Hello, everyone! Yes, it's me again from after a long break from writing new chapters/stories. Sorry for that disappearing act; it's just that I've been hammering down on my studies so I can finally graduate for college. I still have two classes to take, but they are completely easy. After that, I'll finally earn my degree in English. Hopefully, I'll be able to see my future in working for a gaming magazine come true soon! It'll just take another couple years of work experience in my field of of work choice, but I'm sure I'll be able to get to that point soon enough.
But yes, let's move on from that exciting moment in my life and onto what you're all really here for. For those of you who find the title familiar, it's because I posted this story over a year ago. It's the continuation to my other mystery story, Sonic the Hedgehog: Attorney of Law. At the time, I was still excited at having completed the long story that I rushed into this one without a break. Of course, I quickly lost interest the moment the happy high went away. As such, I've been on a break from the franchise for a while and have been working on my other stories. It makes sense when you think about it; it's really draining after having worked on a story for almost three years and then forcing yourself to continue on with the universe you created. That's why there is that break between stories and the sudden abandonment of the original sequel.
However, I've now gotten back into wanting to write this piece and have done my best to tweak up the first chapter. I'll leave the original work up for a little while until I've finished writing the second chapter. That way, I'll still have the original guideline I set up for the evidence and won't have to guess as to why they were significant. At the same time, the chapters posted are my only copies as my originals are now a part of the corrupted file family. I can't open them, so the ones here on this site are the only fresh ones left.
But yeah, be prepared for random update times as coming up with believable and solvable mysteries takes a lot of time, a lot more than my other normal stories like my Legend of Zelda one. That means I'll have time to work on other said pieces that I've placed on here. I'm not going to abandon them; I'll just switch between stories depending on which one fits my fancy at the moment. So sorry to those of you who have been waiting ever so patiently for one of my other pieces to be updated; I promise to update them as soon as I can. In fact, my Pokemon story should almost be ready in a couple more days. Just need a few tweaks on it, but it will be ready soon.
On that note, I'm just glad that I've, for the most part, finally finished college. Actually, I've only walked the stage. I just need to take one more quarter's worth of classes in order to officially obtain my degree, but I'm very close to it. Once I've got those classes out of the way, I can kiss college goodbye and start concentrating on the more important things, such as updating this site and working my way towards my dream job. Hope that ends up going well for me. No more having to slave away in classrooms being forced to answer to the professor's call for homework or tests. I can now, for the most part, run on my own schedule and not have to study for things that have no general interest to me, i.e. history and sciences.
Now that I'm done rambling, let me allow you all to enjoy the revised first chapter of the sequel to Sonic the Hedgehog: Attorney of Law. I'm sure you'll notice the difference in my writing style between that story and this one. I've had a couple years of practice from creative writing professors who, for lack of a better phrase, showed me humility in that there was a lot more to writing than I thought possible. I've tried my best to absorb as much of their suggestions and make it reflect in my current work today. I hope that effort shows. And I also hope that you'll all take the time to leave a review saying what you thought about the first chapter. Thanks again for reading, and until next time on an update to this or any of my other stories on here!
Evidence:
Attorney's Badge: Proof that Sonic is a genuine defense attorney. He's had it for almost a year, and his reliability with the public has risen since. His legal skills have also improved somewhat, proving himself to be competent enough to run a law firm.
Profiles:
Maurice "Sonic" Hedgehog: An eighteen-year-old hedgehog who's been in the legal business for almost a year. He runs the M&M LA (Maurice and Miles' Legal Agency) along with his partner and adoptive little brother.
Chapter 1: Old Friends, New Murders Pt. 1
"Alright, everything's going to be just fine," Sonic murmured as he sat on the defendant lobby's worn sofa. He had a soda resting on the nearby table, his eyes skimming through a case file he received only yesterday. It was his first job since returning from his month-long vacation, and his nerves over possibly losing his legal touch was starting to get to him. "This case should be like any other textbook trial. I mean, it shouldn't be too hard to get back to how I usually am in my cases."
"It doesn't sound good when you start talking to yourself, Sonic," a woman's voice said, breaking him from his musings. "You're not a rookie anymore; start acting like the professional you are and look confident!"
"Easy for you to say," the cobalt hedgehog sighed as he looked at the female chipmunk standing a few feet from him. She was a longtime friend of his since elementary school. It had been a while since they met face-to-face, but circumstances had made today's meeting necessary. "It's been a while since I've been in court, and I'm starting out with a case that sounds simple but might actually be hiding something behind it."
"If you thought there were going to be complications, then why'd you jump at the chance to take it?" the woman asked. "I know you're sometimes impulsive; you've been like that for as long as I've known you. I just never thought you'd second-guess yourself over it."
"I like to think I've changed a bit since then." The hedgehog closed the file and got to his feet. "And like I said, it only looks simple. But with my past experiences in court, murder trials are nowhere near simple. That and I believe the prosecution is accusing the wrong person. I'm just wondering if I'll be able to figure this out with what I got now."
"Well, you are going against Prosecutor Vector today. Even after the legal reform you brought about last year, he's still one of the few prosecutors I trust. Whenever you two are in a courtroom, you both make it a point to get nothing but the truth."
"That's true, but Vector's always been like that even before the reform. Most prosecutors are probably still in transition from their 'guilty verdicts only' mindset. I think there's still a few who prioritize winning over finding the truth. At least they aren't as openly enthusiastic about it as they were before I solved the LK-9 Incident."
