Well time to begin the second day of trial, lets see what happens.
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this
DM77's Ace Attorny Chapter 33
Caretaker's Testimony
December 27, 10:00 AM, District Court, Courtroom No. 3
Everyone has gathered in the Courtroom as J and Jaden stands at there defenders' bench and look over at Belos stands across from them at the Prosecutor bench and removes his mask.
"Court is now in session for the trial of Mr. Hunter Deamonne." Maccadam said after banging his gavel.
"The defense is ready, Your Honor." J said standing at attention.
Like before Belos remained quiet, clutching his left arm sleeve not saying anything.
"Very well, apparently the prosecution is also ready." Maccadam said remembering yesterday and not questioning the silence.
'Who is the judge here, anyway?!'J thinks sweat dropping.
"Mr. Belos, your opening statement." Maccadam said to him. Belos again remains quiet and nervous the cybertronian said "Er…very well, no opening statements so…"
"Objection!" Belos calls out all of a sudden and added "Not so fast, Judge! I was taking a meaningful pause before speaking!"
"R-right, of course." Maccadam said nodding
"A prediction!" Belos states and snaps his fingers "Today's trial will end three minutes from now!"
This causes a commotion with the members of the court, surprised at the confidence Belos has that he can end this trial in three minutes. Maccadam bangs his gavel to quiet them and said "Order…order! Mr. Belos! What is the meaning of your statement just now?!"
"Objection!" Belos calls out and said "Bah! Must you question everything! It will be over in three minutes! We have no time to waste! I'll call my witness now!"
"R-right…" Maccadam said nodding nervous.
"I call my witness…my decisive witness to the stand!" Belos states.
'It's that mysterious boat shop owner.' J thinks on it.
Indeed, the Old Caretaker still shaky and wobbly takes the stand, he was even asleep a bit.
"Witness…state your profession." Belos told him.
The Caretaker wakes up suddenly "Mmph…zzzz…I, er, am the proprietor of the restaurant the 'Wet Noodle' at Seadra Lake." Belos looking serious snaps his fingers and he quickly adds "And I, er, also rent boats."
"The night of the incident, you were in the boat rental shop, correct?" Belos asked him.
"Er…ayup, yup I was." The Caretaker said nodding.
"Please testify." Belos told him.
'Wait a second…' J thinks realizing this 'We still haven't heard who this old guy is!' She decided to question this "Objection! Wait a minute! The witness hasn't stated his name yet!"
"Objection!" Belos said and explained "Because I did not ask him, Miss. J! Bah! I have predicted this trial will end in three minutes!" He shakes his end and wags his finger smirking "Stop asking trivial questions and cooperate!"
'Yeah, right!' J thinks sweat dropping.
Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "The witness will state his name."
The Caretaker was a asleep and then wakes up and after getting his bearing said "Mmph! Well, er…I'm not really sure, ayup."
"What do you mean?" Maccadam asked confused.
"My, er, memory…" The Caretaker said simply.
"Your Honor…The witness does not remember anything beyond the last several years…" Belos explained "Ergo, he cannot recall his own name."
"Hmm…he can't recall, you say?" Maccadam said looking at the Caretaker who has fallen asleep again.
"Yes, but the incident in question took place three days ago." Belos points out "He can testify."
"Very well." Maccadam said nodding. "Let's hear his testimony then, shall we. Witness?"
The Caretaker woke and begins giving his testimony of The Night of the Murder saying "It was the night of the 24th, just after midnight, ayup. I was in the restaurant…where I er…rent boats, as usual. Then I heard a 'bang!' Ayup."
"When I looked out the window, I saw a boat just a floating on the lake. Then I heard another 'bang.' Just about then the boat comes back to shore, and a man walks by my window." Caretaker said finishing up.
"Hmm…Very well, I'd like to begin the cross-examination…" Maccadam said nodding.
"Objection!" Belos calls out tuts shaking his finer and said grinning "There is nothing to question in my witness's testimony! Ergo, no need for cross-examination! Besides, there are only 10 seconds left before our three minutes are up!" He snaps his fingers "Judge! Your verdict, now!"
"Er…yes…" Maccadam said unnerved. "M-Miss. J…?" He looks at her.
J frustrated slams her hands onto her desk and said "What are you saying?! Of course I'll cross-examine the witness!" To scrap with Belos' three minutes limit of the trial.
"Hmm…Very well, you may begin." Maccadam said nodding.
"Raaaaaaaaaaaaagh!" Belos screams in slamming his fist on the table in anger.
"E-excuse me? Mr. Belos?" Maccadam said concerned.
"Three minutes just passed." Belos pants calming down.
"I see." Maccadam said nodding understanding "Well then, let's just take our time." He looks to J "You may cross-examine the witness."
J nods she knew she was in a tough fight as no doubt Belos took the time to prepare the Caretaker for this. She presses the second statement about him being at the rental shop saying "Hold it! Is there anyone who can verify that?"
The Caretaker thinks and said shrugging "Well, I guess Diantha could."
J slams her hands on the table and said "Th-that's not good enough for a court of law!"
"Miss. J…exactly what's not good enough?" Maccadam said glaring.
