Hello, all you Ace Attorneys! This is the first case of my new Ace Attorney story. After setting up his new office in Toon City, Phoenix Wright must defend a curious girl from a falsified conviction. Will he be able to get her a not guilty verdict before it's off with her head?
Early in the evening in the Wonderland Gardens, located a few miles southwest of central Toon City, a green lizard named Bill is lying prone on the ground, a puddle of blood seen littering the grass. Some heavy breathing is heard. The Queen of Hearts is seen holding a bloody croquet mallet.
"Okay, don't panic…" The Queen breathed. "Just… Just think of someone to pin this on quick."
"Your Majesty!" A 9 of Hearts approached her. She turns to face him.
"What is it?" She asks.
"Alice Kingsleigh is approaching the gardens. She's heading to the south entrance," He reported. "Would you like us to apprehend her?"
The Queen of Hearts thought for a good minute until she thought of something. "No. I have a better idea…"
March 7, 9:46 AM
District Court – Defendant Lobby No. 2
Sitting in a couch in the lobby is none other than the famous Defense Attorney Phoenix Wright, waiting for today's trial to start. Despite a lack of sleep, he felt relieved that he received a client just as he got settled in. 'Oh, man… It's only been two days since I opened a Wright & Co. Law Office here in Toon City and already, something's up…! I knew I might have to take some cases when I settled into my new office, but I never imagined I would take one the moment I arrived here!'
"Hey, Boss!" A young female voice called out. Phoenix sat up when he heard his name being called as he sees fellow Defense Attorneys Apollo Justice and Athena Cykes approach him. "We just came here to watch the trial."
"Hey, Athena, Apollo," Phoenix greeted with a quiet sigh. "Can you believe that today I have to take a case after settling in Toon City the other day?"
"Hey, don't let that get to you. I'm sure you'll do great in there!" Apollo reassured. "I mean, who knows? Maybe you'll get through this in one day."
"Anyway, who's your client?" Athena asked.
"Well… the papers say a girl named Alice Kingsleigh was the prime suspect," Phoenix explained.
"Alice Kingsleigh… Where have I heard that name before?" Athena thought.
"To be honest, that bugged me too. But with a name like Alice, she must be such a nice girl," Apollo commented.
And as if on cue, the lobby doors open, revealing a girl with thick, blonde hair that reaches down to just below her shoulders held back by a black ribbon tied in a bow, rosy cheeks, and pink lips. Her signature look is a cerulean blue knee-length dress with a white pinafore apron on top, a white petticoat underneath, white stockings, white knee-length pantalettes, and black strapped Mary Jane shoes.
"Oh, here she comes now," Phoenix said. He approached the young girl. "Good morning, miss."
The young girl did not reply. "Um… My name is Phoenix Wright. I'm… your lawyer…"
No reply. 'This must be one shy girl…'
"I wonder if she could even speak to us." Athena assumed. It came true when the girl softly spoke.
"Um…H-Hello…" She began to speak softly.
"Well, I'll be! She can speak." Apollo gasped.
"I take it you're Alice Kingsleigh, right?" Athena asked.
"Y-Yes…" Alice replied shyly.
"She must be really shy. It almost feels like she wants to be found guilty," Apollo commented.
"That's not true!" Alice retorted. "I would never harm a fly, much less kill someone!"
"Hey! I'm sorry!" Apollo apologized.
"Give him some slack, Alice. He didn't mean what he said." Phoenix told his client. "And I believe you. I'll do anything to get your acquittal."
"You mean it, Mr. Wright?!" Alice asked.
"I'll do whatever it takes, Alice. Trust me." Phoenix said. 'My name is Phoenix Wright, and I am a defense attorney. My first case in Toon City is defending a curious little girl named Alice. That's quite a start. No matter what happens, I am willing to get her the 'not guilty' verdict!'
March 7, 10:00 AM
District Court – Courtroom No. 2
Day 1
Court Is Now In Session
All Rise
The people in the gallery quickly filled the room with clamor, which was quickly silenced by the sound of a familiar Judge's gavel. The prosecutor, Winston Payne stood on one side while Phoenix and Athena stood on the other. Apollo can be seen in the gallery. "Court is now in session for the trial of Miss Alice Kingsleigh."
"The prosecution is ready, Your Honor," Mr. Payne responds.
"The defense is ready, Your Honor," Phoenix said.
Payne then eyed Phoenix at the Defense bench. "Long time no see, Mr. Wright." Payne greeted.
"Likewise, Mr. Payne. It's been what, eight years since our last showdown in court?" Phoenix asked.
"I believe so. And I heard the news that you embarrassed my younger brother in Khura'in." Payne said.
"Once a Payne, always a Payne," Athena commented.
"Regardless, I'll redeem the Payne name by defeating you once and for all." Payne bragged.
'He does know that the one time he did beat me was false, right?'
The Judge bangs his gavel. "If you're done with your trip down Memory Lane, I'd like to get this trial started. Now then, if you would, Mr. Payne, your opening statement."
"Of course, Your Honor," Payne said. "The victim is a lizard who went by the name Bill Bolson. He was an experienced chimney sweeper. His young life was stolen from him thanks to a single strike to the head with a croquet mallet. It is believed that the defendant struck and killed him in a state of panic during a croquet game he was attending. I have here the deadly mallet with the defendant's fingerprints on the handle, as well as a photo of the crime scene."
"Very good. The court will accept these into evidence." The Judge said.
Croquet Mallet added to Court Record
Crime Photo added to Court Record
"Now, if the prosecution may call its first witness, we will get this trial underway."
"The prosecution calls the defendant, Alice Kingsleigh, to the stand." Alice walks up to the stand with a face full of shyness. "Miss Kingsleigh, is it true that you were with the victim playing croquet?"