"Mr. Sonic, the trial will begin in a few minutes," the bailiff interrupted them. "I suggest you get yourself ready as soon as possible." He then opened the doors leading to the courtroom and motioned for them to go in.
"I guess it's time to get the show on the road," the chipmunk said before making her way into the courtroom. "Don't worry about what's going to happen, Sonic. I'm sure you're going to find a way to prove my innocence."
"Never thought I'd hear my client give me a pep talk before a trial," Sonic replied with a good natured roll of his eyes. "I guess there's a first for everything. And don't worry about a thing, Sally. I promise that I'll prove you innocent!"
"Are you sure you can live up to that promise, Sonic?" another chipmunk, this time a male, asked as he stood up from his seat from a corner of the room. Had Sonic not known who he was, he would have suspected him of trying to spy on his case. "Don't forget that this is my little sister you're defending in there. She'll probably never admit it, but she trusts you with this more than she does me. You fail to prove her innocent here and she's not going to let you forget about it for as long as you live."
"Thanks for your vote of confidence, Elias," the attorney sarcastically stated. "It's not as though I'm not already pressuring myself to make sure I prove she's innocent. Why don't you stop adding more pressure and watch from the gallery?"
"Just try not to blunder your way through the case. Don't forget I'm also trusting you to save her life," Elias said before heading towards the gallery.
"I just told you to not add more pressure!" the attorney exclaimed before entering the courtroom with an exasperated sigh.
As the next few minutes came to pass, all the main players had situated themselves in the courtroom. Sonic was standing behind his desk, his case file open and evidence neatly spread out, ready to take on whatever would be thrown at him. Standing across from him was Vector, his trademark prosecutorial headphones resting on his neck. He still looked as confident as ever as though he was going to win no matter what, but the hedgehog knew that was mainly for show. Win or lose, he always has the truth in mind when conducting trials. The Judge was sitting at his podium as always, reading a file that most likely contained details of the current case. He had hardly changed over the years, although him having overseen many trials concerning corrupted prosecutors and detectives have furthered his resolve for justice. And as for Sally, she was now seated at the accused's podium. She seemed as calm as she was when talking with Sonic, but he figured it was merely a front to cover her nerves.
As it was with other trials, the gallery was filled with spectators curious enough to want to see how the trial will turn out. They were talking amongst themselves at a controlled volume about what might happen today. If anything, they were all as chatty and curious about the day's proceedings as they always were. They only quieted down when the Judge made his appearance and went straight towards his seat.
"Court is now in session!" the Judge announced with a loud bang of his gavel. "This trial is to ascertain the veracity of the charges that've been put before the accused. Is the prosecution ready to present their case?"
"Since when have I never been ready, Your Honor?" Vector coolly replied as he put his headphones on.
"I see you're as confident as ever," the old man noted before shifting his attention to the other side of the room. "It's nice to see some things still the same amidst all the legal reforms in the Prosecutor's Office. And is the defense ready to defend their client?"
"The defense is ready, Your Honor," Sonic replied. He then silently added, I just hope I don't end up missing the obvious stuff. God, why did I have to agree to take a case right after finishing my vacation?
"Well, it seems you haven't changed as well over your month-long vacation, Mr. Sonic. Now that we're all prepared, let us begin the trial. If you would please present to us the premise of this case, Prosecutor Vector?"
"I'm already on it, Your Honor." The crocodile immediately opened his notes and began reading through the details, his headphones never leaving his ears. "The victim's name is Mr. Scott Lanyard. He was an officer who had just gotten off work when he was killed. He was discovered in Mobius Park where he had been patrolling before clocking out. We know this because he had electronically clocked out via his phone thirty minutes before his death. As such, I'm certain his murder cannot be classified as a work-related incident."
"So you're saying he wasn't on the job when this incident occurred," Sonic surmised. He still had nothing to go on and was right now forced to take in any information Vector was willing to part with. "Personally, I don't think this has anything to do with the case. After all, a murder is a murder regardless of an officer's scheduled time. But just for the sake of curiosity, isn't it possible that the killer knew about him being able to clock out from his phone and did it after his death? If that's the case, then the killer could've easily altered the time of death."
"I'm afraid that's impossible. For an officer to clock out electronically, they would first have to gain access to the Precinct's website using both their user name and password. The site also requires them to input their badge identification number along with a secret question that only the employee would know the answer to. Without all that information, nobody would be able to even make it past the site's homepage. As such, Officer Lanyard clocked himself out before dying. But even if we had no evidence that he was the only one with access to his account, we found a witness saying he was alone before meeting with the defendant."
"Hmm, this does explain things rather nicely," the Judge said. "With such tight security measures, Officer Lanyard's Schedule could've only been altered by him.
"Very well; can you next explain how it was that the defendant came to be a suspect? If memory serves me right, I think she's the sister to the mayor of Knothole Village, Elias Acorn! Her being accused is sure to raise quite a scandal in that village!"
"I doubt this would prove to be scandal material, but it has nothing to do with the trial regardless," the prosecutor stated. "Officer Acorn is a fledgling detective who had transferred from the Knothole Police Department a month ago. Apparently, she and the victim had some past relations since it was observed by other officers that they were familiar with each other from the start. With regards to the time of death, I believe that they got into a scuffle of sorts that led to his murder. Both the evidence and witness accounts supplement the accusation, so the Prosecutor's Office feels confident that they have the right person on trial."
