Hello everyone! This is my entry for the Court Records OC Contest with two of my OCs, Jose and Gamotina Masipag.
Please enjoy!
".." talking
'..' thinking and flashback
Prescription for a Turnabout
December 9 12:00 pm
District Court
Courtroom #6
The chatter of the gallery had died down as the Judge knocked his gavel onto its base. He cleared his throat and spoke. "Now then… This trial is now in session for the trial of Mr. John Smith." He looked up to see the two lawyers adjacent to one another and asked, "Are the prosecution and defense ready?"
Apollo slammed his fists onto the desk and yelled loudly, "The Defense is READY! Your Honour!"
Athena covered her sensitive ears from her senior co-worker's yell and wincingly bemoaned "Geez Apollo! Not so loud, my ears are bleeding!"
"Ah! S-sorry Athena…" Apollo apologized to his junior slightly stuttering in his speech.
"Are you that nervous?" Athena sparsely chuckled , "Its so obvious on how you speak.."
'Gee.. thanks for the psychoanalysis Sailor Moon…' Apollo thought, annoyed that he was probably viewed as a laughing stock by the audience members now, but then sighed and was simply glad the trial had just begun.
Meanwhile, the man behind the prosecutor's bench, hummed a tune to himself and made a beautiful air guitar riff. "Ja, Since Herr Forehead is ready…" Klavier Gavin confidently and flamboyantly stated, "I am too Herr Judge."
Athena admired the former rock star with glistening eyes and near fawningly remarked, "Wow… he's so cool! You're never like that Apollo"
Apollo, chagrined, didn't utter a word and just stared at Athena with obvious annoyance.
The Judge nodded, accepting this abnormal to most courtrooms display as normal in his own and started the proceedings. "Ahem… Now then for the Opening Statement…" He stated while he looked at Klavier, "Prosecutor Gavin, your opening statement if you please…"
"Ja… lets gets the show started," Klavier began snapping his fingers humming the same tune, "Hmm… Everyone in this courtroom has heard of the tragedy that had occurred. About 10 pm in the Courthouse men's bathroom. One of the custodians have discovered a body lying in one of the stalls. The Victim was Mr. Gen Plain. He had attended one of the trials that day. The cause of death was a form of overdose.
The judge was surprised, "O-overdose!"
The audience robustly murmured amongst themselves.
Despite his shocked state, the judge silenced the agitated masses of humanity with his trusty gavel, "Order! Order in the court! I... This is quite a shock!"
Klavier remained calm and seamlessly as if on cue replied, "Of course Herr Judge. We were asked not to make that information public until the trial."
"But..." Apollo had also not been made privy to this information and nervously protested, " But why?"
"Come know Herr Forehead... Its as obvious as that ridiculously huge forehead of yours." Klavier answered, "What would the public think if the dead man in the courtroom was found to have an overdose, hmm? Considering that we have just recovered from recent events that will remain nameless."
Apollo fell silent... as he remembered all of those traumatic memories of recent events and meekly agreed, "... I... guess so..."
"Now then..." Klavier continued showing a folder, "This is the autopsy report of the victim. they have also found an empty vial right next to the body, which played a good role in the cause of death."
The judge nodded, "Very well... the court accepts these as evidence"
Autopsy Report added to the Court Record
Empty Vial added to the Court Record.
"Hmm…" The judge looked at the vial's label. "The label here is partly torn on the top, and it looks like the rest of the text label is blacked out."
"Unfortunately, we were unable to find that part" Klavier said, "The lab boys at the police station have confirmed the name of the drug."
"And what would that be?" The Judge asked wide-eyed with curiosity.
"Quahitowlalol, otherwise known as, Quadroxa."
"Qua-what?" Apollo fumbled trying to pronounce the drug name.
Klavier chuckled, "Haha… Not even close Herr Forehead… Let's just go with Quadroxa, ja?"
"Qu-watholwa..."the judge tried saying it, "did I do it?"
Apollo didn't say anything in stunned silence, and neither did Klavier or Athena or anyone else amongst the on- lookers in the rest of the courtroom.
"What?" the white bearded Judge confusedly stated with his eyes as wide as saucers tilting his head like a pug dog.
"Anyway…" Klaiver said trying to keep his cool, "The prosecution would like to bring the first witness in. The custodian who discovered the body."
The judge knocked his gavel, "Very well… please call in your first witness Mr. Gavin."
"The prosecution would like to call, Mr. Jose Masipag to the stand."
A hush fell over the court as they waited for several moments and yet no one appeared to answer the call.
"Umm…" the judge broke the silence, "So umm Mr. Gavin… where is your witness?"
"I…" Klavier became very annoyed, "that I do not know… Herr Judge…"
Just then a noise was heard from outside the courtroom, "Oops! Excuse me sorry! I'm late! Oh dear… Prosecutor Gavin is not gonna like this… Ah! Sorry again!"
