Defense counsel were allowed to ask questions again after Link's presentation in court. However, he has gathered little evidence to refute Link's depression. On this issue, he simply asked a few questions and ended hastily.

And the lawyers on both sides know that the defendant Donald cannot escape the crime of defamation, and the key to this case is to see how much Donald compensates because of this case.

The focus is on whether and how much Blue Lagoon has suffered losses as a result of the defendant's defamation. The greater focus is on whether the defendant deliberately defamed and defamed to pursue his own commercial interests.

That is, whether the defendant engaged in unfair commercial competition.

Matthew offered to question the defendant.

"Mr. Donald, are you the owner of a marketing company?"

"Yes. ”

"How long have you been in the business, and what are the main marketing products?"

"I've been building C&C since '07, and I've been working on U.S. and foreign marketing strategy and merchandising services for U.S. and foreign clients. ”

"We noticed that last year C&C ran a total of 11 marketing cases, including White Rock Valley wines from South Africa, and the remaining 10 were successful. And we've found that you have made inappropriate remarks about your competitors on three of the products you market and represent. Do you admit it?"

"Objection! The question of the plaintiff's lawyer has nothing to do with this case!"

"Judge, the defendant's testimony allows us to tell whether he is in the habit of attacking his competitors in a defamatory manner. ”

"The objection is invalid! The defendant must answer the question!"

"I'm just ......," Donald grimaced as he tried to speak at length.

Matthew didn't want to hear him say so much: "Defendant, you just have to answer whether to admit it or not to admit it!"

Donald pursed his lips and didn't speak!

The judge waited for a while and said to him, "Defendant, please answer this question!"

Donald knew that admitting it would be bad for him, but Matthew asked him this, and if he didn't admit it, he would definitely have a backhand, and he couldn't afford not to admit it, otherwise all his testimony would be null and void.

He gritted his teeth and said, "Yes, I admit it!"

Matthew seemed to get the answer he wanted. He pulled out a laptop and thought the judge had applied for a projector. He played out the information in his hand and said, "We can see it from this information. The defendant's C&C company was in eleven marketing cases that operated last year. The marketing performance of the four products, including the White Rock Valley wine, was quite unsatisfactory at the beginning, and it was significantly different from the other seven that were on the rise. ”

Pulling up the chart in the second chapter, he continued: "&C&C's products are marketed from Australia, while the main competitor is South Korea, which already has a 20% market in the United States......"

"We are looking at the fact that during this merchandise marketing period, the defendant publicly slammed a competitor's product defects on his social networking site. However, this flaw was not proven until then, and was even later proven to be fabricated. ”

He came up with several cases in a row, and finally said, "It's the same as for the Blue Lagoon wines." As long as there is a competitive product or agent, as long as the competitor has a better sales performance than C&C, the defendant has been attacked with the same baseless statement. Every time the defendant's company was able to attract the attention of the media, every time it caused the performance of competitors to decline. We can also find that the defendant has always slandered its competitors while advocating the products of C&C agents to make their own products more famous. We can even see that after the defendant did so, the product performance of the C&C agent was able to improve significantly. We have reason to believe that the defendant has become accustomed to attacking opponents and promoting themselves by slandering others or specific objects. The only difference is that the other three products he targets are all foreign producers, while Blue Lagoon wines are American commodities. ”

This concludes his direct inquiry.

This was followed by cross-examination by defense counsel. His problems certainly won't favor Link.

"Mr. Donald, what kind of business is marketing?"

"Marketing is a strategy. Our C&C idea is based on the market positioning and ...... of commodities"

The defense lawyer asked a few commercial questions, and finally used the question to say: "...... It can be seen from this that my client has a very deep understanding of marketing. At the same time, we understand that the market is not just about credibility. Although the evidence and assertions provided by the plaintiff's lawyer seem reasonable, it cannot be ruled out that it was only a change caused by normal market behavior, let alone that the change was caused by my client's remarks. ”

Matthew made another request for inquiry.

The two lawyers cross-examined Donald three times back and forth on the witness.

Matthew also applied to subpoena Snotton as a witness.

Snapton's testimony focused on the fluctuations in the marketing process of Blue Lagoon wines and the timing of defendant Donald's defamatory remarks. She also presented evidence.

The defense lawyer questioned her evidence on the grounds that she was hired by Link.

Matthew called a special witness, a clerk who had been fired by C&C.

"Mr. Christine, how long have you been working at C&C?"

"Five years and eight months. ”

"Then why were you fired?"