"But are you sure it's enough to have us overlook the fact that the two clearly had good relations?" the cobalt hedgehog asked. "If that's the undisputed truth, then it doesn't make sense that Officer Acorn would kill such a good friend."
"You can think of it naively if you want, Sonic, but the evidence doesn't lie. No matter how you look at it, it all points to her."
"Then what about the cause of death? I've only managed to skim through the autopsy report, but I didn't see anything about loss of blood."
"That's because he died of a broken neck caused by blunt force trauma. There was a six-foot ledge where the body was discovered, and it's believed that he was pushed off and broke his neck as a result. Officers said he was still alive when they found him, but he died on the way to the hospital. I have Officer Lanyard's Autopsy Report along with a picture of the scene if you want to look over the other specifics of his death," he added before submitting the documents for both the Judge and defense to see.
"The court accepts this as evidence," the old man said as he examined the Crime Scene Photo. "Hmm, it certainly looks like the victim died of a broken neck. His head doesn't look the least bit natural!"
"…As detailed as this picture is, I believe it's missing something," Sonic stated after looking over the picture and seeing something he hoped he could use. "Prosecutor Vector, you said that the victim was pushed to death off a nearby ledge. However, I don't see anything like that in here. That ledge is practically the murder weapon! Do you have anything to show us where it was and what it looks like? We need to be able to see if what you're claiming is even possible!"
"Oh, I forgot that there was a second picture of the crime scene!" the other exclaimed while flashing an apologetic look. At the same time, he gave off a cocky shrug as though he were suggesting he purposefully made the defense attorney ask about it. "The first picture I submitted was just to showcase the position the body was in. Here's the second one that was specifically taken of the ledge."
True to his word, the Second Crime Scene Photo had a ground view of the body with the stone ledge a few feet away into the background. It definitely was a bit taller than the average person, looking easy to jump over and land with barely an injury. There was also a bit of what looked a lot like a phone booth towards along the right edge of the picture with a blue service light on the side lit up.
"…Alright, now it sounds like the ledge idea has some chance of being the truth," the hedgehog admitted, his skepticism still clear in his words. "Still, it had to have been some push for the victim to have landed at just the right angle that he broke his neck from it. I mean, falling from that height wouldn't normally cause someone to die. Are you absolutely sure that was the cause of death?"
"The medical examiner already concluded his death was a result from falling, Mr. Sonic," Vector irritably explained. "The cause of death along with the wounds the body sustained all correlate with this fact. And there was evidence he was pushed, so don't start suggesting that he spontaneously decided to commit suicide! Even I admit it's hard to believe such a small fall could be the cause of death, but the facts at our disposal only lead to that conclusion. So unless you're saying that the coroner who examined the body is a sham; I can't see how you have any room to debate that this murder was caused by something other than a fall.
"However, if what you're really suggesting is to review the evidence recovered at the scene, then that's a different story. I don't have anything against that. Of course, that means you're barking up the wrong tree. So how about I call on a witness who can help satisfy your curiosity on the matter?"
"Are you suggesting that I should cross-examine the lead detective in the investigation?" Sonic asked. He cracked a small smile when he heard the prosecutor suggest it; the crocodile flashed back a similar half-smile in response. "If so, then I'll be more than happy to take you up on your offer."
"Then let's not waste anymore of our time. I'd like to call the lead detective in this case to the stand! I'm sure he'll be more than willing to indulge you in your infuriating game of Twenty Q."
"Hmm, now that's a game I haven't played in a long while," the Judge said, confusing Sonic and causing Vector to roll his eyes. "Perhaps I should play it with my grandson when he comes to visit this weekend, although my son might be against it. After all, I've always beaten him every time he challenged me. He might want to try and save face with him," he added with a lighthearted chuckle.
"But yes, I do agree with you two that hearing from the detective would be a good course of action. With only what we know now, it's not enough information. The court needs to learn more in order to make a proper ruling. If you would be so kind to escort the lead detective to the stand, bailiff?"
In the next minute, the detective in charge of the investigation, Senior Detective Silver, came in and stood at the witness stand, a folder of what was probably evidence held tightly in his hands. Even after a year since his promotion, he was still considered to be the youngest senior detective ever on the force. Considering the effort it took for him to even start off as a Precinct detective, many agreed that his was a record that would never be broken. Combined with the fact that he was one of the key players who solved the infamous LK-9 Case, leading to the arrest of the then most powerful prosecutor of the state, it turned him into the most popular detective in the Precinct. However, he still stayed the same righteous agent of the law, keeping true to his original intentions and never once letting the attention cloud his judgement.
"Witness, please state your name and occupation for the court," the Judge instructed with a bang of his gavel.
"My name's Senior Detective Silver Hedgehog," the detective replied. He had his arms loosely crossed, and his overall posture was relaxed. He was careful not to knock his badge off which was pinned to the edges of his right glove. "I'm the one who's been put in charge of the initial investigation."
Nice to know he hasn't changed much, Sonic thought. I know the Precinct's been giving him a lot of work and running him ragged. Still, it looks like he's handling it pretty well. I just hope they haven't kept him so busy that he hasn't had any time to himself. He really deserves a vacation every now and then.
"Detective Silver, please testify to us about what it was you saw when you first arrived at the scene," the Judge said. "I think we should learn as much as possible about what was found at the crime scene in order to get a better picture."
"Of course, Your Honor," Silver agreed with a curt nod. "Allow me to go over what our investigation has uncovered so far, although I'm sure most of it has already been discussed from before I was summoned."
