A Personal Statement from Zain Dean

[quote=“Feiren”][quote=“Charlie Jack”]Well, that’s bad news.

I don’t know Chinese, so the following questions are mostly out of curiosity (but note to mod(s), they pertain to the topic): Does anyone know if courts here routinely make transcripts of criminal trials? If not, do they electronically record the trials for possible transcription on request (i. e., for a fee)? And do they keep files of cases in the courthouse (or anywhere) and make them available for examination by members of the public?[/quote]

Yes there is a transcript. The proceedings are recorded electronically. They are not available to members of the public, but they are available to the defendant and his lawyer. The defendant can release them to members of the public.

I don’t think you can get a transcript of the recorded proceedings. They can be reviewed on appeal–i.e. played for the lawyer to review and played in court if there are questions about the transcripts (bilu). This comes up more for transcripts of pre-trial police and prosecutor questioning though.

The do keep files of the case in the courthouse. Again the defendant and his lawyer can access these although there are limitations on what materials can be copied and the other parties may have moved to keep some materials out of the general file.[/quote]

Thanks very much for that information.

One more question (and it’s not meant to doubt or disagree with you in any way): How do you think Apple Daily (or I guess it was Apple Daily) got the (presumably) verbatim account of exchanges between Judge Tseng and Chen Shui-Bian from which this translation was presumably made (it’s just a little ways down the page, or you can just type money in your browser’s “Find” box)? Did one of their reporters transcribe it in the courtroom, or get access to an electronic recording of it, or even record it electronically? Serious, sincere question, not rhetorical, not sarcastic (note to mods: I’m asking this question in relation to Mr. Dean’s case, not in order to start a new topic).