And No One Realized the Truth
The morning was like every other morning. I was at work. Working for some big wig who didn't even know I existed. But I made a living and I was happy. Then, I saw a few police officers. I thought to myself, "I wonder if this has any connections to the event that took place a few months ago?" You may wonder what that event was. Well, the president of sales was murdered a few weeks ago. My friend John Q. Fitzpatrick, the V.P. of sales, took his place. I was promoted to V.P. and I reported to my friend. Anyway, a few minutes later, I saw them taking John out of his office. I then decided to see where they were taking him.
I found out he was at the Newmont Holding Facility. I went to visit him. There, he told me that he was being charged with the murder of the president of sales for our company. I said that it was preposterous. He agreed with me, but he said he knew why he was arrested. His theory was that he had been framed. Framed by the new assistant D.A. You see, he was young, and he was trying to make a name for himself. If he could win such a prominent case, then he would be famous, and his career would be on the fast track.
"John, are you sure about this? I mean, you are always jumping to conclusions...", said I.
"I'm quite sure. It is not like those other times. And I know I didn't murder anybody!" said John very emotionally.
"Have they set a trial date?"
"Yes, it is in 2 weeks."
"One more thing before I go. Do you have a lawyer?"
"Yes. An old friend has agreed to represent me. His name is Phoenix Wright.
"Okay John. You take care of yourself."
I was called to be a witness on behalf of my friend, and I was allowed into the courtroom for most of the trial. I was on the witness stand.
"So you were with my client on the night of the alleged murder?", said Phoenix.
"Yes. It was a few of us guys watching the game", said I.
"So there was no possible way my client could have comiited the murder then?"
"None that I can see, unless he can clone himself."
"Another thing, you are a good friend of my client. Do you know of anything that would drive him to murder someone?"
"No, he would never kill anyone."
"Thank you. That is all."
Then it was the prosecutor's turn.
"Mr. Davidson, how late did he stay?", said Mr. Edgeworth.
"Well, we all left around 11:30 P.M.", said I.
"Let it be be put on the record that the accused left at 11:30 P.M. and that the coroner's report states that the victim was killed at 12:30-2:30 A.M."
"Another thing, how can you be so sure that he would never kill anyone? How long have you known him?"
"I have known him about 5 years."
"Hmm... Then you really can't be sure about his character, can you?"
"I know he would never kill anyone!"
The next day, things weren't looking very good for John. That is when his lawyer decided to put him on the stand. If he could be convincing enough, then he might have a shot at being proven innocent.
"Mr. Fitzpatrick, why don't you tel your story to the jury", said Phoenix.
"Well, I was watching the game with a bunch of my friends, and after it was over, we went home. I didn't kill anyone. I would have no reason to. I think that I was set up. Set up by someone who wanted to further his career. I THINK I WAS SET UP BY MR. EDGEWORTH!!!"
"Thank you. Prosecution may cross-examine."
Then the Mr. Edgeworth took his chance to cross-examine, and it wasn't pretty.
"Mr. Fitzpatrick, you say that you would never commit murder. You say that you had no reason. But isn't it true that when the victim was killed, you were promoted? Doesn't that sound like something people kill for?"
"Objection! Lack of relevance."
"Objection overruled," said Judge Vandalay.
"I know I would never kill anyone!"
Then the prosecution held up a knife.
"Tell me, Mr. Fitzpatrick, do you recognize this knife?
"Yes, I do. Where did you find it. It was a gift form my friend Mr. Davidson. I thought I had lost it."
"So you are sure this is your knife?'
"Yes, I'm quite sure. That knife is one of a kind. Where did you find it?"
"Right where you left it. In the heart of Mr. Chekov, the victim."
"I did not kill him!"
Things were not looking good for my friend. The prosecution had made a strong case against him. All that was left were the closing arguments. Mr. Edgeworth went first.
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, I have a problem for you today. Is it better to let a guilty man go free, or to give a reward to a victim? That is an easy question to answer. You should reward the victim. He should be rewarded with justice. The justice that would put his killer in jail. But if you let this man off, then you are letting the guilty go free. Then that tells other people that they can get away with murder. But I trust you to adhere to the standards of justice, the standards of our country, and the standards of every decent human being. I trust you to award justice to Mr. Chekov."
Then it was Mr. Wright's turn.
"What does the law say? What is my client's right? He must be proven guilty beyond a reasonable shadow of a doubt. I don't think that Mr.Edgeworth has done that. And he never could. He never could prove that my client is guilty, because my client is inexplicably innocent. So don't turn your backs on all that this country's system of justice was founded on. Do the right thing. Don't put an innocent man in jail just so you can feel that you have attained justice. Because that would actualy be going against justice. It would be going against what is right. After all, a false sense of justice is not justice at all."
Then the jury went into deliberation for a whole week. Finally they were ready to give their verdict.
"Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, how do you find Mr. John Q. Fitzpatrick on the charge of muder in the first degree?"
"We, the jury, on the charge of murder in the first degree, find the defendant, John Q. Fizpatrick, guilty."
I will never forget that day. That is the day my friend went to jail. He went to jail for 30 years, all for a crime he didn't commit. How can I be so sure? Remember, my friend thinks that he was set up. He is right. But it wasn't Mr. Edgeworth who set him up. No, Mr. Edgeworth was all just a pawn in a little charade. A charade directed by me. Yes, I set my friend up. I did it because I was made President of Sales. And no one realized the truth.