Well it's make or break now, J will need to find contradiction in Todd's testimony if she is going to not have this case end so quickly with her loss.
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this.
DM77's Ace Attorney Chapter 29
The Photgrapher's Testimony
Soon everyone had gathered back into the courtroom and were ready for the day's trial to continue.
Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "Court is back in session. Mr. Belos, call your witness."
"Yes." Belos said nodding removing his mask. "Will Mr. Todd Snap take the stand?"
Todd smiles as he stands at the witness bench ready to give his testimony.
"Todd Snap, you are a research student at a university?" Belos asked.
"That I am." Todd said smiling.
"Good." Belos said nodding "Begin by telling us what you saw the night of the incident. And don't add anything trivial or subjective. Understand?"
Todd glares at him and said "You need to learn some manners."
Belos smirks and tsked and repeats with force "UNDERSTAND?"
"Y-yeah, I understand, I understand!" Todd said a little nervous.
"Er…very well." Maccadam said nodding "Your testimony, please."
Todds nods and gives his Witness's Account testimony saying "It was Christmas Eve, just after midnight, I reckon. I was in my car. I heard this 'bang' come up from the lake. When I looked out the window, I saw two gents in a boat. Then there was another 'bang…There wasn't anything on the lake but that boat."
"Enough." Belos said ending the testimony.
"Huh?" Todd said confused.
"Judge!" Belos said. "He happened to take a photo of the incident!" He holds it up "This is that photo. Accept it as evidence."
"W-well! This is a surprise!" Maccadam said looking at it "This looks like…the very moment of the murder!" This makes the members of the court chatter and he bangs his gavel "O-Order! I will remove people from this courtroom if I do not have order immediately!"
"As the witness testified, he looked at the lake when he heard the shot." Belos explained. "There were no other boats on that lake! So, the man in the boat with the victim must have been the one who shot him…" He snaps his fingers "Yes. It was the defendant, Hunter Demonne!"
This made the members of the court chatter again at this, Maccadam bangs his gavel more and said "Order! Order! Order…! I will have order!"
Belos smirks and asked "Well, Judge?"
"The evidence is…decisive." Maccadam said nodding. "I have very little doubt about this case." He bangs his gavel "Very well, this court finds the defendant…
"Objection!" J calls out and said "W-wait! Your Honor! I haven't cross-examined the witness yet!"
"A cross-examination?" Belos asked and tsked "We have photographic proof! What question can there possibly be?! This photo is worth a thousand words…and they all read 'guilty'! You lose. Or…Do you claim to have found a contradiction in his testimony?!" He smirks.
J notices that look and knows this might be a trap.
"Very well. If you have to, you may cross-examine the witness." Belos said "You will only flounder and ask meaningless questions! You will fail to find anything!" He snaps his fingers "And then, I will have you held in contempt of court!"
Uhm J….Contempt…?" Jaden asked confused.
"'Contempt of court,' you know?" J said to him.
"I…guess I understand." Jaden said thinking. "Well…what are you going to do? Do you really think there was a contradiction with the facts in his testimony?"
"I…I think I noticed one little thing…" J said nodding.
"Wow, I'm impressed, J! I didn't notice anything!" Jaden said smiling. "Right! Let's take him on!"
"Y-yeah…" J said nodding a bit nervous 'I got a bad feeling about this…' She then slams her hands on the desk "I understand…I will cross-examine the witness!"
"Tsk, tsk, tisk….Very well!" Belos said smirking.
"I pray for your sake this isn't a waste of time." Maccadam said to J.
J presses the first statement on the time and day saying "Hold it! 'Just after midnight,' you say? In other words, it was no long Christmas Eve…but Christmas Day!"
"Huh? Uh, yeah, well, yes." Todd said nodding at that.
"Objection!" Belos said and added "I know you want to find contradictions, but really!"
"Mmmph." J said to that sweat dropping.
"I hope your next contradiction is a little more relevant to the trial." Maccadam said serious.
J nods and presses the next one where Todd says he was in his card saying "Hold it! Why were you camping there, anyway?"
"I'm a research student at my university." Todd said smiling proudly "I was taking pictures to use in my research."