"Because I didn't have the C&C owner, I didn't think I was able to keep the White Rock Valley grape advantage over the Blue Lagoon wine market. ”

"What advantages do you think White Rock Valley wines can compete with Blue Lagoon wines?"

"In terms of quality and reputation, but also in terms of American feelings. White Rock Valley wines can't compare to Blue Lagoon wines. ”

"So what methods did you use to make White Rock Valley wines successfully seize the Blue Lagoon wine market between the end of September and the beginning of October last year?"

"I don't know. I knew to follow the instructions of my boss at the time, Hull Donald, to keep the freight flowing. ”

"What about the rest?"

"As usual, nothing special. ”

Matthew asked, "He doesn't have any special instructions?"

Christine thought for a moment and said, "No, because we all know that he has a big face in the media." Can you use the media to attack your opponents?"

When Matthew heard this, he ended this round of questioning. Christine's last answer to the question was what he wanted.

However, what he felt was a good situation was immediately broken by the defense lawyer: "Mr. Christine, did you have a physical altercation with my contemporaries before you were fired?"

Christine hesitated for a moment and said, "Yes." ”

"Why?"

Christine did not answer: "......"

The defense lawyer also did not ask the judge to ask him to have an answer, but smiled and said, "It's because your girlfriend became my client's girlfriend." Really?"

The cuckold was emotionally agitated by the public witness, and then was taken away from the courthouse by the bailiff.

Then Matthew brought in another black woman. She is a cleaner in the office building where C&C's company is located.

The black woman claimed to have heard Donald and his men talk about dealing with Blue Lagoon. And she also proves that what Christine said is true. Because she heard.

However, the defense lawyer pulled out a photo: "...... The witness once said the same thing to the XX Times in exchange for a reward of fifteen hundred dollars. ”

Under U.S. law, testimony that benefits witnesses is not admissible.

Watching the black woman leave the courthouse, Matthew's face was gloomy. He definitely didn't expect that he would be so negligent.

Link sat in the plaintiff's bench and began to feel that the lawsuit was not as simple as he thought. Sure enough, as Matthew said, the evidence is not the main thing.

At this time, it was already noon, and the judge announced a temporary adjournment. The court session resumed at half past two in the afternoon.

Because of the long adjournment, the original defendants did not have to wait in the courtroom waiting room, and they all had lunch.

As Link walked out of the courtroom door with his lips pursed, Donald was proudly being interviewed. It's like you've won a lawsuit. This is very different from Link's expression.

When reporters saw Link coming out, at least half rushed to him to interview him.

He had no intention of being interviewed. Matthew and two bodyguards separated the people.

But Donald went and walked over. Seeing him coming, the surrounding reporters all got out of the way.

Donald behaved sincerely: "Mr. Hans. I did say something inappropriate at the wrong time. Of course, what you probably want is not an apology. But I want to say that I want to apologize for that, but I can't agree with the accusations you made against me in business. I am a law-abiding businessman. But I must reiterate that I admit that the Blue Lagoon wines are very famous, but it is clear that fame is not the only driving force for sales. It's like in a race, and there's always a time when the lesser famous runner outweighs the most famous, isn't it?"

Link tugged at the corners of his mouth and said, "Murderers won't admit that they killed someone, but few can escape the law after being caught." As for your apology, I'm more looking forward to seeing it in the media. ”

"Mr. Hans, of course I don't kill anyone. And I'm a successful businessman who doesn't need to do anything that violates business ethics. ”

Link laughed and pushed two steps away. Everyone saw him stretch out his hand and draw a circle in mid-air and said, "Then let's make a bet." If you hadn't made unfair commercial competition against Blue Lagoon wines, you would have been able to walk down the courthouse steps unharmedly, or else you would have rolled down. If you can go on safely, I'll drop the lawsuit!"

After he finished speaking, he withdrew his fingers, turned and squeezed the reporter away and walked down.

His words made all the reporters stunned for a moment, but many reporters immediately reacted and wanted to chase after him to interview him. Donald's side was empty.

Donald sneered at his back and muttered in a low voice, "It's just a yellow-skinned monkey who thinks you'll be a high-class person for a few cents?"

He lifted his feet and walked down the stairs. He wanted to step his right foot, but somehow he took his left foot, and the distance between the two feet was completely different. As a result, he stepped on the top edge of the stairs, slipped his foot, and rolled down the stairs.

The screams made the reporter turn around and watch him roll all the way down the courthouse stairs. They were all stunned: What did Link say just now?