Aprilangel413: Sorry for the delay. I had my softball team and school started. And on top of that I decided to do a little soul searching. I'm still completely lost and see no light in sight. But that is when I do my best writing so let's see how this turns out.
All of the pre-trial stuff has been taken care of already, statements taken, jury's been picked, all offers rejected, and because this has become a high profile case the courtroom is packed.
Judge Samson was a tall and thick man. He wore long black robes but no fluffy white wig. He sat down in his throne-like chair of power and cast his unyielding gaze across the courtroom. He opened a manila folder and after reading it with a speed matching Pietro's he looked at the prosecution and defense tables.
"All of these charges, for that one boy?" The judge asked looking at Duncan suspiciously.
Duncan's attorney, a tall thin man in his mid-fifties, stood up.
"Lee James for the defense. And yes your honor, all of these charges a for my client," Mr. James sat down.
Magneto stood up.
"Eric Lensherr, Charles Xavier, and Raven Darkholme for the prosecution your honor," Lensherr stated then sat down.
(A/N: In court lawyer's are referred to by their last names only.)
"How does your client plea?" Judge Samson asked.
"Not guilty your honor." Mr. James replied.
The judge sighed and turned back to the prosecution.
"The prosecution may proceed," He leaned back in his chair.
Ms. Darkholme stood from her seat and in a brisk walk made her way to the middle of the courtroom.
"Mr. Mathews and his band of football jocks planned a party. They invited every pretty high school girl in town to this party. They spiked the drinks with their own little concoction and intoxicated as many of the girls that they could. But that wasn't enough for him, Mr. Mathews organized a gambling ring and placed bets on how far the intoxicated girls would go with the guys at the party," Darkholme spoke in a clear, crisp, and business like tone.
"Unfortunately bets were won that night, and those who were immediately involved are being punished for their acts. Mr. Mathews was the ringleader of this little three ring circus, and there for must be held responsible for not only his actions but the actions of all those under his control," Darkholme looked around the room one final time and then took her seat again.
Mr. James stood and presented the court with his opening statement. In a nutshell it was about how everyone is innocent until proven guilty, and how one person is not responsible for others actions. Oh and he worked Duncan's name in there a couple times. Mr. James sat down and Lensherr stood.
"For the prosecutions first witness we call Ms. Jean Grey to the stand," Lensherr announced then moved to the side so that Xavier could wheel himself out from behind from the table.
Jean was sworn in with the Bible and then she sat down in the witness's chair. She smoothed out her skirt, took a deep breath, and then looked up at Xavier.
"Miss Grey, what grade are you in?" Xavier asked.
"I'm a senior at Bayville High School," Jean answered.
"You are an A+ student, and captain of the girl's soccer and basketball teams, correct?"
"Yes," Jean couldn't help but smile.
"And how do you know Mr. Matthews?"
"We started dating in the beginning of this year, our relationship recently ended," Jean replied.
"Objection!" Mr. James stood.
"What is it?" Judge Samson asked.
"May we approach?" Mr. James redirected.
"Sure." Samson leaned back in his chair as Mr. James and Xavier approached.
"This witness was dumped by my client, she could have ulterior motives for testifying," Mr. James tried to keep his voice down as he spoke.
"Excuse me," Jean surprised everyone, including herself when she spoke, "but I wasn't dumped by Duncan, I'M the one who left him."
Judge Samson just looked at Jean, shocked. No one had ever interrupted a meeting between him and the councils before. He turned to Jean.
"Do you hold any negative feelings towards Mr. Matthews?" Judge Samson asked.
"Only for his most recent actions," Jean glared at Duncan.
"May I continue to question this witness?" Xavier looked from Judge Samson to Mr. James.
"Continue," Judge Samson waved his hand.
Mr. James sat down and Xavier went back to Jean. He asked her about the Party, and what she knew of the bets placed. She told him what she knew, and what she thought. Then it was time for the cross-examination. Mr. James stood and strutted over to Jean.
"So, Miss Grey, if your knew my client and knew that he was as you said 'a dirt bag' then why did you go to his party?" James asked.
Jean was a silent.
"Miss Grey you have to answer," Judge Samson spoke for the first time in a while.
