I can't believe it. This is a nightmare! What on Earth did I do to deserve this?! I might be in jail for life now because of this! And I didn't even do it! I mean, I hate Ian's guts, but I'd never-
"ALL RISE!"
I stand up along with everyone else in the room, except the lazy judge of course.
"Department One of the Superior Court is now in session. Judge Judy presiding. Please be seated."
We all sit down again.
"Good Morning. Calling the case of a Jett Records producer, Ian Hawke, versus lead singer of the Chipmunks, Alvin Seville. Are both sides ready?"
"Ready to get Alvin in jail, Your Honor." I glare at Ian.
"I was born ready to whip Ian's butt again, Your Honor." I smirk. After that, I don't really listen to what they say. I watch as the clerk comes to the front.
"Will the jury please stand up and raise your right hand, or paw." We all stand once again, our hands raised. I swear this is way more exercise than that judge does in a month, and it isn't even past the introduction yet!
"Do each of you swear that you will fairly try the case before this court, and that you will return a true verdict according to the evidence and the instructions of the court. Please say 'I do'." We all say 'I do'.
"You may be seated." We all sit down, AGAIN. Hopefully, it can stay that way.
"Your Honor, the defendant has been charged with the crime of attempted murder of Ian Hawke. The evidence will show that Ian was shot in the hip on the night of June 7th. The next day the defendant was arrested of the assult. The defendant's fingerprints are all over the gun used to shoot him. The evidence I present will prove to you that the defendant is guilty as charged." I am so glad I've got one of the West Eastman school staff members as my defender.
"Your Honor, under the law my client is presumed innocent until proven guilty. During this trial, you will hear no real evidence against my client. You will come to know the truth: that Alvin Seville just happened to pull the trigger. It was an accident. He wasn't trying to shoot him, he was just trying to stop himself getting killed right there. Therefore, my client is not guilty." Although I am glad this is kinda defending me, it's all wrong.
"The prosecution may call it's first witness."
"The people call the defendant's brother." I watch as Simon is taken to the witness stand.
"Please stand and raise your right paw." Simon stands up and raises his right paw.
"Do you promise that the testimony you shall give in the case before this court shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."
"I do."
"Please state your first and last name."
"Simon Seville."
"You may be seated." Simon sits down.
"Please spell your last name for the record." I watch as he spells it.
"Where were you for your last concert?"
"Florida, Orlando."
"Were you there June 7th?"
"Yes, we were."
"Was one of the people backstage your previous producer?"
"Yes, he was there."
"Did he come near you at all?"
"Yes, right after the concert ended." I notice Simon starting to shiver nervously. Hang in there, buddy. You're doing great.
"What did he say?"
"Well, it isn't much what he said. It was more what he did. He picked all 6 of us up by our tails and put us in a cage before saying, 'You owe me a concert.-"
"OBJECTION!" Simon fortunately ignores Ian.
"-I've got you booked at the Staples Center tomorrow, than its barbeque time'."
"OBJECTION!"
"Order in the court!" The judge slams its mallet thing down on the table.
"Please continue."
"He than pointed a gun at us as a threat, but after that, everything else is a blur. I had closed my eyes, I heard a gunshot and than what sounded like an elephant falling to the ground."
"Thank you. I have no further questions."
"Does the defense have any questions?"
"Not at this time, Your Honor."
"The witness is excused." I give Simon the thumbs up as he leaves the stand. Dave glares at me. Oops. Maybe I shouldn't be doing thumbs up in court.
"The people call the arresting officer." I watch and start to shiver nervously myself as the officer is taken to the witness stand.
"Please stand and raise your hand." The officer raises his hand.
"Do you promise that the testimony you shall give in the case before this court shall be the blah blah blah, blah blah blah blah, blah blah blah." I ignore the rest of what the clerk says. How many pleads do we HAVE to make here?! This is ONLY the third and I'm already sick of them!
"Officer, where do you work?"
"I've been working at the Patrol in Orlando for five years."
"Were you on duty on the night of June 7th?"
"Yes. I was called to the concert by a caller of 911."
"What happened after that?"
"Once Ian was sent to hospital and the chipmunks were sent home, we observed the gun used in the attack. The next day, we were able to examine the fingerprints, and although some were tiny, we found the Seville DNA on it."
"How did you find it was Alvin?"
"Well, you can't see Theodore or Simon shooting a fellow citizen, do you?" I put my head in my paw as I shiver even more. I'm starting to not feel as hopeful about this.
"So, what happened from there?"
"We drove up to the Seville household in Los Angeles and Alvin was arrested there."
"I have no further questions."
"Does the defense have any questions?"
"Yes, Your Honor." I watch as they stand up.
"Officer, how do you know it was definitely my client?"
"Didn't I just answer that?!"
"Oh, I have no further questions."
"The witness is excused." I watch as the officer leaves the stand.
"The people call the fingerprint examiner." Finally, I might have hope. I just watch as they stand up, raise their hand and agree to the plead AGAIN. I almost freak out when I see the gun being held up to them. Then I realize it's just for evidence and questions and calm down. It's always a first reaction to freak out. Who wouldn't?!
"Have you seen this gun before?"
"Yes, I was asked to examine it for fingerprints in my lab."
"Did you find the defendant's prints on the gun?"
"No. Same DNA, but not the defendant's." Thank goodness it's been told. I'm now probably safe. I look over at my brothers relieved. But Theodore is almost completely pale in the face. Did he? No. It's not right. He wouldn't.