The man whom had stated his apologies finally came through the doors of the courtroom huffing and puffing as he approached the stand.
"Whew… made it…" the man said panting a little. "I'm not late am I?"
Klavier looked at his witness very annoyed at him, "Yes... you are…"
"Aww dear, I'm so sorry Mr. Gavin, sir" the man looked down, "I just can't help it you know…"
"Help what?" the tanned, blonde youth curtly stated.
"Cleaning, sir!" The man suddenly beamed when he said that word, "Cleaning is my passion after all!"
"Cleaning?!" The judge wondered, "Is that why you look like that?"
The man upon the witness stand looked in no way formal, at all. He wore a custodian's uniform that was caked with dirt and mud. His face also was dirty because of the mud, and his hair was a complete mess with little flecks of dirt in it as well. He held a bucket and a mop with him, clutching the bucket like a priest clutches the Holy Scripture. In conclusion, the man was an absolute mess, but obviously very much in earnest about his profession.
"Yes… Your Honour, sir" he laughed, "I heard about a mess in another courtroom and I just couldn't help but jump into action, sir. A bunch of kids welcomed the audience by throwing mud at everyone. It was a mess to clean but I managed to finish it quick though, but I didn't have time to change my attire. Sorry, sir…"
"He says sir quite a lot…" Athena stated half to herself and half to Apollo also observing, "… he doesn't seem to be nervous though."
"Just introduce yourself okay witness?" Klavier firmly stated.
"Yes sir!" the man then placed down his bucket and rested his mop against the stand. He cleared his throat a little and started to speak. "My name is Jose Paolo D. Masipag , sir. I'm a custodian at this lovely courthouse and also at Ivy University… sir."
"Hmm…" the judge said, "Ah I see a humble custodian… and you say you're passionate about cleaning?"
"Yes sir!" Jose smiled, "I've always wanted to be one since I was a little boy in the countryside. It may look lowly, but I take pride in my work! Cleanliness is important after all!"
"True!" The judge said nodded in agreement, "I have never heard it put in such a way or thought of it that way! There is no law of being unable to pursue your passions after all. Even if it is just being a janitor…"
"Custodian, sir!" Jose corrected him, "its custodian."
"Custodian, yes, sorry about that... sir"
'Wow, the judge already got that habit quick' Apollo sweated with chagrin at the near ridiculous sight of a Judge apologizing to a custodian.
"Herr Clean over here," Klavier interrupted, "Will testify about what happened when he had seen the body."
The judge nodded, "Very well. The court will hear Mr. Masipag's testimony."
"Yes sir!" Jose stated in earnest.
Witness Testimony
What I saw during cleaning duty.
"It was about 10 pm sir." Jose began "I was heading to the men's' bathroom to do what I do best, clean!" He stated with a smile. "When, I opened the door, I was a little annoyed because the new guys the company had hired didn't even clean it thoroughly the last time." Jose grabbed his mop, and started mopping the floor as if it were a reflex and continued, "I was going to each stall, knocking first before entering, that's standard procedure, sir. Then, when I went to the last stall next to the window…" Jose continued his cleaning but now more vigorously, "I knocked and no one answered and the door was unlocked, too. I thought no one was there." Jose then showed shock, "Then, when I opened the door there I saw a guy sitting at the toilet! I thought he was passed out at first, so I tried talking to him. Patting his face a little, asking him to wake up. Then his body fell to the side! That's when I realized he was dead!" He continued the same his mopping motion and continued, "After that, I screamed a bit and ran away to call 911!
"Hmm…" The judge said, "That must have been quite a shock indeed."
'Well discovering a dead man will make anyone surprised Your Honour' Apollo thought to himself sarcastically. He then quietly, not wanting to cause anymore disturbance, calmly declared, "Ahem, then I will go ahead with my cross examination…"
Klavier did his air guitar riff routine, showing and smiling proudly for everyone to see, "By all means, let's rock this trial!"
Cross – Examination
Apollo vs. Klavier
What I saw cleaning duty
"It was about 10 pm sir." Jose began
"Hold it!" Apollo interrupted, "Are you sure it was 10 pm?"
"What do you mean sir?" Jose asked, confused.
"I mean…" Apollo continued, "Are you sure it was exactly 10 pm?"
"Well to be honest sir, I am not sure of the exact time" Jose chuckled, "I don't wear watches so I rely on the clocks they have on the courthouse! As far as I know, sir the last time I saw a clock it was around 10 pm."
"I see…" Apollo had nothing else to say after, "So uhh…"
But Klavier interrupted, "Come on now Herr Forehead. To ask such a trivial question." He laughed, "Didn't you read the Autopsy Report?"
The judge then said, "Mr. Justice. May I ask you to stop badgering the witness? It is not healthy for this courtroom!"
Apollo was not looking confident 'Uh-oh… I guess I should have paused to look at the report."