'What research? This all sounds suspicious…' J thinks and decides to press further saying "Mr. Snap. Could you be more specific about your 'research'?"
"Objection!" Belos said and chuckles wagging his finger tsking "Why does the witness's motive in camping by the lake have to do with this case?! The answer is 'nothing'! I object to this line of questioning! Objection sustained!"
"W-w-wait, now, I'm the one who says that!" Maccadam told Belos.
"Well, then say it already!" Belos told him.
"Objection sustained." Maccadam said.
'Thanks for nothing, Your Honor…' J thinks sweatdropping. She then presses the next one about Todd hearing a bang from the lake saying "Hold it! So, you weren't looking at the lake at that time?"
"Nope." Todd admits "I looked after I heard that noise."
"Objection!" Belos then said "He's said that already! I asked you to find 'contradictions'! Not leisurely chat with the witness!"
'Urk…' J thinks sweating, she was not getting any progress with him constantly objecting. She then presses the next where Todd says seeing people in a boat "Hold it! Could you clearly see the two men?"
"Just look at the picture!" Todd said grinning "Clear enough for you?"
'Uh oh…' J thinks and presses further saying "Wait a second! I wasn't asking you about the photo!" She slams her hands on the desk "I was asking if YOU saw the two men!"
"Uh, yeah, well of course…" Todd began to say.
"Objection!" Belos then said and added "The witness has testified that he saw them! There's also a photo! You'd best look elsewhere for your precious contradictions!"
'He jumped in quick…He's hiding something!' J thinks on that, she then presses the next statement about hearing another bang and said "Hold it! Were you watching the very moment the shot rang out?"
"Well, yeah, sure…" Todd said looking away.
"Objection!" Belos said and added "You're asking meaningless questions! Meaningless!" He snaps his fingers "'Contradictions,' Miss. J. Not meaningless babble!"
'Belos, I think I hate you.' J thinks glaring at the Emperor prosecutor 'He's trying to keep me from talking to the witness…To what end…?' She then presses the final statement about being nothing else on the lake saying "Hold it! Are you sure about that?"
"Yeah, sure as a country man can be!" Todd said smiling.
'That sounds pretty sure.' J thinks and presses further saying "How come you're so sure?"
"Well, heck, I scanned the whole lake." Todd said smiling.
'"Scanned the whole lake"? It almost sounds like he was more interested in the lake than the boat…' J thinks and began to say "Mr. Snap….you…"
"Objection!" Belos said and smirks wagging his finger and said "Miss. J! The witness has answered the question in full."
"Mmph!" J groans annoyed.
"No need for further questions! Objection sustained!" Belos said firmly.
"U-uh, that's what I'm…" Maccadam said nervous.
"Sustained!" Belos yells out.
"Y-yes, of course." Maccadam said nodding.
'Oh great…' J thinks
Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "Enough! I think we've heard all we need to hear, Miss. J. It seems you are unable to find a contradiction in the testimony worth noting."
"B-but, Your Honor!" J said worried.
Belos snaps his fingers "You keep your promise!"
"Miss. J." Maccadam said looking firm. "I am afraid that I will have to penalize any further outbursts…By holding you in contempt of court!"
"And if that happens, you'll have to leave the courtroom immediately!" Belos explained. "Understood…?"
"Uh…. uh huh." J said sweating and nodding.
"J…!" Jaden said concerned "Todd's testimony is fishy, J! Real fishy!"
"I…. know what you mean." J said to him nodding. "But…If I can't say anything what can I do?"
Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "I believe we've covered the evidence sufficiently to make a decision."
"Then, pass your judgement!" Belos told him.
"Very well." Maccadam said nodding "Mr. Hunter Demonne, please take the stand."
"Hold it!" A male voice called out surprising everyone their.
"Wh-who was that?!" Maccadam said surprised.
"It…was me." Jaden said hands gripping the defence bench.
'Jaden!' J thinks surprised
"I-is something wrong?" Maccadam asked "D-do you need to use the facilities?"
"No, I do not!" Jaden told him and looked at Todd. "Todd Snap! Your testimony stinks! It's unclear whether you were actually looking at the lake! It's highly doubtful that you actually saw Mr. Deamonne! Tell us the truth! This is a matter of life or death!" Todd winces in surprise at that "Todd! Did you really clearly see Mr. Demonne that night?! Did you see him fire that pistol?!"
Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "You will stand down! The court does not acknowledge the defense's outburst!"
"Answer me, Todd!" Jaden calls out.
"What's the big idea, treating me like some kind of criminal?!" Todd said annoyed "I saw him! I swear it! I saw Hunter…"
"Objection!" Belos said and yells out "Enough! Judge…Declare the defense in contempt of court!"
"Y-yes…yes, of course." Maccadam said nodding. "I'm sorry, but you WERE warned. Guard! Escort Miss. J out of the courtroom! She is in contempt of court, and must leave." The belief Purge Trooper nods and approaches the defence bench.
'No…No…!' J thinks worried she had lost.
"Wait!" Jaden called out stopping the trooper "I-I was the one who made the outburst, Your Honor! J is innocent!"
Belos chuckles and wags his finger tsking and said smirking "Hah! What's the difference? All that remains is for the guilty verdict to be declared! Isn't that right, Miss. Serial Designation J?!"
J thinks and recalled during Todd snaping outburst he said something that contradicts his testimony so she slams her hands on the bench, looks at Belos firmly and said "Wrong!"
"What?!" Belos said surprised at that.
"Did you hear what Mr. Snap just said?" J asked him. "He said he clearly saw Mr. Demonne!" She slams her hands on the desk and points at Todd "That changes his testimony, and I have a right to cross-examine him again!"
The made the members of the court chatter some debating whether it was worth it or not, Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "Order! Order! Order! Order! Order! Order!"
"You're in contempt of court! It's too late for wild claims!" Belos yells out in annoyance. "Judge! Sustain my objection!"
Maccadam thinks on this and said "I'm sorry, Mr. Belos, but I cannot."
"What?!" Belos said shocked, his control on this trial seems to be slipping now.
"Mr. Todd Snap has made a new testimony." Maccadam explained. "The defence does have a right to cross-examine him again."
"B-but she is in contempt of court!" Belos told him scrambling to salvage this.
"No, I am!" Jaden told the prosecutor. "If you're going to arrest someone, arrest me!"
"Hmmm…" Maccadam thinks and nods "Very well. Jaden Yuki! You will leave the courtroom immediately."
"J! I did what I could…You have to do the rest! Good luck!" Jaden said to J as she gets ready to be escorted out with the Purge Trooper bailiff.
"J-Jaden…!" J said worried and sadly and watches her leave. Once she was gone Maccadam bangs the gavel.
"Peh! I care not for this melodrama!" Belos said in disregard. "Listen, well, Miss. J! I do not tolerate badgering of my witnesses!"
'I'm running out of time…' J thinks 'I'd better find a contradiction in here or else…'
"Miss. J! Begin your cross-examination!" Maccadam said.
J thinks on the last statement Todd said which was "I saw it clear as day. The man on the boat was Mr. Deamonne!" J knows she is still in contempt of court danger so she can't press it but it was clear what contradiction was.
"Objection!" J said after getting the evidence right and said "Got you." She grins "Got you, Mr. Snap! Finally!"
"Wh-what?! You got what?" Todd said in surprise.
"Look at this photograph." J said bringing up the Lake Photo on the screen.
"The photo I took…?" Todd asked.
"The very same." J said nodding "There's something I want you to see in this photo…it's quite clearly visible. The fog, Mr. Snap."
"So…so?" Todd asked.
"The picture was taken with professional, high-quality film, correct?" J asked him. "Yet even it could not capture the faces of the men on the boat!" She slams her hands down "Yet you claim you saw Mr. Deamonne! How?!"
"What?! Wha…?!" Todd said taken aback and the members of the court chatter at this.
Maccadam bangs his gavel to silence them and added "Miss. J has a point!"
"Objection!" Belos called out and said "That's why I told him not to say that in his testimony! Please!"
"Yet now he has said it, Mr. Belos." J said staring firmly at him. She looks at Todd and said "How could you possibly see Mr. Deamonne?! Explain yourself!"
"Mr. Snap." Maccadam said looking at him.
"What!" Todd asked arms folded.
"Could you see the defendant that night?" Maccadam asked.
