A modern-day Jekyll and Hyde

But when it was time for his defense, he sprang back to life, firing salvo after salvo against Lee Teng-hui, Ma Ying-jeou and even the late Chiang Kai-shek. The judges and prosecutors were not spared, either. One minute a victimized pauper, the next minute a vivacious lawyer — eloquent, steely-willed, vigorous, vindictive and combative.

During this week's hearings, Chen also showed his potential as a terrorist. While raving about his enemies, Chen told the court that he had more than 70 “bombs” left at his disposal, yet to be detonated. If he wanted to conjure an image of a human bomb with explosives strapped around his waist, mission accomplished. No doubt, he believes in mutually assured destruction.

Then at the cusp of his attacks, right after calling judges and prosecutors “political tools” of persecution, Chen dips into subservient praise, lauding the same conspirators for “seriousness” in doing their “admirable” jobs. He begged the court for “empathy” towards his awkward situation where a former president is pilloried in handcuffs before the public. He asked to be released on the assurance that he'd never skip bail and desert his disabled wife.

Chen's emotional disconnect certainly shows thought disorder, and while he'll be hard-pressed to absolve himself of criminal responsibility, he can argue lack of mental competency as a reason why he would be unfit for trial.

Greed doesn't lead to psychosis, so Chen Shui-bian is really just a talented actor and director in the “Bian family corruption scandal.” The images of his raised hands in cuffs and his feigned illness shown in the ambulance made international headlines. Even behind bars, he is able to call the shots and prove that he can make the people dance to his music.

Will he emerge from his troubles unscathed? The answer to this question is crucial to the future of this country, which has been torn asunder by ideology and partisan politics over a generation presided over by Lee Teng-hui and Chen Shui-bian. It is a lost generation in which the distinction between right and wrong has become blurred, while the color of politics — blue or green — has taken command.

The judiciary is the last defense for the barrier between right and wrong. The judiciary should be independent and above politics. Whether Taiwan's judiciary is able to withstand this test will be seen by all of the island's citizens in this “trial of the century,” which, in fact, is not only the trial for a wayward former president, but also the nation's rickety judiciary.

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