Turnabout Band Camp Chapter 7: Curly Hair and Twisted Lies, a phoenix wright: ace attorney fanfic

July 29, 7:29 P.M. District Court, Courtroom No. 4

The judge sighed, "Mr. Helado, are there any students in particular that you would like to call to the stand?"

The prosecutor replied, "Sí. One student out of the 74 in the marching band seems to want to testify eagerly. She claims that she can prove the defendant's guilt immediately."

The judge asked, "Are you sure, Mr. Helado? I mean, witness's claims aren't always true, you know."

Helado scoffed, "Your Honor, I affirm the witness's decision to testify. Bailiff! Please bring Olivia Mazak to the stand!"

Maya whispered, "Olivia Mazak? What is she thinking? She doesn't believe Bethany is innocent?"

Phoenix answered, "No. She even states she has 'incriminating evidence' to prove her guilt! I'll really have to Cross-Examine her well. But why would she doubt her band director, even when she is a section leader?"

By the time Phoenix was debating with himself about what to do, Mazak had already taken the witness stand. She smiled at Phoenix, her dark brown wavy hair reflecting most of the incandescent lighting from above, making her hair look radiant and made it hard to look at her straight without squinting.

Helado was unfazed by the glare. All he seemed to care about was that he had a witness.

He asked, "Ms. Mazak, I have heard that you have evidence that could prove Ms. Andrews' involvement in the crime." Mazak giggled, "Well, yes. Now, could I please give my testimony, Mr. Helado?"

The prosecutor replied, "Yes. Please, if you will, tell us what you saw on the day of the murder."

"It was around 8:15 that morning, and I was out on the football field chatting with some members of my section. Suddenly, Casey Bullard ran out of the school through the doors. He screamed, 'I found Reggie in the bathroom unconscious!' I immediately called 9-1-1, but when they arrived, it was too late. Reggie was already dead, and his heart had stopped."

The judge sighed, "It sounds plausible that you called 9-1-1 out of shock and not out of heroics, am I correct?"

Helado grunted, "Your Honor, the phone transcript of Ms. Mazak's 9-1-1 call shows that she was indeed on the line with the dispatcher."

The judge continued, "Mr. Wright, you may being your Cross-Examination." The attorney replied, "Yes, Your Honor."

Phoenix yelled, "Hold it!"

"What do you mean by 'too late'?"

Mazak explained, "His heart had already stopped beating. Likely, he was killed instantly when the bullets entered his skull. We won't know for sure how he died, but..."

"Reggie was already dead, and his heart had stopped."

Phoenix screamed, "Objection!"

"Ms. Mazak, you stated that the victim was dead when the paramedics arrived on the scene. Do you continue to assert your claim?"

"Yeah, I do! Was he alive?"

The defense lawyer slammed his hands down on the counsel bench. "Actually, you had it all wrong. Your testimony contradicts the autopsy report. It shows that Mr. Simmons died at around 11:00 A.M. There is no way that the paramedics could have declared a living person 'dead on the scene'!"

Helado interrupted, "¡Objeción!"

"Your Honor, the paramedics made an error! They declared Mr. Simmons dead erroneously!"

The judge shook his head and muttered, "Objection overruled. I am sure that the paramedics did all they could and he was indeed alive when they arrived on scene. As for you, Ms. Mazak... could you please give your testimony again?"

Mazak took a slight pause and said, "I was out on the field when the paramedics arrived. Within minutes, they had Reggie on a stretcher and were taking him out of the school. They told us that a helicopter was going to to land in the football field so they could take him out to a trauma center. Before they took him away, I looked at his head. It was covered with crimson blood!"

The judge agreed, "Ms. Mazak, your testimony now sounds more reasonable. I believe we could accept this as evidence if Mr. Wright can not find any contradictions." Mazak smiled happily.

Phoenix thought, "As usual, Ms. Mazak has that smiley façade that young girls put on in court. I'm going to have to at least try to prove her as being unreliable." He asked, "Your Honor, may I Cross-Examine the witness?" The judge answered, "As usual."

"I was out on the field when the paramedics arrived. Within minutes, they had Reggie on a stretcher and were taking him out of the school. They told us that a helicopter was going to to land in the football field so they could take him out to a trauma center. Before they took him away, I looked at his head. It was covered with crimson blood!"

Phoenix yelled, "Hold it!"

"So his head was covered with blood? That sounds like it matches up with the autopsy report, and the testimony of Detective Gumshoe." Mazak smirked, "Of course, Mr. Wright. What about it?" The attorney thought, "Why did you even have the nerve to look at him?!"