"O-of course! I said I could and I mean I could!" Todd to that.
"Then, please testify as to the circumstances of your sightning." Maccadam told him.
'I did it!' J thinks sighing in her head 'I finally found a hole in Belos' carefully vague testimony!'
Todd begins to to testify on How Hunter Was Seen saying "You're right. It was a cold night, and the fog was thick as grits. So, once I was finished setting up my camera, I got back in the car. Still, I brought my binoculars with me. When I heard that noise out on the lake, I looked with my binoculars. See? No problem!" He smiles.
"Hmmm…You used binoculars?" Maccadam asked. "Very well. You may begin your cross-examination, Miss. J."
'This one'd better be good!' J thinks and begins to cross examine to find holes no matter how many Belos objections she has to shift through. She presses the first one about it was cold and foggy night saying "Hold it! So? How could you see Hunter?!"
"Now just hold your Rapidash for a second!" Todd said smiling "You hasty city people never find a partner where I'm from."
"Defence attorneys have trouble with that as it is." Maccadam points out.
'Nobody loves me…' J thinks sweat dropping. She presses the third statement on him bringing the binoculars saying "Hold it! 'Binoculars'?
"Yeah, bionoculars." Todd said nodding proudly.
"Yesterday, you mentioned that you were out looking for shooting stars, correct?" J asked thinking.
"Wel… yeah." Todd said nodding.
J slams her hands on the bench and asked "Wouldn't you need a telescope, not binoculars, for that?" Todd winces at that. "I've got doubts about your camera, too! Was that really to take pictures of meteor showers?"
"Objection!" Belos called out. "The camera is irrelevant to this case!"
"You can't say that for certain!" J told him.
"Hmmm…Miss. J." Maccadam asked thinking "Is the camera really relevant to this case? If you believe it is, you may continue with this line of questioning."
"But know this!" Belos said arms folded firmly "If you find nothing with this, there will be consequences!"
"Well, Miss J?" Maccadam asked. "Do you wish to press further about the camera?"
'This is make-it-or-break-it time!' J thinks and slams her hands down on the bench and said "The camera is of utmost importance, Your Honor. It is, perhaps, the key to this entire case! Therefore, I will continue my line of questioning!" She points at Todd and thinks 'Wow! Maybe I went a little overboard there…'
Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "Very well! Mr. Snap! You will testify to the court about the camera!"
"Yeah, yeah, I hear you." Todd said smiling. He then changes the third statement to be "The camera was set up to take pictures of a meteor shower."
J knew this was wrong, she selects Todd's camera on the Court Record and said "Objection! You were photographing shooting stars? That's a lie!" She grins.
"S-says who?!" Todd said taken aback at that.
"I saw the camera you set up yesterday." J said firmly. "It was pointed directly at the lake! You have to point a camera upwards to take photos of the stars, Mr. Snap!"
"Oof!" Todd said to that, and this causes the members of the court to chatter at what was happening.
Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "Miss. J! What are you driving at?"
"The witness was not at the lake to photograph shooting stars, Your Honor!" J said firmly. Todd looks away nervous.
"W-well then, what exactly was she photographing?" Maccadam asked.
"Your Honor! Take a loot at this…" J said deciding to show evidence "What was Mr. Snap trying to photograph at the lake?" She then shows on the screen from the Court Record the Seadray Article "Take that! Mr. Snap. This is what you were trying to photograph!"
"What's this? A newspaper article?" Maccadam asked looking at it. "'Seadray'…? Ah, the sighting at Seadra Lake…."
"Well, Mr. Snap?" J asked looking at Todd.
"I…I never heard of no lake Seadeamon! You got proof or something?" Todd said denying this. "Let's see you prove that I was down at the lake trying to photograph this 'Seadray.'"
"I have it! Proof!" J said smiling confidently.
"Hmmm…Intriguing!" Maccadam said nodding. "Very well, let's see it. And…no joking around this time, please. What Is the proof that the witness was trying to photograph Seadray, the lake Seadramon."
"Take that!" J said presenting Todd's camera again and said "The proof, Mr. Snap, is your own camera!" Todd winces at that surprised J then explained "Your camera was set to tak photos in response to loud noises, correct? Thus this photograph here, taken when a gun fired on the lake." She shows the Lake Photo. Todd remains quiet.
