My father always used to tell me stories before I went to bed, stories of the innocent being accused of crimes they were innocent of, and how he was able to prove their innocence. I loved hearing those stories. Every night, I would look forward to hearing another story, or even just a repeat of one I had heard earlier. It fascinated me, and I wanted to do exactly what my father, Phoenix Wright, had done: to believe in your client until the bitter end, to find the truth.
My name is Felix Wright, and today is my first day in court. I thought I would be prepared for the courtroom, considering that my father helped mentor me, but nothing could prepare me for my first glimpses of a trial.
Felix sat on a bench, staring deeply into the court records. "Death by strangulation…victim's fingerprints were found on the neck…a witness confirming my client was the killer…excellent. Nothing like a good challenge on my first day."
"You seem to be handling yourself better than I had."
Felix turned to his right and spotted his father Phoenix. "Ah, Dad, what are you doing here?"
"It's my son's first day as a lawyer and you expect me to stay home and watch TV with your mother? There's only so many reruns of The Steel Samurai I can watch you know."
Felix chuckled. "Hey, that was my favorite show as a kid. Mom used to show watch it with me all the time."
Phoenix laughed. "Oh yes she did. I think she was more excited about watching it than you were, but that's in the past. You need to focus on the now. You know what's in the court record I assume?"
"Of course. I've read everything I could concerning this case. Victim was Felicity Vargas, my client's girlfriend. She was found strangled to death in her apartment. The fingerprints of my client were found on her neck, and a witness claims she saw him leave the victim's apartment at the time of the murder."
"Good. You're already way ahead of me when I had my first trial. You'll do just fine."
Another voice rang through the room. "I sure hope so. My life literally depends on it."
Felix and Phoenix turned and spotted Felix's client, Ed Murphy, walking into the defendant's lobby with a detachment of guards.
Felix cleared his throat. "Ed, I promise you I'll find the truth about what happened and clear your name."
Ed slightly smiled. "I'll be looking forward to it. I assume you're all prepared then?"
"Yes sir. I'm more than prepared for this trial."
Phoenix chuckled. "You can never be too prepared. I never expected to do even half of the things I've done when I first started. All you can do is believe in your client, think outside of the box, and pursue the truth. Everything else falls into place."
The door to the courtroom opened and a bailiff stepped through the doors. "Mr. Wright and…Mr. Wright, you two are in charge of the defense right?"
Felix nodded. "I am sir. My father is here to mentor me through the trial."
The bailiff nodded his head. "This way please. The trial will begin soon."
Felix turned and looked at Ed. "Time to prove your innocence."
Ed smiled. "Good luck…"
Felix nodded and stepped forward, into the courtroom for the first time. A wave of emotions swept through him. Here he was…after all these years dreaming of this moment, and yet here it was. Taking a deep breath, Felix stepped forward to the defense's desk and set his briefcase down. Looking across, Felix spotted a man who looked like he was in the forties standing across from him. The man stared back and adjusted his glasses. The crowd who gathered to watch the trial still talked loudly, filling the courtroom with noise.
However, another bailiff entered the courtroom and yelled above all the voices. "All rise!"
The crowd immediately stood up, silence penetrating the room. An elderly man walked into the room and sat on the judge's seat. "You may be seated."
After adjusting a few papers on his desk, the judge banged his gavel, his long, white beard partially blocking his hand as it came down.
"Court is now in session for the trial of Ed Murphy."
Felix cleared his throat. "The defense is ready, your honor."
"The prosecution is ready your honor."
The judge nodded. "Felix Wright, I hear this is your first trial, is that correct?"
"Yes your honor."
"It's always good to see a Wright in the courtroom. I've heard a lot of good things about your father. I hope you can live up to his good name."
"Thank you…your honor."
The prosecutor snickered. "So this is your first case huh? Well, let me introduce myself. I'm Moore Payne. My father was a prosecutor as well and faced your father in many fierce trials. A pleasure to meet you."
Phoenix chuckled. "Ah, Winston Payne. He was the first prosecutor I faced. Ironic that you're facing his son."
Felix nodded. "A pleasure to meet you as well."
The judge banged his gavel. "Let's get down to business. Mr. Payne, your opening statements please."
"Yes your honor. One week ago, Ms. Felicity Vargas was found strangled in her apartment. The police immediately responded and found several key pieces of evidence. The first, fingerprints found on the victim's throat. The prints are a perfect match to the accused, Ed Murphy. Secondly, it has been proven that Ed was at the apartment that night. Several articles of clothing belonging to him were found, along with several witnesses seeing him enter the apartment complex roughly two hours before the murder."
Felix calmly listened. All facts I already knew…what I'm curious about is the witness.
Moore Payne cleared his throat and took two packets out of his briefcase. "I have requested a copy of the autopsy report on the victim be given to the judge and the defense."
The bailiff handed Felix one of the packets. Let's see…strangulation…died approximately at nine at night…no drugs or alcohol in her system…
The judge nodded. "The court accepts all of these as evidence. I assume you have a witness Mr. Payne?"
"Yes I do. She saw the accused fleeing the scene of the crime right after it occurred."
"Please bring her in please."
"The Prosecution calls Lily Evans to the stand."
A woman entered the courtroom and took the stand. Felix and Phoenix immediately raised their eyebrows at the same time, noting her appearance.
That's…well…let's just say that's not usually accepted in the courtroom.
Lily put her hand on her rainbow colored, Mohawk hair, a large nose ring hanging in front of her face, and a chain around her neck. The judge looked stunned. "Uh…n-name and occupation witness."