"Um… Y-Yes… that's correct." Alice replies shyly.
"But Bill soon noticed that you were cheating?"
"What?! Me, cheat? I would never do such a thing! And I did not kill him! Honest!" Alice said.
"Oh, you say you didn't kill him, did you?" Prosecutor Payne asks. "Then perhaps you won't mind telling us how your prints got on the weapon?"
Alice then pondered for a moment. "Well… I just had a croquet lesson that afternoon at the gardens." Alice answered.
"So you admit being at the gardens before the murder?" The Judge asked.
"Y-Yes…" Alice said nervously. "But a few hours later, I was called back there for a private lesson."
"A private lesson, you say?"
"Yes. My instructor thought I was falling behind on my croquet."
"You were…falling behind on your croquet?" Phoenix asked.
"Yes. I've only been in the class for about two months. I feel like I wasn't very good at it." Alice responds. "I must've dropped my croquet mallet when I saw the body."
"I see. Miss Kingsleigh, you may begin your testimony." The Judge asked. "Please tell the court about your lesson before the murder."
Witness Testimony
-A Lesson at the Gardens-
I come to the Gardens every Thursday to brush up on my croquet.
On the day of the murder, I was told to meet back there at 7:30 PM
When I arrived at the garden, however, I saw blood on the stone walkway.
That's when I found Bill lying near the south entrance, dead!
What happened after that, well…I can't say that I remember.
"You don't remember what happened after you saw the body?" The Judge asked.
"N-No… I must've fainted from shock when I saw Bill's body." Alice admitted.
OBJECTION!
"Your Honor, the defendant is lying." Prosecutor Payne said.
"Me, lie?!" Alice interjected.
"Yes, you say you blacked out when you saw the corpse, but I believe you were responsible for that poor chimney sweeper's death." Mr. Payne said.
OBJECTION!
"If anyone's lying, it's you, prosecutor!" Phoenix spoke as he slammed his hands on the counter. "While it is true my client found the body, a girl of her size and physique does not have the arm strength to perform such an act of violence!"
"Do you believe someone else committed this crime?" The Judge asked.
"I'll prove it once I've cross-examined the defendant," Phoenix said.
"Very well. The defense will begin their cross-examination." The Judge said.
"Boss, this is your first trial in Toon City. Do you remember how a cross-examination works?" Athena asked.
'Hmm…I remember how the process goes, but should I get a refresher?' Phoenix thought in his head.
-Yes-
No
'I might as well. This is my first case here.' Phoenix thought and then asked his co-counsel. "Athena, do you think you could give me a refresher? I didn't have the time to practice."
"Sure, Boss." Athena agreed. "First things first, we listen to the witness's testimony. Then we compare the evidence in the Court Record against the statements given in the testimony, carefully searching for inconsistencies."
"Inconsistencies? So the defendant could be lying?" Phoenix asked.
"Yes. And once you find the inconsistency, you present the evidence in the Court Record that conflicts that inconsistency!" Athena explained.
"And if nothing comes up in that testimony?"
"In that case, you just have to press the witness for more information. Pressing the statement may reveal new information or even a new statement. That's the way of a cross-examination!"
"Thanks, Athena. I knew I chose the right person to take under my wing." Phoenix thanked. "To be honest, my mind practically blanked when I heard that testimony."
Cross-Examination
-A Lesson in the Gardens-
I come to the Gardens every Thursday to brush up on my croquet.
On the day of the murder, I was told to meet back there at 7:30 PM
When I arrived at the garden, however, I saw blood on the stone walkway.
OBJECTION!
'Why, Alice…? Why would you lie to me…?' Phoenix's thoughts echo in his head. "You said you saw Bill's blood on the stone walkway, right?"
"Y-Yes… I always come into the gardens through the stone walkway in the south garden." Alice replies.
"Well, you should take a look at the photo of the crime scene," Phoenix said, presenting the crime photo. The image shows a lifeless Bill in the grass, blood is seen on the back of his head, yet none is on the path or the surrounding grass. "Do you see blood anywhere on the pathway? I think not!"
Alice recoiled in shock. "W-What…?"
"Are you saying that there was no blood at the scene?" The Judge asks.
"From the state of the crime scene, the only blood that was visible was on the body," Phoenix explains. "Alice, do you think you saw something else that was red that you mistook for Bill's blood?"
"Um… well…" She pondered before remembering what it was. "Oh, that's right! I think that was paint!"
"So someone spilled red paint near the south entrance when you arrived at the crime scene?" Payne questioned.
"It was a bit dark to see what color the paint was, but yes," Alice nods. "That was surely red paint."
"Your Honor, I have here the can where the paint spilled from," Prosecutor Payne revealed an empty paint can with dried red paint on it.
"So that's the paint can that spilled it. The court accepts this paint can into the Court Record." The Judge nods.
Can of Paint added to Court Record
"Before I continue, I have another question for Miss Kingsleigh," Payne spoke up.
"Y-Yes?" Alice asked.
"You said you found the body near the south garden, right?"
"Y-Yes! That's exactly where I found the body." Alice responds.
"That's funny because the police found bloodstains in a patch of grass in the north garden," Payne told her.
"What?!"
"And it's not just the decisive evidence, but we also have a decisive witness who saw you commit the heinous deed."
"T-They did?"
"Yes, and it was really brave of her to report this to the police," Payne said.
"So she did," Phoenix said.
"And you mind telling us who this witness is?" The Judge requested.
"Better. I'll call her down here to the stand right this second."
'A body in the south garden with bloodstains in the north garden and a witness that has seen the act. This is going to be harder than I thought.' Phoenix's thoughts echo in his head.
To be continued…
Do you like what you see so far? Well, this is just part 1. Stay tuned for part 2. Excelsior!