1. Definitions and Legal Provisions
According to Article 50 of the Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China (2018 Amendment), evidence is the material used to prove the facts of a case. It must be verified as true before it can be used as the basis for a verdict. The Criminal Procedure Law clearly stipulates eight types of evidence, which are: physical evidence, documentary evidence, witness testimony, victim statements, confessions and justifications of criminal suspects or defendants, appraisal opinions, records of inquests, inspections, identifications, and investigative experiments, as well as audio-visual materials and electronic data.
2. Case interpretation
Physical and documentary evidence: In a traffic accident escape case, the damaged vehicle and debris left at the scene of the accident were used as physical evidence, and the vehicle driving record captured by the traffic camera was used as documentary evidence, which jointly determined the identity of the fleeing vehicle.
Witness testimony and victim statements: In one robbery case, the victim's detailed statement provided ** with the physical characteristics of the suspect, and the subsequent witness testimony further confirmed the suspect's identity.
Confessions and justifications of criminal suspects and defendantsIn a ** case, in the face of a large amount of documentary evidence and witness testimony, the suspect finally chose to confess his ** behavior and returned part of the stolen money.
Appraisal opinions: In a drug trading case, the suspected drugs seized were confirmed to be *** by a professional agency, and the appraisal opinion became the key to the conviction.
Records of inquests, inspections, identifications, and investigative experiments: At the scene of a ** case, the inquest record of ** recorded in detail the location of the corpse, the distribution of bloodstains, etc., which provided key clues for the follow-up investigation and trial.
Audiovisual materials, electronic data: In the case of online fraud, ** successfully locked the suspect and recovered the victim's losses through electronic data such as chat records and transfer records.
3. Special Evidence Case Stories
On June 12, 2016, a homemade** device throwing incident occurred in Terminal 2 of Pudong International Airport, resulting in injuries to three passengers and affecting the normal operation of three international flights. The suspect then attempted suicide, but failed. The incident immediately attracted widespread attention and investigation.
Due to the seriousness of the case, it may involve public safety or even the investigation department decided to entrust the Municipal Court Forensic Center to conduct psychological tests on the suspects. The main purpose of the test is to gain insight into the suspect's motives, background, and whether there are other potential threats. The questions in the test cover whether the suspect is instructed by others and whether he participates in illegal organizations.
Psychological testing was used as an adjunct in this case to provide investigators with additional information and leads. However, the results of the psychological test are not directly used as evidence for conviction, but are synthesized together with other evidence to form a complete picture of the case.
This case re-underscores the potential role of psychological testing in criminal proceedings, especially in the absence of direct evidence or a suspect's suicide attempt. However, the interpretation and use of psychometric test results requires extreme caution and must be comprehensively evaluated in conjunction with other evidence to ensure the fair and accurate handling of the case.
IV. Conclusion
Each type of evidence has its own unique role and value, and they complement each other and together reveal the truth of the case. As a legal practitioner or an ordinary citizen, understanding and correctly applying these rules of evidence is an essential quality to maintain fairness and justice. It is hoped that through the interpretation of this article, we can help you to grasp the use and understanding of evidence more accurately in legal practice.