Investigating the Crime Scene
At around six-thirty, we got a call about somebody severely injured in Mobius Park. A nearby officer responded and arrived at the scene to find Officer Lanyard already dead. Once he reported the incident, I, along with my team, arrived and began our investigation. It was clear even before the medical examiner arrived that the victim died of a broken neck. It was only after reading the autopsy report did we learn that he received bruises akin to a six-foot fall. There were also signs that he had been pushed, so we're certain that this was anything but an accident. His body showed no signs of being moved, so that ledge in the Second Crime Scene Photo, which happens to be just over six feet tall, is the only place this could've happened. That in combination with all the evidence we found allowed us to conclude that Officer Acorn was the only one who could've been responsible for this.
End Testimony
"As you can see, the investigation managed to uncover enough evidence to prove that the victim died from falling off that ledge," Vector concluded once Silver finished recounting his work. "The last person he was seen with was the defendant, so it only makes sense that she pushed him. The evidence corroborates with the accusation, so I don't see how there can be any room for dispute."
"That might be what you believe, but I still think there's room for debate!" Sonic quickly countered. "You say that the evidence against Officer Acorn is solid, but I've yet the chance to see if it can be interpreted differently. Their views could be different from ours and, in that case, making their assumptions wrong. Saying then that my client is the only one responsible for this crime seems rather premature."
"If that's what you think, then how about you try proving me wrong through your cross-examination?" the crocodile suggested with a smug smirk. "If anything else, this'll be a good excuse for you to get out of your vacation funk. I'm almost anticipating how your performance will be like after returning from that month-long break."
"Putting Prosecutor Vector's sarcastic comment aside, I agree that a cross-examination is our next best course of action," the Judge stated with a clearing of his throat. "With that said, the witness is all yours, Mr. Sonic."
I already know what questions I should ask, the cobalt hedgehog thought as he began mapping out his route of attack. I still don't know what kind of evidence they have against Sally. I wouldn't be too surprised if Vector already knows what I'll be asking. I'm just worried about why he seems so smug. I know he's all about finding the truth, but he also has a competitive side. Does this mean he thinks he has enough evidence to know what the truth is? If so, then I better find something that'll persuade him to see things differently!
"Is something the matter, Mr. Sonic?" the old man asked after having experienced a few seconds of silence. "You seem oddly quiet."
"Uh, sorry about that, Your Honor. I was just thinking about how I'll be proceeding with the trial."
"Then maybe you should stop stalling and get on with it," Vector suggested, successfully reading Sonic's silent actions.
Damn, I forgot how well he knows me! the defense attorney scowled before collecting his thoughts. I guess I can't really get away with spacing out when he's around. But whatever; it's time to get the show started!
Begin Cross-Examination
"Detective Silver, can you tell us about the moments when you first arrived at the scene?" Sonic asked.
"I did the first thing protocol expected of me, to seal the area and prevent the public from approaching the scene," Silver replied. "We didn't want people walking about and accidentally compromising evidence. However, that part of the park rarely has any traffic at that hour, so we had little trouble on that respect."
"And what did you notice once you'd properly secured the area?"
"I saw the victim in his uniform lying face-down on the ground, his neck bent in a very unnatural position. Apart from him, I didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Initially, I thought he suffered from a tragic accident and fell from the ledge. Of course, that theory was disproven when I read the autopsy report and saw his death classified as a homicide. That's when I thought to scour the area with the mindset that it was now a murder scene."
"So it was only after you obtained the autopsy report did you change outlook on the case to a homicide," the defense attorney surmised with a thoughtful look on his face.
"Objection, Your Honor!" Vector quickly intervened. "Mr. Sonic is wasting the court's time. I fail to see how we're going to learn of anything new if he's insistent on having Detective Silver repeat himself."
"I'm just trying to clarify how the investigation was conducted," the hedgehog replied, trying in vain to defend his admittedly pointless questions. "You can't ever be too sure about anything during a murder trial, you know?"
"That's a pretty shallow excuse," the Judge commented disdainfully. He then said with a bang of his gavel, "The prosecution's objection is sustained. I suggest you try finding progress on a more related question, Mr. Sonic."
"Yes, Your Honor. Detective Silver, how comfortable were you in saying that the victim died from the fall when you first saw him?"
"It was pretty easy to figure out the moment you saw how bent his neck was," the senior detective explained. "I still find it hard to believe that was how he died. That ledge was no more than six feet tall; it doesn't even qualify to be a second floor fall! For him to die like that, he had to have fallen head-first. Still, such a short distance would make such a death almost impossible! Then again, I guess where he was pushed played a role in it," he added with a shrug.
"What do you mean, Detective Silver?" the Judge asked, raising a gray eyebrow in question. "Are you saying there's something unique about the crime scene the court has yet to hear about?"
"Well, neither of the photos show a view of the top of the ledge. Along the edge of it is a metal railing that stands just a little over five feet tall. Unless you climbed over it or leaned too far out, there's no normal way for someone to just simply fall over. In short, Officer Lanyard had to have been pushed. The force from being pushed over the railing most likely caused just enough momentum to make him fall head-first, despite the short distance from the ledge to the point of impact. Combined with the fact that there's no evidence of the body having been moved after the fact and we're comfortable saying he was killed there."
"Oh, now it makes more sense how he managed to die like that," Sonic said as he made a note regarding the Ledge Details. "And what about after the fall? Is there any indication that the victim survived?"