"Thank you, I have no further questions."
"Does the defense have any questions?"
"Not at this time, Your Honor."
"The witness is excused."
"The people rest their case."
"Is the defense ready with its case?"
"Yes, Your Honor. I call the defendant." I follow the Bailiff as he takes me to the witness stand.
"Please stand and raise your right paw." Oh GOD! This plead, AGAIN! And I can't ignore it this time! I stand and raise my right paw.
"Do you promise that the testimony you shall give in the case before this court shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."
"I do."
"Please state your name."
"Alvin Seville."
"You may be seated."
"Where were you on the night of June 7th?"
"I was with my brothers and the Chipettes performing at Florida, Orlando."
"Did you see Ian backstage at that location?"
"Yes."
"Did you talk to him?"
"No. It's pretty much mostly what Simon said. But when it came to the shooting, I was standing in front of my brother and the Chipettes along with Brittany, protecting them. I looked down so I didn't have to stare at the gun when I heard a high pitched yell. I then looked up to see a green blur jumping in front of us, tilting the gun around and pulling the trigger."
"Thank you, Alvin. I have no further questions."
"Does the prosecution have any questions?"
"Yes, Your Honor. Are you sure you didn't pull it?" I can't believe it. Didn't he listen?! I stand up.
"Look. I may have got my family on an island, I may have gotten Ian fired, and I may have snuck into a casino, but I am telling you, I DIDN'T pull that trigger! If you heard me and listened to the fingerprint examiner, than you would know!"
"Okay, I have no further questions."
"The witness is excused." I leave the stand.
"Does the defense rest?"
"Yes, Your Honor."
"People of the jury. I am now going to read to you the law that you must follow in deciding this case. To prove the crime charged against the defendant, the prosecution must prove three things to you. First, that the defendant shot Ian. Second, that it wasn't an accident. Third, that the defendant intended to murder Ian. If each of you believe that the prosecution proved all three of these things, then you should find the defendant guilty. But if you believe the prosecution did not prove any one of these things, then you must find the defendant not guilty. Are you ready with the final arguments?"
"Yes, Your Hon-"
"STOP!" We all turn to see Theodore standing.
"I-I should be the one up t-there, n-not Alvin. I p-pulled the t-trigger." I hear heaps of gasps from the jury, and my mouth drops. I'm surprised no one is stopping him.
"I-I j-just couldn't let Ian s-shoot my brothers and best friends. I h-had to d-do s-something. I wasn't I-intending to k-kill him. I just w-wanted to s-stop him f-from h-hurting us." I can't help but smile a little at that. He's not all hugs and cuddles. He can be very protective when he wants to be, as proven just then to all of us.
"S-So, if I-I need to g-get in j-jail, g-go ahead, escort me n-now. A-All I c-care is t-that Alvin g-gets out of h-here not g-guilty." I just want to run up and hug him right there, right now. But that would just be inappropriate.
"I guess there's no need for the arguments now. Will the foreperson please stand?" I watch as they stand.
"Has the jury reached a unanimous verdict?"
"Yes." I cross my fingers and watch the judge as she reads some sort of paper silently. She then hands it to the clerk.
"The jury finds the defendant not guilty." Whoo! I am saved! But I hope Theodore doesn't have to go through anything now.
Once most of the jury is gone, Dave is called out to talk, so we have to wait by the door.
"You were great, Theodore!" I hug him.
"Yeah. I just hope I don't have to go to jail now or something." He hugs back.
"If you listened to the judge's law that the prosecution had to follow when deciding the case, you'd know that although you proved the first and second, you didn't prove the third. So, you pretty much are not guilty anyway." Simon points out.
"B-But I could've killed him."
"Still."
"I swear that law isn't accurate."
"It probably isn't. They have to keep certain things in mind. Example, our size, our age and all of that skoodaddle."
"Skoodaddle?! Simon?! Pft. Where did your smartness suddenly go?" I snicker a bit too loudly.
"You get what I mean, Alvin." I just nod. After that, Dave comes back.
"Guys, we've got to come back next week to find out what happens with you, Theodore."
"Oh."
"But until then, you're free." That makes him smile.
"Yay!"
"Can we get ice-creams on the way home, Dave?" I ask as we start walking out the doors.
"I'm on a strict budget, Alvin."
"Oh, come on, Dave! I could've gone to jail today, yet, you STILL don't give me a break." I cross my arms, half pretending that I'm mad at him. He sighs.
"Fine. One each." We get into our seats and get our seatbelts on.
"Thanks Dave!" We all say as he drives away from court.
"But, there's a catch."
"What is it?"
"Early nights." We all groan.
"We'll do it, Dave. Just get our ice-creams." I say as he stops at traffic lights. The rest of the way to the ice-cream shop was mostly silent, except for the music on the radio. I don't know about Simon and Theodore, but I'm actually relieved I didn't get in jail today. I've never thought any of my schemes would get THAT far, even though this wasn't a scheme of mine at all. But I hope Theodore gets out of court safe next week...
THE END
(Some credit goes to the creator of a court play thing on Google. Without it I'd be stuck at the first line! Do keep in mind though that I did try to change stuff (since the original play online was about a stolen car) for entertainment and so the story actually got somewhere. Please let me know if certain parts are wrong (like the first line the Judge says) and I will fix it as soon as possible. (But not the law though, otherwise that'll spoil the whole ending, although I know that's definitely not right.))