Athena interjected her reply to aid her struggling senior and stated, "According to this report, the victim already was already deceased at approximately 9:33 pm."
"Thanks, Athena…" Apollo sighed with a mixture of gratitude and relief.
"I was heading to the men's' bathroom to do what I do best, cleaning!" He smiled.
"Hold it!" Apollo interrupted, "Is that really what you do best?" He asked, wondering what was wrong with the man.
"Well I can sing and do some cooking," Jose answered. "But like I told you sir, I love cleaning! I love being a custodian!" he sounded very happy as he said those words.
"It is like me" Klavier continued snapping his fingers into a tune "I do love rock-& roll and being a rock star, But prosecuting is what I love to do! Mr. Masipag shows us that we can live our passions, no matter what the consequences are!
Jose couldn't agree more, "that's right!"
Apollo said to himself, 'That is true… I do love being a lawyer…'
The judge chimed his agreement and stated, "And I love being a judge!" and slammed his gavel, "It brings me great joy in life!"
"See!" Jose smiled, "We should all pursue our passions!"
Klavier did his guitar riff, "Rock on baby!"
Athena cheered, "Yes! That's the way it should be!"
The Judge agreed as well, "We would all be happy!"
The audience even agreed as they muttered happily their passions.
Apollo realized the digression from the matter at hand and the lack of relevance to the case and slightly irked stated, "So uhh… let's just continue on with the examination…"
"When I opened the door, I was a little annoyed as the new hired guys didn't even clean it enough the last time." Jose grabbed the mop, and started mopping the floor.
"Hold it!" Apollo interrupted the 3rd time, "What did you mean by that statement Mr. Masipag?"
"Well you know how the newly hired and rookies tend to mess up a lot?" Jose asked
"Y-yeah…" Apollo sweated a little and so did Athena, as the two remembered their first time being the Defense Attorney of a case.
"Sometimes they miss certain parts or even ignore the cleaning!" Jose said angrily as he mopped faster, "I really hate that you know!"
"Hmm…" Apollo then pondered, "Then what did you mean that they didn't clean it enough. Would it have been possible that it wasn't your co-workers that had failed to adequately clean that mess?"
"It's like that which came first question you see…" Jose replied, "We need to keep our place clean, and yet us custodians have to clean up the mess… I guess it's all a big mystery.
"Wow, that's quite deep" Athena said, "It like our job in a way too!"
"Look Athena," Apollo said sounding annoyed, "I'd love to have a deep and meaningful conversation about that, but now is not the time…" Then the turned to the custodian and asked, "Could you please answer my question sir?"
"Oh! Right, sorry sir…" Jose chuckled, trying to cover his mishap, "Well, when I came in, the bathroom was a total mess! There was toilet paper all around and various plastic wrappers were scattered all over the floor! Plus, the faucets weren't closed properly, and there were even some graffiti on the stalls!" Jose scraped the part of the floor with a mop as if he was trying to remove an annoying spot, "It makes me so mad to see people not appreciating a hygienic environment!"
"Wait… Mr. Masipag…" Apollo said, "So the bathroom was a total mess when you came back?"
"Yes sir!" Jose said angrily, "The cleaning staffs are supposed to clean the toilets at regular intervals. It was sparkling clean when I was done. Then to see it a mess again! IT was a total insult to cleanliness!"
Klavier didn't speak a word. He remembered when he was angry like that… with his own bandmates no less. But he kept his silence.
"I'm sorry to hear that, Mr. Masipag." Apollo said in a mournful and sympathetic way, "I guess we should continue."
The judge nodded, "Indeed…"
"I was going at each stall, knocking first before going in. Then when I went to the last stall next to the window…" Jose continued his cleaning, "I knocked and no one answered, the door was unlocked too. So I thought no one was there."
"Hold it!" Apollo interrupted again, "Why were you knocking?"
"Well isn't it obvious sir?" Jose replied, "I don't want to barge in someone is doing their business there after all"
"No respect for privacy, Herr Forehead?" Klavier laughed, "Sounds like you…"
"Mr. Justice!" The judge became agitated and continued, "How dare you barge into a stall when someone is doing their potty! That is inexcusable!"
'Potty? Really your Honour?' Apollo stated with considerable shock and chagrin at the childish nature of the Judge's statement.
"Before we digress anymore, lets continue on shall we?" Klavier said coolly.
'Thanks, for once…' Apollo stated wiping drops of sweat from his brow, causing his antennae –like hair to droop.
Jose then showed shock, "Then there I saw a guy sitting at the toilet! I thought he was passed out at first, so I tried talking to him. Slapping his face a little, asking him to wake up. Then his body fell on the side! That's when I realize he was dead!"
"Hold it!" Apollo interrupted again, "So you thought the victim was just knocked out?"
"Yes, sir" Jose said, "I thought he was just tired or something. I was just shocked that he was actually dead!"