"The coroner said that his neck showed signs of the healing process. That only happens when the person is still alive, so it's clear he at least survived the moment of impact. Still, the wound would've left him immobile. If he was still conscious, then he wouldn't have been able to move or call for help, considering his voice box was broken. And before you ask, we didn't find any dying messages," Silver quickly added. "The ground around him was undisturbed, and his fingers had no traces of dirt on them."
"I-I wasn't going to suggest that!" the hedgehog exclaimed, his mouth showing a sheepish smile as he updated Officer Lanyard's Autopsy Report.
"That's very convincing, Mr. Sonic," Vector sarcastically replied. "Do you really think I don't know your tactics by now? We're practically courtroom partners! If you want to be less predictable, then you should consider changing your methods."
The cobalt hedgehog quietly shot the other a look that amounted to nothing more than a childish pout. As much as he hated to admit it, his courtroom techniques were pretty predictable. Still, it was what helped him clear his clients of wrongful suspicions. If anything, his tactics had always produced progressive results. Still, he had to admit that the prosecutor was right. If he wanted to get further than the preliminary stages of this trial, then he had better start thinking about other ways to approach the case.
End Cross-Examination
"Anyway, I think it's time we put an end to this cross-examination," Vector suggested as he adjusted his headset over his ears. "We've learned as much as we can about the crime scene. It's time we moved on to something else."
"But there are still some questions that need to be answered!" Sonic quickly retorted. "You can't just end things here!"
"Which is why I'm planning on asking Detective Silver to testify about another related matter." The crocodile rolled his eyes at how worked up the defense attorney was getting and, as a result, unnecessarily jumping the gun. "I never said anything about dismissing him from the stand or otherwise calling an end to this."
"So what is you'd like for him to testify about next?" the Judge asked.
"I was thinking that he should tell us about the evidence recovered from the scene. After all, he's already admitted that it was by that basis alone they thought it prudent to arrest Officer Acorn. That alone suggests that she did a really sloppy job trying to keep herself away from the line of fire. If it really is that compelling, then I think we should hear an explanation about it from the detective."
"O-Oh, I kinda forgot about that," the hedgehog sheepishly admitted. He tried to hide his blush by burying his face behind some paperwork.
"I think someone had a bit too much fun during their vacation," the old man said as he noticed Sonic's oddly rookie-like behavior. "You're acting a lot like the unreliable rookie you were on your first case. You best start shaping up if you want to instill confidence in both the court and your client.
"But that aside, I do agree with Prosecutor Vector. There's more about this case we need to know before I can comfortably arrive at a decision. Otherwise, I can't continue considering myself a fair judge," he added with a small smile. "Detective Silver, please describe to us the evidence which helped guide your decision in arresting the defendant."
"Certainly, Your Honor," Silver complied with a curt nod.
God, I've really got to stop acting like a rookie! Come on, Sonic; pull yourself together. Sally's counting on you to help her out of this mess. Stop acting like an idiot and get your head back into the game!
Basis for Arresting Sally
As I stated earlier, we arrested Officer Acorn based on the evidence we found at the scene. One such piece was the suspect's DNA recovered from Officer Lanyard's body. The second was the fact that the suspect was seen by a witness in both the minutes before and after his death. That makes her the last person to see him alive and, because of that, a person of interest. And then there was a piece of jewelry we recovered from his body that had the defendant's fingerprints on it. All this made it impossible for us to find a reason as to why we shouldn't arrest anyone else but the defendant!
End Testimony
"Well, I now see why the arrest was made with such speed and confidence!" the Judge said. "I've rarely seen a case where the evidence proved to be so concrete at first glance. Are you sure, however, that the information is accurate?"
"Based on everything we had to cross-reference with, our summation of the facts seems to be very accurate," Silver replied with a nod. "We made sure to double-check our findings, and they still conclude to what I just testified. I admit that such sureness is unusual, but that's what the evidence says."
"If that's so, then it does a good job at casting the defendant's innocence under a large shadow! I wonder if we need to continue on with the trial at this rate."
"Objection, Your Honor!" Sonic exclaimed. "Don't forget that I'm allowed to conduct a cross-examination, a right I intend to exercise!"
"Hmm, but it seems redundant at this point," the old man said with a frown. "What're your feelings on this, Prosecutor Vector?"
"My feelings have no bearing on this," Vector answered. "Despite how you might feel about this, the defense is allowed to conduct a cross-examination. Redundant as it may be, the court has to acknowledge Mr. Sonic's rights.
"Still, I must say I'm not surprised to see him wanting to pick away at an infallible piece of testimony," the crocodile added while adjusting his headphones. He then said while directing his attention towards the hedgehog, "It doesn't matter how small it may be; you always pursue whatever leads you think is worth wasting our time. Oh well, it's not like I'd be able to stop you regardless of your decision," he admitted with a sigh. "If you're going through with the cross-examination, make sure you don't bore us with redundancies."
Geez, it's nice to know Vector's attitude hasn't changed a bit, the hedgehog thought as he refrained from rolling his eyes. I just hope I can learn something without having him breathing down my neck. If I mess this up and fail at getting Sally acquitted of these charges, Elias won't ever let me live it down!
Begin Cross-Examination
"Detective Silver, is it normal procedure to go arresting someone based solely on what the evidence shows?" Sonic asked.
"It's not unusual, but it is somewhat uncommon," Silver responded. "I'll even admit that this is the first case in my career where everything fell into place without any signs of tampering. I'm still somewhat skeptical about it, however."
"If that's so, then why did you not consider rescinding the arrest warrant against Officer Acorn?"
