2021年3月17日
兩周以來,如沸如羹,或抑揚或頓挫,「保釋」風雲中,牆內牆外,各人心潮起伏。
少時不諳何謂「保釋」,詢諸家母,母曰:「不坐牢」,我唯唯我諾諾。稍長,母送我《辭海》(1947版)《辭源》(修訂四冊本),嘗檢之,《辭源》不載,《辭海》有「保釋」一條,卻未引有關出處。及壯,蒐得沈家本《歷代刑法考》,中有「若今之涉訟,其不羈繫者,必取具保人保其不逃避也」。那指的是清律,細節不詳,其大意是我們口中心上的「保釋」或「具保而獲釋」吧?恕我於國史上的刑法志興趣缺缺,《史記》上的《酷吏列傳》倒看得魂飛魄散,讀至太史公曰:「何足數哉!何足數哉!」便知「刑」與「酷」,不勝數。
Bail或commitment to bail是英國舶來品,William Blackstone Commentaries on the Laws of England(我用的是WilfrId Prest的新校本)卷四第二十二章上說:「If upon (the justice of peace) inquiry it manifestly appears, either that no such crime was committed, or that the suspicion entertained of the prisoner is wholly groundless, in such cases it is lawful totally to discharge him. Otherwise, he must either be committed to prison or give bail...」
什麼是Bail?Blackstone言簡意賅:「That is, put in securities for his appearance, to answer the charge against him.」但更吃緊的是,法庭先要斷定官方指控是否「莫須有」(Groundless)!如天下本無事,嫌疑人無嫌,自當無條件獲釋,事關「保釋」恒附有條件,彷彿「春風無限瀟湘意,欲採蘋花不自由」:「Bail is a qualitative form of custody by its inherent nature.」
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