"Hmm…" Apollo didn't seem to find anything else odd in this statement, "Go on then… what did you do next?"
He continued the same reaction, "After that, I screamed and ran away to call 911!"
"Hold it!" Apollo interrupted for the last time, "What happened after that?"
"Well sir…" Jose continued, "When the police arrived, I told them what happened. At first they thought I was the killer!"
"Considering you were the first one to find the body…" Apollo said, "It's not a farfetched reasoning."
"I know but I didn't kill him sir! Honest!" Jose said, "I have an alibi too!"
Klavier then spoke, "That's right… During the time of the murder he was taking his break at the cafeteria, the lovely lunch ladies there told me so."
'Probably screaming your name you ham…' Apollo thought to himself
"One more question for you, Mr. Masipag." Apollo said, "Did you ever see, my client Mr. Smith anywhere? Or even know him?"
Jose then scratched his head causing dirt flecks to fly from his hair and stated, "No, not really…" He shrugged, "I knew many people named Smith, but no, this is the first time I've seen him in person."
"Hmm…" Apollo paused for a moment then spoke again, "At this moment do you consider him as the murderer?"
Jose looked at the defendant.
The client was very plain looking and he didn't have much in the way of special features. However, even with just a glance the custodian knew what to answer, "No sir…" He answered, "I do not think he could kill a fly let alone a man."
Klavier then hummed his favourite tune that he had been humming the whole case and replied, "Hmmm… Thank you for that insightful comment, Herr Clean. The problem is, as you know Herr Forehead, it doesn't justify anything so far."
"What? What do you mean?" Apollo asked expecting the worst.
"I only said this witness was meant to tell us what he saw that day" Klavier flashed his honest yet somehow demeaning smile, "The police have provided me with in depth information about the vial, and other various interesting information."
"What!" Apollo couldn't believe it, "When did this happen?!"
"Well it happened during, Herr Clean's testimony." Klavier said in a matter-of-fact manner, "I have it here right now."
The judge then rapped his gavel and declared, "The court then accepts these as evidence"
Report about the Vial has been placed in the court Record
Autopsy Report is updated in the Court Record
The Judge looked at the report and was greatly surprised, "Oh my… the defendant's fingerprints were found on the vial!"
"Wha-WHAT?!" Apollo yelled out loud, as the audience began talking loudly. "No way…" Apollo felt a great blow was dealt to his case.
Athena was furious, "Grr… Why does this have to happen!?"
"And well Herr Forehead" Klavier said, "You may have cross-examined my witness well, but it still doesn't state anything about the defendant being not guilty."
"Urk…." Apollo was at a loss for words.
"But…" Klavier continued, "It doesn't prove his guilt either. I would like to call my next witness, to further establish the Prosecution's case."
"What?" Apollo was surprised by this. Not because of the new witness, but it was because Klavier wasn't showing off, unlike before. 'He seems to be more humble…'
"Herr Judge?" Klavier looked at the judge
And instinctively the Judge slammed his gavel, "Very well then… Mr. Masipag. Any additional statements before we dismiss you?"
Jose shook his head, "No sir. Actually, sir, I have heard of another mess close by do you mind if I head on there and clean it?"
The judge was surprised but didn't refuse, "Uhh sure… Just please stay within the vicinity of the courthouse!"
"Will do, sir!" The energetic custodian turned away and ran out of the courtroom. "For Great Cleanliness!"
'What a strange man…' The Judge sighed heavily.
Jose's testimony is placed in the Court Record
"Any who…" Klavier broke the silence. "We should call our 2nd witness of the day." He then began his trademark guitar riff, "just like in my touring days like I always used to say the opening act is done now it's time for the headliner..." He then smiled.
'Uh-oh' Apollo thought to himself, 'I have a bad feeling about this…'
The judge nodded, as always, "Very well, Mr. Gavin, please call your 2nd witness to the stand."
Klavier then smiled, "The prosecution would like to ask Ms. Gamotina Masipag to take the stand."
A chubby woman stood in front of them, she was taller than Jose. Her hair was tightly tied into a bun. She wore a purple floral pattern blouse and black pants. The only thing that really stood out from her was her lab coat. It looked more like various paints have splashed into it. She looked more professional looking, except with that coat.
"Now then…." Klavier continued, "Please state your name and occupation madam?"
The woman smiled at them as she stated "My name is Maria Gamotina B. Masipag. I am a pharmacist at the pharmacy closest to this Courthouse. Also the dear wife of that lovely custodian you've just met."
"Ah!" The judge was surprised, "So you two are married. You two make quite a lovely couple if I may add."
That made Gamotina blush a bit, "Oh my, thank you Your Honour; but that reminds me…" She looked at her notepad that she took from one of the pockets of her coat, "Have you been taking you medications regularly Your Honour?"
The judge nodded, "Why of course, thank you for keeping me on track for that."