"Lily…Lily Evans. I'm a freelancer."
"A…free what?"
"A freelancer old man. I do whatever jobs I come across."
"I…I see. Please…please tell the court what you saw."
"Around nine that night, I decided I wanted to go get some fresh air. I live on the fifth floor, so the only way outside was to go through the hallway and down the stairs. As I reached the third floor, I saw that Ed guy quickly getting out of the apartment, looking like he just saw a dragon or something. Seeing me, he ran down the stairs. I didn't think anything of it and continued down the stairs."
The judge nodded his head. "I see…so you saw the accused leaving the scene of the crime?"
"Of course. I wouldn't mistake him for anyone else?"
"Why's that?"
"I've wanted to pound his face in for a while now."
The courtroom was silent for a few seconds before the judge banged his gavel. "Yes…well…you may begin your cross-examination Mr. Wright."
Phoenix turned to Felix. "Remember, if you truly believe your client is innocent, you know the witness is telling a lie somewhere. Find the lie and rub it in her face."
Felix nodded. "Alright…let's go!"
"Around nine that night, I decided I wanted to go get some fresh air—"
"Hold it! That's an odd time to be wanting some fresh air."
"Is it? The night's still young at that point, and I wanted to get away from some of the smoky air for just a minute."
Phoenix looked at Felix. "Ask the right questions. Stating the obvious won't get you anywhere."
Felix swallowed a wad of spit in his mouth. "Are you sure it was around nine when you left your apartment?"
"Yes. I had looked at my clock when I left. It was a little after nine."
"Do you remember the exact time?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Felix sighed. I'm not going to be getting anything else here. Better move on.
"You may continue."
"I live on the fifth floor, so the only way outside was to go through the hallway and down the stairs—"
"Hold it! Is it like that with every floor?"
"Yes."
"No elevators or any other way down?"
"No. Makes moving a hassle though. I had to lift a whole couch up four flights of stairs by myself when I moved in."
Felix looked at his father before writing down the statement on a pad of paper. So there's no other way down than the stairs…that could be important later on.
"As I reached the third floor, I saw that Ed guy quickly getting out of the apartment, looking like he just saw a dragon or something—"
"Hold it! So the victim Ms. Vargas lived on the third floor?"
"Yes she did. Her boyfriend loved to spend the night though, so you could say he lived there too."
"You mentioned he looked like he saw a dragon…can you…elaborate please?"
"What else is there to say? He looked as pale as a ghost and murmured that he had to leave quickly before anyone found out."
"Wait…you never mentioned that in your testimony."
"Well, I did now."
"Could you…please add it into your testimony?"
"Fine."
"The boyfriend mumbled that he had to get out of there before anyone found out—"
"Hold it! How close away were you from my client?"
"About ten feet or so."
"Then how were you able to hear him mumble something? Wouldn't you be too far away to hear something clearly?"
"OBJECTION! Your client may have said it louder, but when it reached the witness's ears, the sound had been reduced to only a mumble."
That's a non-believable explanation…but I am in no position to refute it now. I just need to get as much info as I can.
"Seeing me, he ran down the stairs—"
"Hold it! How far did he run? Did he flee the scene?"
"Yes, he ran out of the complex and down the street. I lost sight of him when he entered the darkness. Heh, nice metaphor right? A criminal fleeing into the darkness?"
"…you may continue."
"I didn't think anything of it and continued down the stairs—"
"OBJECTION!" Felix pointed straight at Lily, passion penetrating his voice. Why…why did I yell it so forcefully? What is this rush?
Felix stared at Lily. "Ms. Evans was it?"
"Yes?"
"You stated earlier, that you saw my client say that he had to 'get away before anyone found out' and 'ran into the darkness.' Don't you think that's a bit strange?"
"Yeah…why?"
"Then, why did you not think anything of it when it happened? Wouldn't that at least cause a bit of concern?"
"Wha—"
The judge nodded. "Mr. Wright does have a point. I know I would be curious about what was happening. Probably would have looked into the apartment to see if everything was alright."
Felix nodded. "Which leads me to my next question, what was the door to the apartment like? Was it closed? Ajar? Wide open?"
"…Ed was in a hurry, so he didn't close the door all the way. It was slightly cracked open."
"And during all this, you didn't have a thought about checking up on the owner of the apartment?"
"No…I've learned to keep to your own business and not mess with others."
Moore Payne nodded. "Indeed. Better to be safe than sorry. How does this line of questioning help with putting the trial forward though? What benefit will it be of you?"
Phoenix cleared his throat. "Your response will be critical here. You've finally found a tiny crack. Don't let it slip away from you."
Felix closed his eyes for a second before opening them, staring right at Payne. "Because it adds a layer of doubt on the witness's credibility."
"How so?"
"Her unnatural actions she took. Even the judge said he would have probably peaked into the apartment to see what was going on. Your witness thinks nothing of it. Even if she had learned to stay out of other people's business, the curiosity should have been piqued at the least. Well, what do you have to say to that Ms. Evans?"
"Nothing. I honestly didn't think anything of it."
Felix took a deep breath. "Your honor, I wish to cross-examine the witness further."
"What should she testify about Mr. Wright?"
"I want her to testify what she did after she went to get fresh air and saw my client. I want to know what she was doing."
The judge nodded. "Alright. Ms. Evans, you will tell the court what you were doing after you went to get fresh air."
"Ugh…fine."
