caps