"If you want Your Honour," Gamotina continued, "We could arrange your meds to a dossette, so you won't have the trouble of losing them or forgetting a dose."
Hearing that made the bald man very happy, "Really?! That would be a great help!" He replied.
"Ahem" Apollo interrupted, "If I may interrupt, why would a pharmacist be a witness to this case?
"Isn't it even more obvious Herr Forehead?" Klavier said, "Mrs. Masipag you see has been an expert witness to various cases in the past. She is quite well known and revered as a great source concerning medications and its effects on the body, as well their side effects as well. She is here to testify about the empty vial and to whom it might belong."
"Oh…"
"So now…" Klavier snapped his fingers, "Mrs. Masipag, could you please tell the court about Qudroxa before we begin your testimony?"
"Why sure!" Gamotina became excited, "Qudroxa also known as Quahitowlalol, is a special receptor blocker that is indicated solely for neuropathic pain. It comes in both an oral tablet and an injectable form. It doesn't work quickly as a tablet though, and an overdose has been proven to be fatal as it can depress the chest muscles, making them unable to breathe."
"The updated Autopsy report states that the victim had dangerously large amounts of said drug into the system." Klavier added, "It is assumed that the victim was forced to ingest that amount of the drug thus killing him."
"Objection!" Apollo cried out slamming his fists in the table, "We can't just assume the victim was forced to ingest it. It could have been that he did it on his own!"
"Objection!" Klavier said in response, "Herr Forehead, what you've said is not impossible, but remember what the custodian said?"
"What?" Apollo was surprised but tried to remember.
"Oh! Right, sorry sir…" Jose chuckled, trying to cover his mishap, "Well, when I came in, the bathroom was a total mess! There were toilet papers all around and various plastic wrappers were scattered all over the floor! Plus the faucets weren't closed properly, and there were some graffiti in the stalls!" Jose scraped the part of the floor with a mop as if he was trying to remove an annoying spot, "It makes me so mad to see people not appreciating a hygienic environment!"
"When you think about it, making that huge of a mess couldn't be just a "rookie mistake" from newly hired custodians." Klavier pointed out. "The Autopsy Report also stated that the victim struggled before he died. It's highly likely that the victim fought the killer and lost, resulting in his death."
"Uhh…" Apollo tried to say something but it didn't work. 'Rats… foiled again…'
Athena tried to motivate Apollo, "Come on Apollo! This isn't over yet!"
"I know Athena it's just…" Apollo can't think of anything 'What am I going to do?' He looked down at the pile of evidence at his bench and he glanced at the Autopsy Report again, he saw the picture of the dead body, then it hit him…
'Mr. Masipag said that he found the victim lying in the toilet stall like that… and yet he said.. .'
"When I came in, the bathroom was a total mess! There were toilet papers all around and various plastic wrappers were scattered all over the floor! Plus the faucets weren't closed properly, and there were some graffiti in the stalls!"
"When you think about it, making that huge of a mess couldn't be just a "rookie mistake" from newly hired custodians."
'Then why is the body… that's it! I get it now!'
Apollo then slammed his fists at the table, "Wait! Hold on a second! Prosecutor Gavin, I have a question for you,"
Klavier was surprised to see the defense smile, "What is it Herr Forehead?"
"You said that the mess found in the bathroom couldn't be made by a rookie. So, I'll tell you who did it!"
"What?" Klavier sweated, "Herr Forehead, the only man who could do that is the defendant. Not only did he not have an alibi, he was also last seen being with the victim."
"No…" Apollo said firmly, "It's not him. And I can prove it!"
"What?!" Klavier said again in shock.
Athena was surprised too, "You can?!"
'Thanks for the vote of confidence Athena…' Apollo said to himself but continued to make his point, "I'll tell you. This is the man that made the mess in the bathroom…" He showed the autopsy report in front of everyone, "Take that!"
A very irked Klavier replied very curtly, "Wh-what is the meaning of this Herr Forehead!"
The Judge was surprised, "Are you saying the victim purposely made this mess? But for what cause?"
"That I don't know yet Your Honour," Apollo stated, "But he had then used a vial" he showed the vial to everyone, "and probably planted it and…"
Just then someone had yelled out, "Hold it!"
"What?" Apollo was surprised
Klavier couldn't utter anything from the shock as well
The judge's eyes widened even more, "What is it… Mrs. Masipag?"
The woman, whom probably everyone had forgotten had everyone's attention and started to speak up, "Where…"
"Pardon?" Apollo asked.
"Where did you get that, Mr. Lawyer?" Gamotina became incredibly worried, "That vial… that's from my pharmacy?"
"Your what?!" Apollo and Athena recoiled ab it from the shock and so did Klavier.
"Witness" Klavier sweated, "Why didn't you tell me this before?"
Gamotina replied, "Because I was only called in as an expert witness, I didn't know that the vial he had was from my pharmacy!"