"Ah, uh, Your Honor, this 'Diantha' is a Chatot." J said sweat dropping.
"A…Chatot?" Maccadam said surprised.
"Don't be so hard on the girl, Cynthia-girl!" The Caretaker said smiling at J.
"Cynthia…" Maccadam said confused.
"Objection!" Belos called out and said face palming "The prosecution concedes that we cannot prove the witness was in the shop. Please…can we move on."
"Okay" J said nodding, she presses the fourth statement about seeing the boat on the lake saying "Hold it! Was there someone in the boat?"
"It was pretty far out there...I couldn't see clearly…But I figure there was two men out there, ayup." The Caretaker said thinking.
"But you couldn't see them clearly!" J told him.
"Ayup…at the time, that is." The Caretaker said nodding.
'At the time…?' J thinks and presses the final statement about the boat coming back and said "Hold it! 'By your window'?"
"Ayup, by my window." The Caretaker said nodding "Right outside the window of my little shack."
"And, could you see the man's face?" J asked him.
"Well, the fog was pretty darn thick, but he was right there in front of me. I saw him." The Caretaker said smiling.
"This is a rather important detail!" Maccadam said and told him "Please add it to your testimony."
The Caretaker falls asleep but J sees Belos smirks and hears him say "Tsk, tsk, tsk…"
'I have a bad feeling about this…' J thinks sweating.
"That man was the defendant…He was saying 'I can't believe he's dead.'" The Caretaker said making the new final statement.
"Hold it!" J said pressing it and asked sweating "A-are you sure?!" The Caretaker was asleep again and J thinks 'Uh oh!' She slams her hands on the desk and said "D-Dad!"
The Caretaker wakes up and then said in anger "Dead certain, Cynthia! He said 'I can't believe he's dead' as he was walking by, too."
The caused quite a stir as the members of the court talk loudly feeling like this confirms Hunter's guilt. Maccadam bangs his gavel to silence them.
"Witness! Are you sure that the person you saw was Hunter Deamonne?!" Belos asked the Caretaker.
"It was him! That Deamonne boy!" Caretaker called out and then falls onto the floor passing out. J sweats while Belos just stands there
Maccadam shakes his head at this and said "This…sounds like decisive evidence indeed. I see no room for doubt."
'Belos…He lured me into cross-examining so he could set me up for a fall!' J thinks glaring at the Emperor Prosecutor.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk…" Belos lets out smirking at J.
"J…! I don't like the way things are going here!" Jaden said nervous "Everyone in the courtroom is glaring at us!"
'I'd better act quick, or this trial is going to be over!' J thinks and decides to raise an objection saying "Objection! Your Honor! We proved in yesterday's trial that it could not have been Hunter who fired that gun!"
"Objection!" Belos said "Miss. J. Are you referring to the fingerprints from Hunter's right hand found on the gun, and the photograph showing a man firing with his left hand…?"
"Exactly!" J said nodding.
Belos smirks and tuts as he then said "That is easily explainable! He could have wiped his prints after he fired!" He snaps his fingers "You are ignoring the truth of the matter here! Everything in this witness's testimony is true!"
"Hmm…" Maccadam thinks.
'The judge is lost in thought…what should I do?' J thinks and raises another objection saying "Objection! Your Honor! This witness claims that Hunter said 'I can't believe he's dead'…But his word is all we have!" She slams her hands on the table "If he was telling a lie…"
"Objection!" Belos interrupts and said "Miss. J. In a court of law, the evidence tells all. Apparently, you have yet to realize even this basic fact. If you say his testimony is a lie, show us proof!"
"Urk…" J lets out sweating.
"J! Do we have evidence…?" Jaden asked.
"It's no good! There's nothing I can do." J said holding her head.
"A…are you sure?" Jaden asked.
"To be honest…" J said sadly and admits "I don't know what to do anymore.
"Please…Can you hear me, Bro? Please…We need your help…J needs you…" Jaden said hand to his chest and eyes closed.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk…" Belos said smirking. "Three minutes was perhaps too high an expectation." He folds his arms nodding "However, fifteen minutes isn't bad! This must be a new record."
Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "Enough! The witness may leave the stand." The Caretaker was asleep so the Purge Troopers help him out.
Once the Caretaker was taken out of the courtroom safely, Maccadam said "This court sees no reason to further prolong the trial. Nor is there any need for more time to decide the case against the defendant. The case is extremely clear. I see no room for mis-interperation of the facts."
'W-what?! No!' J thinks sweating.
"Hmph." Belos lets out arms folded.
"This court finds the defendant, Mr. Hunter Deamonne…GUILTY" Maccadam said firmly "The accused will surrender to the court immediately, to be held pending trial at a higher court within a month from today's date. That is all. This court is adjourned!" He slams his gavel.
"W-w-waaaaaait!" A voice suddenly called out within the courtroom surprising everyone.
"W-who was that just now?" Maccadam said looking around.
"Me!" The voice called out again as a figure jumps down from the audience stands and goes to the witness stand.
"Huh? Waah!" J said in shock as she sees who it was as standing on the witness stand was "J-Joey!" Indeed it was Joey Wheeler.
