In China's criminal investigation circles, there is a name that used to be extremely loud - Nie Haifen. She is known as China's version of "Female Sherlock Holmes" and enjoys a good reputation in the police community for her amazing 100% crime solving rate.
However, just when people were amazed by her detective talents, a case occurred that made the detective's aura suddenly dim, and even fell off the altar.
In 2003, a shocking case of a female corpse occurred in Hangzhou. A female corpse discarded in a ditch has become a major unsolved case in the local **. In the fog of many suspense, Nie Haifen took over the case.
In the past, she was always able to quickly uncover the truth of the case with her keen insight and rigorous logical reasoning. However, this time is different.
In the history of Chinese criminal investigation, Nie Haifen's name once resounded in the sky. As a female detective, she has been widely praised as the "female version of Sherlock Holmes" with a 100% crime solving rate, and her career seems to be glorious.
However, when the Hangzhou Shuigou female corpse case occurred in 2003, the reputation and methods of this "goddess detective" were questioned like never before.
Nie Haifen's investigative methods in the case of the female corpse in Hangzhou's Shuigou show that her handling of the case deviates significantly from conventional investigation methods.
In order to prove the guilt of Zhang Gaoping and Zhang Hui's uncle and nephew, she took an extreme and controversial approach: renting a large truck to simulate the suspect's possible escape route.
Her team carefully selected a vehicle of a similar model to the truck that Zhang's uncle and nephew were driving on the night of the crime. Nie Haifen personally participated in every detail of the simulation experiment.
She directs her team to retrace the route the suspect might have escaped on intercity roads, repeatedly calculating the time required. She tried to use this method to determine that the two uncles and nephews had enough time to escape from the crime scene and reach the location where they were found on the night of the crime.
After several simulations, Nie decided she had gathered enough "evidence" to support her theory. She compiled the so-called evidence into a document and prepared to show it to Zhang Gaoping and Zhang Hui at the interrogation in order to force them to confess to the crime.
However, when these "evidences" were put in front of Zhang Gaoping, a simple but crucial point directly shook the credibility of the entire simulation experiment.
Zhang Gaoping, with years of experience in freight transportation, directly pointed out a key mistake: Nie Haifen used an empty truck in the simulation, while they drove a heavy truck full of goods on the night of the incident.
This important detail difference means that in real conditions, the speed and time required of the vehicle will be very different from the results in the simulation.
Nie and his team apparently did not take this important factor into account when preparing for this simulation. Their simulations were based on a series of assumptions that did not accurately reflect the reality of the night of the crime.
Zhang Gaoping's remarks not only reveal the negligence in the simulation experiment, but also expose Nie Haifen's attempt to create evidence rather than discover evidence in the course of handling the case.
In the course of handling the case of the female corpse in Hangzhou, Zhang Hui and Zhang Gaoping's uncle and nephew were subjected to extremely harsh interrogation methods, which seriously violated the principles of humanity and legal justice. The progress of the case has shifted to a darker path after Nie's unconventional investigative methods have been questioned.
Zhang Hui was first subjected to a long period of continuous interrogation. This interrogation is not just a series of interrogations, but contains all kinds of physical and mental elements. In a closed interrogation room, he was forced to stand with his hands raised and his back to the wall.
This posture may not have much impact in a short period of time, but in the case of seven days and seven nights, the physical and mental torture is unimaginable.
In this extreme environment, Zhang Hui was not only deprived of normal rest and sleep, but also faced constant mental stress. He was forbidden to eat, severely lacked nutrients and hydration, his body gradually emaciated, and his face was haggard.
In addition, the interrogators verbally threatened and insulted him, as well as physically assaulted and tortured, with the intention of forcing him to confess his guilt through both physical and mental oppression.
At the same time, Zhang Gaoping was subjected to similar inhumane treatment. He was held in solitary confinement in a small space and also faced lengthy interrogations and physical abuse.
Interrogators used a variety of torture methods, including but not limited to prolonged standing, restraints, and physical beatings. These tactics were applied over a long period of time, resulting in multiple bruises and scars on his body.
Under this extreme pressure, the spirits of Uncle Zhang and his nephew gradually collapsed. They are forced to spend each day in extreme exhaustion, hunger, pain and fear.
Faced with such cruel treatment, Zhang Hui finally confessed in a state of insanity, and Zhang Gaoping also succumbed to the constant torture.
This method of interrogation is not only a grave violation of the law and human rights principles, but also allows the truth of the entire case to be concealed by these illegal means. The confessions of the uncle and nephew were obtained under extremely unfair and inhumane conditions, which obviously cannot be used as a basis for the verdict of the case.
However, due to the complexity of the case and the blind trust in Nie's investigative ability at the time, these illegal interrogation methods did not receive the attention and investigation they deserved.
In the case of the female corpse in Hangzhou, Zhang Gaoping and Zhang Hui's uncle and nephew experienced a long period of unfair treatment and interrogation, but they did not give up their quest for justice.
In prison, they continue to file complaints, although at the initial stage they appear to be futile.
The tireless efforts of Zhang Gaoping and Zhang Hui eventually caught the attention of a prosecutor, Zhang Biao. Zhang Biao, an experienced and upright prosecutor, began to doubt the fairness of the verdict after learning the details of the case.
He delved into all the documents and evidence in the case and gradually discovered many doubts in it. Zhang Biao realized that Zhang's uncle and nephew might be victims of an unjust case, which aroused his persistent pursuit of justice in his heart.
