Prior to the announcement of the verdict, Chen's defense team released an "extra-judicial reply" to the charges, stating that though Chen was guilty of social and cultural crimes, he was not guilty of bribery or embezzlement of public property as defined in the Civil Code.
或許自知重刑難逃，陳前總統並未出庭聆判，在宣判前即透過扁辦發表「法庭外答辯文」，聲稱自己所犯為「社會文化罪」而非司法定義中的侵占公有財物或收賄。