"I'm… a presence at school. Popular if you want to use that word. My friends were going and I was expected to," Jean said just above a whisper.
"Oh…so just because everyone else was going you had to go too?" Mr. James asked.
"No-sort of. I-"
"Miss Grey isn't on trial here. Mr. Matthews is," Mr. Lensherr stood.
"Relax Mr. James." Judge Samson ordered Mr. James.
"Miss Grey, did you have a drink of the spiked punch?" Mr. James questioned.
"Yes," Jean tried to hold her head up high.
She could hear the murmur that grew at the prosecutions table and the seats behind it.
"So you were intoxicated?" Mr. James smiled.
"Only slightly. I only had a small sip, and I can remember almost everything about that night," Jean added.
"But you admit that you had a drink and that you don't remember everything about that night."
"Objection," Mr. Lensherr stood," he's leading the witness your honor."
"Find a way to rephrase that into a question Mr. James." Judge Samson again ordered the lawyer.
"Do you remember everything that happened that night Miss Grey?" Mr. James asked trying to sound pleasant.
"No-" Jean began.
"I'm done your honor," Mr. James turned and walked back to the defenses table.
"You may step down Miss Grey," Judge Samson said.
Jean stepped down from the witness's stand and walked back to her seat next to Scott. Lensherr gave a court a minute to recover from Jean's testimony and then stood.
"The Prosecution calls Mr. Scott Summers to the stand." He announced.
Scott was sworn in on the Bible and took a seat in the witness's chair and waited for Xavier to begin asking questions. Duncan whispered something to his attorney and Mr. James once again stood.
"Objection your honor," Mr. James declared.
"What to?" Judge Samson asked in a bored tone.
"Mr. Summers and my client are known rivals. This witness's testimony can't be trusted," Mr. James argued.
"Your honor. All of the witnesses attend Bayville High with Mr. Matthews. He is one of the most recognizable faces in this town. They all knew him or knew of him before the party. From where I'm sitting you can either allow us to use our witnesses to inform the jury about the party or just let Mr. Matthews testify," Xavier spoke calmly.
Judge Samson seemed to ponder this for a moment before agreeing to allow Xavier to continue. Xavier returned to his place in front of the witness's stand.
"Mr. Summers you were invited to the party correct?"
"Yes," Scott replied.
"When did you realize that the girls at the party were in real danger?" Xavier asked.
"When I saw the betting board and how drunk the girls were." Scott answered.
"I'd like to bring into evidence exhibit A, the board Mr. Matthews recorded the bets on," As Xavier spoke a police officer rolled out a large white board with lots of girls names with money amounts next to them.
A murmur arose in the room and Judge Samson allowed it to go on for a minute before banging his mallet on his desk. The courtroom immediately fell silent.
"Mr. Summers what do you believe would have happened to your female friends if you and some of the other boys hadn't gotten them out of Mr. Matthews home?" Xavier questioned.
Scott paused for a second, half waiting for an objection and half thinking about his answer. The objection never came; Mr. James didn't want to agitate the Judge too much.
"I think that in their drunken states they would have been singled out and taken advantage of," Scott spoke softer then he'd been previously.
"Thank you Scott," Xavier nodded before Mr. James approached and began the cross-examination.
"Mr. Summers, you heard my client 'brag' about his plans. Why didn't you warn any of these 'female friends' of yours?" Mr. James asked.
"For the same reasons that no one else did-" Scott was cut off by Mr. James.
"So you could keep you popularity status," Mr. James suggested.
"No! I didn't tell because I wanted to keep my life," Scott spat out now angered.
"Explain please," Mr .James's voice was soaked in doubt.
"The entire football team and the majority of the guys in the school were looking forward to this. It was made clear that if you told, then not only would they hate you but physical harm would be done until you or they graduated," Scott took a deep breath and then leaned back into the chair.
"I'm done questioning this witness," Mr. James turned to Judge Samson.
"You may step down Mr. Summers," Judge Samson nodded to Scott.
Scott stepped down and walked back to Jean. He sat down and Jean put her hand in his. Duncan had watched Scott walked off of the stand and became furious when he saw how Jean looked at Summers.
"Bastard," Duncan mumbled.
Aprilangel413: Again sorry for the wait, I really hope that people are still reading this. If you are I'd really like a review.