Zhang Biao began to actively promote the work of case review. He first had several conversations with Zhang Gaoping and Zhang Hui to understand their experiences during the interrogation and the specific content of their complaints.
He then proceeded to prepare the relevant materials for the review application, detailing the improper means and insufficient evidence in the interrogation. In the process, Zhang Biao also faced pressure from his peers and within the system, but he did not back down.
Under the impetus of Zhang Biao, lawyer Zhu Mingyong was introduced to the case. Zhu Mingyong, a lawyer with a strong reputation, was deeply outraged by the unfair handling of the case.
He began to delve into the details of the case, worked closely with Zhang Biao, and made comprehensive and meticulous defense preparations for the innocence of Zhang's uncle and nephew.
Zhu Mingyong devoted a lot of time and energy to this case. He scrutinized all the case documents, including the interrogation transcripts, the chain of evidence, and the court verdict.
As a result of his efforts, some key evidence that had previously been overlooked or misunderstood began to surface. He also contacted some professional forensic experts to re-evaluate some of the key physical evidence in the case.
With the joint efforts of Zhang Biao and Zhu Mingyong, the case has gradually attracted wider social attention. They not only fought at the legal level, but also tried to increase the degree of the case through **and the public**, so as to win more support and help for Uncle and Nephew Zhang.
After long-term appeals, efforts, and the attention of all sectors of society, the cases of Zhang Gaoping and Zhang Hui's uncle and nephew finally ushered in a turning point.
The Zhejiang High Court conducted a retrial of the case, and ultimately discovered key problems during the trial: the evidence in the original trial was insufficient to support the guilty verdict, and there were serious procedural problems during the trial.
In the retrial, the court revisited all the evidence and conducted a detailed analysis of the chain of evidence in the original trial. During the trial, the judge questioned the illegal means used during the trial and the reliability of the evidence, gradually revealing the truth of the case.
In the end, the Zhejiang High Court made a historic decision, declaring Zhang Gaoping and Zhang Hui not guilty and ordering their immediate release.
On the day of his release, a large number of ** and supporters gathered outside the courthouse. When Zhang Gaoping and Zhang Hui walked out of the courthouse, the expressions on their faces were mixed, with both joy of release and helplessness for the lost decade.
During this decade, they have endured countless tortures and injustices that have left them deeply traumatized, both physically and mentally.
Although the two received 2.21 million in state compensation, this money did not compensate for the suffering they suffered. Zhang Gaoping and Zhang Hui lost their precious youth in prison, and their family and social status were greatly affected.
Although the compensation has alleviated their financial hardship to a certain extent, the psychological trauma and social misunderstanding of those years are difficult to measure in monetary terms.
This case has left a deep mark on China's judicial history. It not only reveals problems in the justice system, such as illegal methods in the interrogation process and omissions in the handling of evidence, but also exposes the inadequacies of the justice system in upholding justice and protecting the innocent.
However, this case also demonstrates the truth that justice may be late, but it will not be absent after all.
The unremitting efforts of Zhang Biao and Zhu Mingyong, as well as the pursuit of justice from all walks of life, ultimately led to the retrial of the case and the acquittal of Zhang's uncle and nephew. This process shows that even in seemingly hopeless situations, the struggle for truth and justice can still change fate.
The results of the retrial of the Hangzhou Shuigou female corpse case have caused a huge shock in society, especially Nie Haifen's investigation methods as the main investigator of the case and the fairness of the entire judicial process have been widely questioned.
The public's attention to the case quickly heated up, and major ** reported on the progress of the case, as well as the wrongful conviction of Zhang Gaoping and Zhang Hui.
Doubts from all walks of life about Nie's investigation methods and the entire process of handling the case have escalated. The public began to question how a detective, known for his high detection rate, could have made such a serious mistake in such a major case.
Nie's previous achievements and reputation began to be challenged, and doubts arose about her handling of past cases.
Under the pressure of this society, in April 2013, the Zhejiang Political and Legal Committee launched an in-depth investigation into Nie Haifen and other judicial personnel involved in the case.
The investigation team consisted of experienced legal experts and senior police officers, who carefully examined every aspect of the Hangzhou Shuigou female corpse case.
During the course of the investigation, the investigation team delved into the investigation records, interrogations**, chain of evidence and court documents of the case.
They conducted a comprehensive analysis of Nie Haifen's role, decision-making, and modus operandi in the case. The investigation team also conducted interviews with other judicial personnel involved in the case in an attempt to restore the true situation of the case.
The results of the investigation revealed a number of problems in this case. These include misunderstanding and misuse of evidence, improper use during interrogation, and unreasonable inferences about the case.
These findings not only have a significant impact on Nie's career, but also call into question the impartiality and effectiveness of the justice system as a whole.
After the results of the investigation of this case were made public, it sparked extensive public reflection and discussion on the judicial system.
People are beginning to realize that even experienced detectives and judicial officers can be under pressure and pursue personal fulfillment to deviate from the right track of justice and the law. This awareness has prompted the public to pay more attention to the perfection of the legal system and the impartiality of the judicial process.
In addition, the incident also contributed to the reform of the judicial system. The legal profession has begun to emphasize legal norms and the protection of human rights in the trial process, and has strengthened the training and supervision of judicial personnel to ensure that every step of the way in the handling of cases is in accordance with the legal provisions and ethical standards.
Guards against possible miscarriages of justice and misconduct have also begun to be strengthened within the judicial system in order to avoid the recurrence of similar incidents.
Reference: Nie Haifen: Where should the "Goddess Detective" go in the face of political and legal investigation? [j].Law & Life, 2013(9):27-27