"Wh-what are you doing here?!" Maccadam asked in surprise.
"Listen! Y-you got to listen to me!" Joey said sweating. "I…I was…I was there, in the park, the night of the murder! I…I wasn't sure about it until just yesterday. B-but today I remembered it!"
"Remembered what?" Maccadam asked looking serious.
"The gunshot!" Joey told him. "I heard it too!"
The cause the members of the court to speak about this, even though a verdict was declared that was a new witness for the trial. Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "O-order!"
"Objection!" Belos called out and said in anger "What is the meaning of this?! The verdict has been decided! I call for adjournment!"
"One moment, Mr. Belos." Maccadam told him. He looks to Joey and asks "So, you say you heard a gunshot?"
"Yeah, I did! A gunshot! That night!" Joey said nodding "I was sitting here in the audience, listening to the testimony…Then I realized something he said was different from what I remember! A-anyhow, I can't just sit here and let you call Hunty a murderer! It's…It's just not right! I'll testify! Let me testify!"
The members of the court murmur again at this, is this even allowed, a verdict was declared already. Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "Order! Order!" He thinks shaking his head "Well, this is the first time something has happened like this in my court. I'm not quite sure how to proceed…"
"Judge! You've already given your decision!" Belos called out annoyed and snaps his fingers "The trial is over!"
"J!" Jaden said looking at her. "This is it! Joey's given us one final chance at this!"
'He's right!' J thinks nodding, they have one last shot at recovering from this but thinks 'If only it wasn't Joey…He could make things even worse…'
"Mr. Deamonne was just declared guilty, J! It doesn't get any worse!" Jaden told her as if knowing what the drone was thinking.
"You're right! Okay!" J said nodding and slams her hands on the table and said "Your Honor! If there is another witness, it is our duty to hear him speak! Right here! Right now!"
"A waste of time!" Belos said annoyed. "The verdict cannot be overturned!"
"Hmm…" Maccadam thinks on it a bit then slams his gavel and said "Allow me to speak my opinion. In all court proceedings, it is our duty to prevent an inaccurate verdict. In order to make sure no mistake has been made, every witness should be heard!"
"Wh-what is this?!" Belos said not liking where this was going.
Maccadam bangs his gavel and states "I withdraw my previous verdict of 'guilty'!" The makes the members of the court chatter surprised at this and he bangs his gavel again "Mr. Belos! I order you to call this new witness to testify. Now!"
"Whaaat!" Belos said in shock.
Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "The court will be adjourned for a five-minute recess. After that, we will hear this new witness." He bangs his gavel again "Court is adjourned!"
December 27, 10:28 AM, District Court, Defendant Lobby No.2
"Whew…" J said sipping her oil and sitting on the couch, that was a close one she nearly had her first loss in court. "That was too close." She looks up at Hunter "Sorry to keep you on the edge of your seat like that, Hunter."
"Hmph." Hunter lets out looking away sweating a bit. "I've seen worse."
'Yeah right, Hunter. You're sweating bullets!' J thinks firmly and then said "I just wonder what Joey plans to say in there."
"Joey was at the lake that night?" Jaden asked thinking.
"Yes…" J said nodding and recounts saying to the two "He said he was looking for the White Ranger balloon that flew into the lake."
"Oh right." Jaden said remembering. "And he found the balloon and the air tank that night?"
"Yeah." J said with a nod. She sees Hunter in thought and said "Hey, Hunter."
"Huh? You say something, J?" Hunter said looking at her.
"Yeah, a lot of things." J said nodding and concerned "You seem out of it. What's wrong?"
"It…it's nothing." Hunter said looking away.
"Hmm?" J lets out confused.
"Umm…Mr. Deamonne? There's something I've been meaning to ask you." Jaden speaks up.
"What's that?" Hunter asked.
"Why are your fingerprints on the murder weapon?" Jaden asked.
"Oh." Hunter said looking away ashamed. He explained as he recalls "When he fell into the lake, I went into a daze. I couldn't understand what had happened. I couldn't think straight. Then I saw the pistol lying on the floor of the boat in front of me. I picked it up without thinking. I didn't have a reason, really."
"I see…" Jaden said thinking.
"J…" Hunter said looking at her.
"Yeah?" J asked.
"This might be our chance." Hunter said thinking.
"Our chance?" J asked confused.
"Belos has only ever run perfect trials." Hunter told her.
"Perfect trials…?" J asked.
"Perfectly prepared witnesses, perfectly complete evidence." Hunter lists out "That's the secret to his success." He then looks serious "This is the first time he's ever had to deal with something unexpected! He has to let someone he hasn't even talked to testify before the court! And that someone…is Joey!"
"What are you getting at?" J asked with a smile getting an idea on what he means.
"It's likely his testimony will be full of holes, J." Hunter said nodding.
"That's right, J!" Jaden said excited "No ten-minute trial this time! We'll milk this one for all it's worth!"
"Hey, it's was fifteen minutes! Fifteen!" J corrected him but thinks 'Everything's on Joey now…' No matter what they have to at least extend the trial to one more day.
Well they have one last fight, can Joey's testimony turn it around. We will see.
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