The judge then said, "This… this is quite an interesting development…"
Using this as a chance, Apollo acted quickly, slamming his fists into the desk again, "You-your Honour! We should have Mrs. Masipag testify about this vial. This could cause further developments in our case and uncover the truth."
"I-indeed" The judge agreed knocking his gavel, "Mrs. Masipag, could you please testify to the court about this vial?"
"Of course your honour!" Gamotina accepted her new task.
Witness Testimony
The Vial
"That vial was one of the many things that were stolen in my pharmacy about a few weeks ago." Gamotina began; "I was alone doing a night shift you see…" she began and looked at her notepad, "I was filling a Qudroxa prescription for a patient of mine. When I was done and just needed to place it in a bag. Then, I saw a man wearing a hoodie approach the counter and greeted him, I asked what he needed and he pointed a gun at me!" She shivered, hugging herself, "I was scared stiff, but he asked me if he could get into our narcotic safe, I let him get what he needed. "When he was done, he took the vial I had done, and ran away…"
"He threatened you with a gun?" The judge was surprised, "that must have been frightening."
"Yes it was…" Gamotina said looking like she was about to cry, "I kept thinking of my dear husband, on what would happen if I died; but I was so glad he didn't have to find out."
"Indeed," The judge nodded, "On behalf of everyone in the court, I apologize madam for having you relieve that moment, "
"It's okay…" Gamotina smiled in, but her fear and sadness were still apparent.
Athena looked at her worriedly, but refrained from speaking.
Apollo then began, "I'll begin the cross-examination!" He stated and thought to himself, 'Somewhere in this testimony could be a key to proving Mr. Smith's innocence. This is the only chance I'll have. Here comes Justice!'
Cross Examination
Apollo vs. Klavier
The Vial
"That vial was one of the many things that were stolen in my pharmacy about a few weeks ago." Gamotina began;
"Hold it!" Apollo began, "How much was stolen from your pharmacy, Mrs. Masipag?"
Gamotina looked at her notepad in deep thought, "Hmmm… I don't remember the exact number off the top of my head, but most of our stock of narcotics has been stolen, plus that vial."
"So the robber's goal was just to steal narcotics?" Apollo wondered, "I'd assume they would steal money too…
"Well you see, Mr. Lawyer" Gamotina replied, "Stealing money wasn't much of a problem in pharmacies, since most of our profit is from insurance claims. Narcotics are also sold on the streets, making them a higher value than even the manufacture's suggested retail price and profit margins ."
"I see…" Apollo thought to himself, 'I never knew that… I guess you learn something new every day…'
"I didn't know that…" Athena stated a bit baffled.
"There have been incidents though where people have stolen cheese from us?" Gamotina added
'Who the heck steals cheese?' Apollo thought to himself…
"I was alone doing a night shift you see…" she began while looking at her notepad, "I was filling a Qudroxa prescription for a patient of mine.
"Hold it!" Apollo interrupted, "Were you the only one there?"
"Yes Mr. Lawyer" Gamotina replied, she sounded a little annoyed, "The technician that worked with me had left about a couple of hours ago, as we close at midnight."
"Were you busy at that time of night?" Apollo then asked her,
"Not at all actually" Gamotina said, "There were a few people that came in for their prescriptions, but other than that, it was quite silent"
The judge then slammed his gavel, "Mr. Justice, is this questioning relevant to the case at hand?"
Apollo paused for a bit to think and realized it, "No… Not really, sorry Your Honour"
Klavier chuckled a bit, and so did Athena.
"When I was done and just needed to place it in a bag. Then I saw a man wearing a hoodie approach the counter and greeted him, I asked what he needed, he suddenly pointed a gun at me!" She shivered, hugging herself,
"Hold it!" Apollo interrupted, "Did you recognize the man?"
"Actually no…" Gamotina replied and shuddered during her reply of, "Not only was he wearing a hoodie, his hood was on and had a muffler wrapped around his face. I could only see his eyes…"
"Then how did you know it was a man?" Apollo asked her.
"Well it was from the tone of his voice." Gamotina looked up to try to remember the events, "the muffler hid a bit of it but I could tell he was man. But that's all"
Now the judge then asked Apollo, "Now, Mr. Justice is this information relevant?"
'Hmm… I guess it could be yeah…' Apollo answered the judge, "Yes Your Honour it is."
The judge then knocked his gavel, "Very well, Mrs. Masipag, please append your testimony.
"Will do!" Gamotina smiled.
"When I was done and just needed to place it in a bag. Then I saw a man wearing a hoodie and a muffler wrapped around his face approach the counter and greeted him, I figured out he was a man from the sound of his voice you see…"
"Hold it!" Apollo interrupted, "Didn't the man look suspicious at all to you? He was wearing that outfit"
"Yes he was Mr. Lawyer!" Gamotina admitted, "But you know it was quite cold last night so I thought he was just in a hurry… The pharmacy was about to close after all."