"Like I said earlier, we found DNA evidence on Officer Lanyard's body that matched hers," the detective explained. "Namely, they were Fingerprints on the left shoulder of his shirt along with a bit of Fur on its front. We've done tests on both and compared it with her DNA, so we're positive they belong to her. That in itself was enough to generate adequate suspicion on the role she played."
"That may be evidence my client was next to the victim, but how is it proof she pushed him off the ledge?" the cobalt hedgehog argued. "You already said they knew each other prior to her relocating to Mobius's police department. Under that light, both her Fingerprints and Fur on Officer Lanyard's body are hardly damning against her!"
"That may be true, but it also confirms witness reports that the two were together before he died," Vector fired back. "At the least, her DNA and the witness's observations are enough to place the defendant at the time of the crime. In that case, it proves to be very important pieces of evidence towards her guilt. You can try all you want, but there's no way you can alter what it all says about the defendant!"
"I don't think this is an argument you can win, Mr. Sonic," the Judge said while shaking his head. "I suggest you move on to something else."
"Ugh, then how about I ask you about the witness who saw my client speaking with the victim before his death? I'm actually curious as to why they weren't mentioned earlier. Is there a reason for delaying the announcement of their existence?"
"I would've thought that to be obvious by now," the crocodile sighed while crossing his arms. "Everything they said has fallen in line with what the evidence shows. That's the beauty of finding concrete evidence; it makes it easier for us to validate the truthfulness of a witness's words without asking them to testify.
"And in regards to what was seen after the murder, the same witness was unfortunate enough to discover the body. It was terrible luck, but it made it easier to ascertain reliability since one person saw both the prelude and aftermath. Because of that, most of what they said has been deemed the truth."
"Most of what they said?" Sonic repeated, cocking an eyebrow at the strange explanation. "It doesn't sound like you're sure about their entire testimony. How am I, as a defense attorney, supposed to feel about that?"
"Well, the only parts we found shaky were when opinions were raised," Silver jumped in to Vector's defense. "However, such statements are nothing more than a person's way of trying to voice their own interpretation of the facts. When put against solid evidence, they hold almost no value. As such, their testimony stands. It withstood heavy scrutiny and was then noted to be an instrumental part to our investigation."
"But opinions still hold some weight in court, Detective Silver. It's just a matter of being able to prove whether or not what's said is the truth!"
"Be that as it may, the fact remains that the witness has been noted as reliable by both the detectives and the prosecution," the Judge reminded. "Mr. Sonic, I've yet to hear anything from you that would discredit their judgement. Unless you can persuade the court to your stance, I'm afraid I'll have to discontinue this line of questioning."
"It's fine, Your Honor; I was thinking about moving on, anyway," the defense attorney growled in reluctant defeat. "How about we talk about the third piece of evidence that you say proves my client's guilt? I believe, Detective Silver, you said that it was a piece of jewelry that the victim had on him?"
"Yes, it is; I actually have the Pendant with me," Silver said as he took out a small bag from his forgotten folder. In it was a gold chain necklace that had a three-dimensional metal heart with a ruby embedded on both sides. Sonic could also see that a single emerald and sapphire were also embedded in the center on either side. The clasp was broken and warped as though someone yanked it off.
"Well, this certainly is a pretty piece of jewelry!" the old man noted, the amazement in his voice hardly contained upon seeing the evidence. "What excellent craftsmanship. I wouldn't be surprised if it were worth a lot!"
"You'd be right on that, Your Honor. We've analyzed it and found out that it's a custom-made piece created entirely out of pure platinum," the detective explained. "The stones embedded onto it are also very real and of the highest quality. We then brought it to an appraiser, and he said that the cost could easily reach five figures."
"Geez, that's a really expensive piece of crap!" Vector exclaimed, his right hand shooting towards his gold chain and grasping it. "Kind of makes me feel like having a better watch over how I spend my paycheck now. What else did you figure out from it?"
"Well, we learned from the witness, who saw the moments before and after the crime, that the defendant had it with her when she met the victim. That's when we dusted it for prints and learned that the witness was correct.
"We also think that the jewelry took part in the struggle leading up to the murder," Silver added as he pointed to the broken clasp. "If you look here, you'll see that the connecter is bent from being forcibly tugged. Combined with what we've learned from this evidence, we believe that it was in Officer Acorn's hands until the moment she shoved Officer Lanyard to his death. It only came into his possession when he desperately grabbed at her to keep himself from falling. So while not a dying message, I think this'll be as close to one as we'll get."
"So you're saying that the person who owned the Pendant is the one responsible for the murder?" Sonic pressed, trying hard to find a weak spot where he could push back. He had been listening intently the whole time in hopes of finding some kind of contradiction. Unfortunately, it all seemed to be adding up rather well in favor against him. "How do you even know that my client is the one it belongs to? She could've just picked it up sometime before your witness saw her."
"Objection!" Vector immediately cut in. "Mr. Sonic, Detective Silver never assumed in his testimony that the jewelry belonged to Officer Acorn. All he did was state the facts that were brought about upon its discovery. Who it belongs to doesn't mean anything in the big picture. The fact remains that it's evidence of a struggle and that she was seen with it in her hands before the murder."
"That's quite true, Prosecutor Vector!" the Judge agreed with a bang of his gavel. "Your objection is sustained. Mr. Sonic," he said in a stern tone. "Try to refrain from confusing the court with your opinions. Unless you have evidence that states relevancy, keep your questions based only on the facts at hand."