To avoid offending both court and witness, he inquired, "Could you provide more detail about his head? Specifically, was he not breathing?"

Helado bellowed, "¡Silencio!" "Mr. Hedgehog Head, I do not believe that debating about the state of life the victim was in at the time of the incident is relevant to the case!"

His Honor agreed with Helado. "Objection sustained. Mr. Wright, the autopsy states that the victim was alive during his transport to the hospital." Phoenix groaned to himself, "Whoops. Better not do that again!" Mazak resumed, "On the day of the incident..."

The defense attorney screamed, "Objection!" and pointed his finger at the witness.

He asked, "Are you sure that a helicopter was at the scene to take Mr. Simmons to a trauma center?" Mazak sighed, "What is with you and your doubts? Of course there was a helicopter!"

Phoenix slammed his hands down forcefully. "There was no need for a helicopter. The hospital's papers note that Reggie was transported by ambulance to the trauma center! In fact, Ms. Mazak... why is your testimony so inconsistent with the facts?"

She jumped a little into the air in shock and yelled, "Yipes!"

The members of the court gallery began to discuss amongst themselves about the contradiction, but three strikes of the judge's gavel stopped the conversation dead in its tracks.

"Order! Order in the court!"

His eyes focused on the witness. "Ms. Mazak," he groaned, "Myself, the counsel, and all of the members of this court would prefer for you to deliver an accurate and true testimony. Remember, perjury is a serious crime." She said, "Yes, Your Honor."

"On the day Reggie was murdered, I was doing my duties as a section leader, as usual. I was standing there, talking to my section about the importance of counting time. That was when Casey Bullard came tearing out of the school, terrified! To his horror, he had found a body... the body of Reggie Simmons!"

The judge grumbled, "Ms. Mazak, your testimony hopefully does not contain any further contradictions of fact. With that said, Mr. Wright, you may begin your Cross-Examination." Phoenix thought, "Time to bring the truth to light... for Bethany, and for Reggie!"

The defense attorney screamed, "Objection!" He asked, "Again, Ms. Mazak, must I ask you this: are you completely sure that the victim was dead when he was found in the locker room?" She yelled, "I-I'm sure of it! Reggie was as dead as dead could be! His eyes were shut, and blood coated the floor!"

Phoenix slammed his hands against the counsel bench. "Once again, there are fallacies throughout your testimony. First of all, Reggie was still alive when he was found; the second problem was that even though you were told to call 9-1-1..." He pointed his finger at her.

"You never saw the body for yourself!"

The gallery roared very loudly, and the judge found it hard to regain control of the courtroom. "Order! Order in the court! ORDER!" He angrily announced, "Ms. Mazak, I would like an explanation. Why exactly doesn't your testimony match up? Would you please care to elaborate?" Phoenix pointed his finger once again and asked, "It's time for the truth, not your conjecture!"

Mazak screamed, "W-Well, you see... on that... day... I, um... I know that Reggie was dead... and I was s-sure of..." In desperation, the section leader tore at her hair ripping it out in shreds and screaming like a wolf howling at midnight.

"Graaaaaaah!"

Her eyes bloodshot and nails extended, she sighed, "She... she didn't do it!" Phoenix asked, "She?" Mazak sobbed, "Yes... Ms. Andrews didn't do it! I never saw her go in there, and I don't know anything what happened to Reggie until I heard Casey yell!"

Helado scowled and stared at the defense attorney, who was now smiling. The prosecutor once again uttered a vulgar Spanish utterance. The judge resumed, "Mr. Helado, if you would like to call another witness, you..." The now-furious prosecutor exploded, "¡Silencio!"

"No hay necesidad for us to continue to prosecuting Ms. Andrews if there is no incriminating evidence. Perhaps she really did not commit the murder. Maybe she was falsely accused, and another person is responsible. Until the facts line up and I have a somewhat valid case, I refuse to stand at this insultance of a trial."

Maya said, "Well, at least Mr. Helado has a valid point."

Phoenix asked, "Your Honor, since the prosecution refuses to proceed with their case, I believe it is time for a verdict to be delivered for the defendant, Ms. Andrews."

The judge continued, "I suppose, Mr. Wright. If that is so, then I have decided my verdict. This court finds the defendant, Ms. Bethany Andrews..."

"Not Guilty."

Confetti rained down from above, and Phoenix, Maya, and Bethany all jumped up and down in excitement, while Mr. Helado simply stood and kept his face of content.

"This court is now adjourned!"