"Then… what happened next?" Apollo asked her,
"Oh my... it was so scary..." Gamotina shook with fright.
"I asked what he needed, and then he suddenly pointed a gun at me!" She shivered, hugging herself, "I was scared stiff, but he asked me if he could get into our narcotic safe, in which I let him in and get what he needed. When he was done, he took the vial I had done, and ran away…"
"Hold it!" Apollo interrupted again. "Could you tell the court what the man stole?"
"Well…" Gamotina looked at her notepad again nervously then recanted, "He mostly stole the strong pain killers, some stimulants, and muscle relaxants."
"Hmm…" Apollo asked again, "Do you have any documents of the incident?"
"Yes I did!" Gamotina replied, "The day after the incident, we did a cycle count of the narcotics. We documented the results and gave it to the police; but that was it so far… We also did have video footage of the robbery, but they didn't manage to figure out who who it." She sighed in sadness, "Those narcotics… I wonder how many people has it hurt already…" She said to herself.
"Then Mrs. Masipag," Apollo continued his questioning, "Can you tell me how long did the robbery take?"
"Ummm…" Gamotina took a bit to remember, "Now that you mentioned it… he was pretty fast… Took him about five minutes, to threaten me, steal the narcotics and, run off.
"That sounds like the robbery was planned…" Apollo said, "But something still bothers me… Mrs. Masipag?"
"Yes?"She replied quickly, eager to end the seemingly endless questioning.
"Could you tell me to whom does this prescription belong to originally?" the scarlet clad defense attorney pressed for information.
"Hmm…." Gamotina thought about it, "Trying to remember….."
Then she stopped… "That's… that's not possible…" She grabbed her notepad to check if her suspicions were correct, "My God! I can't believe it!"
"What?" Apollo inquired with worry and urgency, "What is it?"
"I remember who it belongs to…" Gamotina said, "That vial… It belongs to the victim himself!"
"Wha—WHAT?!" Klavier doubled over in shock. He clenched his fists tightly and began sweating profusely, "Are you sure about that Mrs. Masipag? Are you sure that the owner of that vial was the victim himself?!"
"Yes I do!" Gamotina was confident about it, "You can check the records in my pharmacy! That's why he took the vial; he saw his name and snatched it as he left!"
"So does this mean, Mr. Justice's claims were true?" The judge seemed pretty shocked himself. "The victim did kill himself by overdosing?"
Apollo and Athena on the other hand were shocked as well but in a totally different reason.
'Huh? We're actually winning this one?' Apollo thought to himself... he knocked on the wooden desk slightly, hoping it would come true this time.
Klavier sweated, "Looks like… the game is over herr forehead… I lose."
The audience chattered at the concession of the prosecution and it took the court quite to settle the uproar.
When it had settled down, the defendant was summoned onto the witness stand and the judge spoke, "Ahem well… looks like we had an interesting development in this trial today." He looked at the defendant, "I am sorry Mr. Smith for your involvement in this mess, but it was necessary for the course of the law to be run to its fullest in order to obtain the truth."
John Smith looked at the judge and uttered not a word...
Klavier managed to do one more air guitar riff, "That was quite a show Herr Forehead. I have missed that…"
"Uhh… thanks" Apollo said.
"Now then, since everything has been cleared, I can finally announce my verdict. " at that time the judge was about to knock his gavel upon its base when someone cried out again,
"Objection!"
This shocked everyone and the judge who stopped midway, "Wha-what is it now? Defendant?!"
John took a deep breath and started speaking, "I… I have a confession to make…"
'No… no way…' Apollo now dreaded the worst…
"This is not about the murder…" John continued, "It's about Gen."
"Why?" The judge asked
"Gen and I…" John began "We knew each other since we were little, and we got into a lot of trouble in the past… When I met my wife, I started to change for her sake. Gen on the other hand, kept getting into more trouble as we got older. That day when he was killed… he was watching the trial of a man that we used to hang out with a lot. He was arrested for drug trafficking. I talked to Gen after the trial, and that's when he told me he had stolen drugs from a pharmacy. He tried to offer me that vial, but I refused knowing that it would lead me into troubled path… He got angry and stormed off. That was the last time I saw him. My fingerprints might have been on that vial because I had touched it and given it back to him. It looked like Gen had intended to make himself look like I killed him so that he could have revenge, I'm just sad it had to end this way…."
John fell silent and so did the whole courtroom, until the silence was broken by crimson clad defender of the people.
'Mr. Smith…' Apollo stated with hesitation and remorse.
"I may be free from this trial" he began again. "But..."
"That's enough!" Athena yelled as she slammed her hands to the desk, "You didn't do anything wrong!"
"Yes… she's right…." Apollo continued, "The fact you have changed, means you wanted to keep living an honest life in this world. Your former friend should never have wasted his life in an act of petty vengeance!