"Yes, Your Honor," the defense attorney said in a hardly masked dejected tone. "In that case, is there anything else you discovered from this evidence?"
"That's all we were able to uncover," the detective stated. "Everything we learned about where it was before the murder came from our witness. In fact, I don't think it would've been such a key piece of evidence if it weren't for them."
"Know when to give up," the prosecutor said with a light growl. "You've already picked through everything in this testimony. You've learned about all the evidence and how they were so concrete that your client ended up being arrested. All of it relates well with the crime scene and explains everything perfectly. So unless I've somehow managed to miss something, there isn't a contradiction for you to expose!"
End Cross-Examination
"I guess you're right," Sonic replied with a dejected sigh.
"It's nice to see you're finally starting to come around," Vector said while fiddling with his headset cable. "You can beat a dead horse until it's a bloody pulp, but it's never going to get back up again!"
"I take it then that the defense has nothing further to ask the witness?" the Judge asked. "If so, then I'm ready to dismiss him and render my verdict!"
"H-Hold on a minute!" the defense attorney exclaimed. "I know I said I couldn't find anything wrong in the testimony. However, that doesn't mean we should accept everything that was said just like that! We need to scrutinize every piece of information we come across!"
"But haven't you already scrutinized this testimony to death?" the crocodile groaned. "I can't see what else there is for you to poke at."
"Then how about the witness you claimed was able to see the moments both before and after the murder? We haven't heard anything from them yet!"
"I already said the witness's testimony has been corroborated with the evidence," Silver replied. He still had his professional face on, but his stance showed his irritation. "With how everything flowed together smoothly, I didn't think that they would be needed to reinforce the prosecution's case. In fact, I would think what they have to say would prove disadvantageous for you."
"Regardless, I still ask that they appear before us to testify," Sonic implored. He then remembered something Silver mentioned about the witness and figured he could somehow try using it to his advantage. After all, things could not be any more worse than it already was. "In fact, I think that'd be the best thing for both the prosecution and myself. After all, there was an important Detective Silver mentioned that was based primarily on hearsay!"
"Well, that's an interesting claim you've brought up, Mr. Sonic," the Judge stated with intrigue heavy in his voice. The gallery had started talking amongst themselves, most of them familiar with Sonic's tactics and wondering what kind of last-minute revelation he was going to pull off this time. "Please tell me your reason for believing that Detective Silver submitted to us hearsay as evidence."
"If you remember back from when we first talked about the Pendant, you'll see that the detective told us what the witness told him," the attorney explained as he looked through the court transcript. "He said that he 'learned from the witness, who saw the moments both before and after the murder, that the defendant had it with her when she met the victim.' That's a pretty important statement seeing as how it places my client at the scene of the crime and depicts her with the item in question."
"And how is that a problem?" Silver asked. He still kept a professional look, but his eyes reflected the fact that he knew where Sonic was going with this.
"Because we never actually heard it being spoken by the witness themselves. As such, your recount of the evidence isn't as concrete as you would like us to believe! If we can't cross-examine the person who spoke those words, then we as a court of law can't take that statement at full face value!"
"Humph, I'll admit that you've raised a good point," Vector concurred with an annoyed click of his tongue. He also took off his headset and let it rest against his neck, a move Sonic knew to mean that the prosecutor was willing to back him up on that new point. "Hearsay is inadmissible as testimony due to the fact that the actual person never made those statements before us under sworn oath. So what do you propose we do, now that you've brought up this little problem in the detective's recount of the crime?"
"I would've thought that to be obvious by now," Sonic replied smugly, repeating what Vector said to him minutes ago much to the other's distaste. "I want that witness called to the stand. I want them, from their own lips, to tell us exactly what it was they saw take place in the moments before and after the murder! That's the only way we'll be able to work around the hearsay aspect in Detective Silver's testimony."
There was a moment of silence in the courtroom before the Judge broke it by clearing his throat. "I must agree with the defense on this matter. As detailed as Detective Silver's account of the evidence was, the fact remains that he allowed hearsay to take the place of an otherwise important piece of evidence. Unless the original witness who made those statements testifies before us, I can't be comfortable in making a just ruling."
"…I'm not surprised you came to that conclusion, Your Honor," the crocodile admitted. "In fact, I'm not surprised at how the trial turned out to be. I suppose working with the defense for so long has taught me to expect the unexpected and be extra prepared."
"Uh, was that supposed to be a compliment?"
"Take it however you want, Mr. Sonic. What I'm saying is that I've made it a point to have that very witness ready to be called upon should you have found some way to discredit them. If you like, we can get this hearsay nonsense cleared up in just minutes. The only thing I'd need is Your Honor's approval."
The Judge was silent as he contemplated the choice before him. He then asked, "What do you think of the prosecution's suggestion, Mr. Sonic?"
"I'm more than happy to have them call their eyewitness to the stand," the attorney said with a triumphant nod. "Even if I weren't, I'd be crazy to miss out on a free pass by Prosecutor Vector for me to prove my client's innocence."
"Very well; I'll allow the prosecution's second witness to testify. However," the old man added as he picked up his gavel, "I believe now would be as good a time as any to take a recess. Both sides should use this time to freshen up and prepare for what's to come. With that said, the court will now adjourn for a thirty-minute recess!" He then banged his gavel to officiate the start of their break.
Geez, I barely managed to get the Judge to doubt Vector's case! Sonic thought. He was busy shuffling his things back into his folder in hopes of reviewing them later. Vector and Silver left the courtroom together. Both were talking to each other in hushed tones, most likely about what they will be doing next. At least I now know why he and Silver feels this is an easy trial. All the evidence points to Sally being Officer Lanyard's murderer! The only shaky thing in their case is their eyewitness. If I can't find some reason to discredit the witness's account, then I'm as good as dead!
New Evidence:
Officer Lanyard's Schedule: A digital report detailing the time the victim worked. He had clocked out about fifteen minutes before his death. Without access to both the Precinct website and the corresponding badge identification number, only Officer Lanyard could have access to it.
Officer Lanyard's Autopsy Report: A report detailing Officer Lanyard's death. He died of a broken neck between 6:30 PM and 7 PM. It was caused from having fallen to the ground head-first. He survived the initial fall but ultimately died from his injuries.
Crime Scene Photo: A picture depicting Officer Lanyard's body and where he was found. His neck is clearly seen bent at an odd angle with one of his hands balled up in a fist. A small glint can be seen coming from it.
Second Crime Scene Photo: A second picture of the crime scene. It shows a broader view of where the body was found. The ledge the victim fell from can be seen in the background. A part of a phone booth can be seen at the right corner with a blue light shining and a cropped sign showing "main-" above it.
Ledge Details: Silver's testimony regarding the ledge Officer Lanyard was pushed from. It has a five-foot railing along the edge meant to prevent one from falling. Barring idiotic stunts, there is no way for someone to fall without being pushed.
Fingerprints: Prints lifted off of Officer Lanyard's shirt. They belong to Sally. They were found on the left upper arm in a grip formation.
Fur: Brown fur found stuck on the front of Officer Lanyard's shirt. They belong to Sally. It serves as proof that she and the victim shared some form of close contact at least prior to the murder.
Pendant: A piece of custom-made jewelry found at the crime scene. It's a gold necklace with a three-dimensional platinum heart. A gem is set on both sides, an emerald on the back and a sapphire on front. Two rubies are also set on the outer left and right edges. Sally's prints are on it. The clasp broke when the victim tugged it off as he fell.
Updated Evidence:
Officer Lanyard's Autopsy Report: He died of a broken neck between 6:30 PM and 7 PM, having fallen to the ground head-first. He survived the initial fall but broke his voice box and was unable to make a noise. Horizontal bruising on his shoulder blades is proof of having been pushed.
New Profiles:
Sally Acorn: A twenty-one-year-old detective who has recently transferred from the Knothole Police Department. She's also an old friend of Sonic from before he moved to Mobius. She is currently being accused in the murder of Scott Lanyard.
Elias Acorn: Sally's twenty-five-year-old brother who has come to visit her during the trial. He is Knothole's proactive mayor and has put the well-being of his little sister before his job. He cares little about whatever political scandal the case might bring about.
Scott Lanyard: A twenty-nine-year-old man who worked for the Mobius Police Department. He is the victim in the current case. He was a well-respected cop and always placed the safety of the people on his beat first.
Vector Crocodile: A twenty-four-year-old prosecutor who's prosecuting the trial. Despite having known and worked with Sonic for a year, he still maintains a sort of friendly rivalry with the defense attorney. Despite that, he always makes it a priority to discover the truth at the top of his list.
Silver Hedgehog: A nineteen-year-old senior detective who holds the title as the youngest to ever hold the position. He always tries to help Sonic with his cases, but his counsel is often limited due to his position as the prosecution's aide. He has taken charge of the initial investigation.
And that's it for this first chapter. For those of you who remember how I did things in the first story, you'll see that I've decided to underline the evidence name this time around. That way, it would be easier for both of us to read and understand. It makes it less cumbersome for you in that it'll be harder to miss what evidence has been presented and where, especially if you want to play along with the mystery and see if you can catch some of the points I'm trying to make. At the same time, I'll try to add a bit of realism to the story; it'll obviously be over or under-inflated to fit my purpose, but they are all mostly related to some real form of the law. The part about the hearsay is true; courts don't generally like it and won't accept it except under special circumstances. Since the witness who made the comment is alive and accessible, Silver's recount of what they told him won't fly in court.
And yes, we're having a couple of new characters that I've failed to mention in the first story. The main reason of that being the case is because I've completely forgotten they existed or never knew in the first place. In the case of Sally and Elias, I've only heard of their names. I've never watched the very first Sonic cartoons, commonly known as Sonic SatAM (Sonic Saturday Mornings), nor have I read any of the comic books. Therefore, I know nothing about their characteristics. As such, I'll most likely have them be portrayed somewhat if not completely out-of-character by accident. So sorry to all of you who are character-behavior purists. Wikipedia doesn't exactly show a lot in terms of their behavior, but I figure that Sally is definitely not one to have a passive attitude and that Elias would fit as a high-ranking official with a somewhat stoic attitude not overshadowed by his caring side.
Now that it's all out of the way, I'll say that you should expect a couple more new characters that failed to make the cut in the last story. And I also now have a firm idea as to what the central plot of this new installment is going to be. It's going to be interesting to properly implicate it, but I'm sure I can do it with a little bit of clever maneuvering. But until we get to that point, I hope you'll enjoy the first installment of this new story and the mysteries it's bound to bring up. And don't worry; both new and familiar faces will be introduced as the story progresses. Please don't forget to leave a review before you leave saying how you thought about the piece so far. Thanks again for reading, and until the next time I update this or any of my other stories on here!