"M-Mr. Justice… Ms. Cykes…"
"Ja, they are correct," Klavier chimed in his two cents, "Just because someone you were close to is now gone, won't make it the end. In fact… this is a new chapter for you and your family. Am I right?"
Gamotina said added, "Keep moving forward, there's always something good that will happen sooner or later…"
The Judge nodded, "Indeed, just look at the law for example. We had faced a terrible crisis and had what was known as the Dark Age of the Law. It has taken quite a number of years, but in the end, within the rubble of the system, the truth managed to come to light and had restored our faith in our system restored. It will be the same for you Mr. Smith…"
John couldn't help but tear up at the kind words and sentiments that had been given to him… "Yeah… you're all right… I will try my best to go on."
"Very well then!" The Judge stated happily. Now that has settled, I shall now deliver my verdict!"
He knocked his gavel upon his stand one last time, "The court finds Mr. John Smith."
NOT GUILTY
Everyone cheered as a man became free once again…
"The court is now adjourned!"
December 7, 1:02 pm
District Court
Defendant's Lobby #9
Athena started to sob tears of joy, "Sniffle… that was such a happy ending, don't you think so Apollo?"
"Yeah it was…" Apollo agreed, 'for once…'
Klavier had joined the duo, "That was rockin' Herr Forehead really. It was quite fun…"
Just then they were interrupted by Jose and Gamotina holding hands, "Thank you so much for finding the truth Mr. Lawyer!" Gamotina smiled.
"That was astounding, sir really!" Jose continued. "But we should get going, we need a good rest and good food for tonight"
Gamotina chuckled then said, "Well dear it looks like things were a clean sweep weren't they?"
Jose laughed at that joke then replied, "No dear… I think it was more a prescription for a trial"
The couple then laughed at each other and walked away.
Apollo on the other hand sweated in annoyance, "Those two really do work well together…"
Athena meanwhile felt their love, "Awww that was so sweet of them. Hey Apollo, how come we can't have banter like that I wanna try!"
Apollo then looked at his junior and said, "Athena, with every fibre of my being… There is one thing I can only say…
OBJECTION!
And there you have it everyone! Please enjoy, and please review as well... This is my entry for the OC Contest... I hope you all like it.
*bows* thank you very much! I would also like to thank, Nep who helped me edit this along the way.
Please note: The drug mentioned in this case is not real. I just made it up along with the help of a drug name generator: Thank you Pharmacy studies!
Profiles
Apollo Justice – Age: 23 Gender: Male
It's me. I'm a defense attorney... That's basically all I can say.
Athena Cykes – Age: 19 Gender: Female
My co-worker and my junior. She has very good hering which helps in in the court room somtiems. She's a good friend but quite transparent with her feelings.
John Smith – Age: 36 Gender: Male
A very plain man who became my client. He is quite plain in many ways. Unbeknownst to others he had a dark past…
Klaiver Gavin – Age: 25 Gender: Male
The rockin' ex-rockstar prosecutor. We've faced each other in a couple of trials before, but he always seems to find a way to make fun of my forehead…
Gen Plain – Age: 36 Gender: Male
The victim of this case. Outside he was a plain man, inside he was known to cause trouble. He and John used to be best friends.
Jose Masipag – Age: 49 Gender: Male
One of the custodians in the Courthouse. He was the one who discovered the body. Very passionate about his job which his unusual if you ask me.
Gamotina Masipag – Age : 38 Gender: Female
A pharmacist, Jose's wife, and an expert witness frequently called to testify to trials about medications.
Evidence
Badge –Type: Other
My Defense Attorney's Badge… Never leave home without it!
Autopsy Report (Before updated) –Type: Reports
Submitted as evidence by Klavier Gavin. The time of death was around 9:33 pm. Death was apparently caused by drug overdose. Check for details…
(Victim: Gen Plain.
Estimated time of death: December 8 at 9:33pm
Cause of death: Overdose from a medication.)
Autopsy Report (Updated) –Type: Reports
Submitted as evidence by Klavier Gavin. The time of death was around 9:33 pm. Death was caused by drug overdose. Added with the picture of the body. Check for details…
(Victim: Gen Plain.
Estimated time of death: December 8 at 9:33pm
Cause of death: Overdose from a medication.)
Empty Vial – Type: Other
Submitted as Evidence by Klavier Gavin. Found at the crime scene. It contained a hard to pronounce drug called Quadroxa. Part of the label is torn off and the rest were blacked out. It was stolen at Mrs. Masipag's Pharmacy a couple of weeks ago.
Report about the Vial – Type: Reports
An up to date report about the empty vial that was found in the crime scene. Check for Details…
(The vial is used to store medicines for a patient.
It contains residue of a drug called Quadroxa
It is found to have Mr. John Smith's fingerprints on it
The label is torn on the top and inked with a permanent marker)
Jose's Testimony – Type: Other
A copy of Jose's statement. Check for details