J continues going to the article and said "And here, this article about 'Seadray.' According to this article…Seadray made a loud noise when it emerged!" She slams the hand on the bench "Well? You were trying to photograph Seadray, weren't you!" She points at him "That's why you had set you camera to respond to loud noises!"
The members of the court chatter at this surprised on this, Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "Order! Order! I see…I, too, thought it was a little strange."
'Yeah, sure!' J thinks sweat dropping. She then looks to Todd "Well, Mr. Snap? You were camping there to try and take a photo of Seadray, weren't you?"
Todd pouts but then said "Yeah." He smiles "Not bad. Are all you lawyers that smart? So, smart drone, I was down there trying to photograph Seadray, you got me. So what?"
"Huh…?" J said confused.
"That don't change what I saw, does it?" Todd asked grinning.
"Exactly!" Belos said firmly "What you just used several precious minutes of our time to prove…is nothing more that that the witness is an idiot who thinks monsters exist!"
"H-hey!" Todd said to that.
"But as he so succinctly said, so what?!" Belos said shrugging. "It changes nothing!"
'Not true! You were hiding the who thing about Seadray for some reason, I know it!' J thinks on this 'But what could it have been…? Whatever it is, I'm getting to the bottom of this!'
"Mr. Snap." Maccadam said looking at the witness "Why did you hide the fact that you were searching for Seadray from the court? Please revise your testimony."
"Right. Fine, I'll testigy. It won't change nothing though." Todd said smiling.
'Something will change…. It has to!' J thinks. 'And I'm going to spot it!' Belos looks on at this.
Todd then gives his his new testimony saying "Actually, I'm not a research student at a university. I'm an investigative photographer. Imagine what a scoop it'd be if I got a picture of that monster! That's why I was camping out by the lake. But, that's all I was hiding."
"When I heard the 'bang' I looked right straight out at that lake." Todd said smiling "There wasn't much else to look at, so I just watched that boat the whole time. Then I saw a flash near one of the men's hands, and I heard another gunshot. I was looking right at that boat, the whole time, cross my heard and hope to fry."
"Hmmm…Well, Miss. J. You may cross-examine the witness." Maccadam said.
"Objection!" Belos yells out and said "The witness's testimony is unchanged from before! Whether she is a research student or a photographer has no bearing on this case!" He snaps his fingers "There is no need to waste more of our time with another pointless cross-examination!"
"Er…hmmm" Maccadam thinks on it.
"Objection!" J yells out and said "I claim the defence's right to cross-examine the witness, Your Honor!" She then thinks 'Belos's up to something, I know it! He doesn't want me to cross-examine him because…why? Was there a contradiction?'
"Very well." Maccadam said nodding "You may begin the cross-examination. You seem sure of yourself you must have something in mind."
"Hah! That would be a first!" Belos said arms folded and grips his left arm.
'Hah, hah, very funny.' J thinks rubbing her head.
"You understand that this is your last chance at a cross-examination, Miss. J?" Maccadam told her. "If there is no problem with the testimony this time, we will let the witness leave. I will announce my verdict at that time, Miss. J. Understood?"
"Yes, Your Honor." J said nodding. She was suspicious on the seventh one of him looking at the boat and figured if he heard a noise he would care less about a boat and gets the Seadray Article and said "Objection! Mr. Snap! Were you REALLY looking at that boat?!"
"W-what's with you?! Course I was looking at it!" Todd said glaring. "It was the only thing out there! Any normal person would be looking at it!"
"I agree, any normal person would." J said nodding and points at him "But you are far from normal!"
"Wh-what?! You want to step over here and say that?" Todd said annoyed.
"You were camping at the lake to take a picture of Seadray!" J told him and slams her hands down on the bench "Think about it…What would you do if you heard a loud noise? You'd be scanning the lake for any sign of Seadray, that's what! You wouldn't give the boat a second thought!"
"Aah!" Todd winces at that as the members of the court chatter at this.
"Order!" Maccadam said banging his gavel "Continue, Miss. J!"
"You testified that you were watching the boat through binoculars! However, you wouldn't need bionoculars to watch that boat!" J told him firmly and grins "You needed them to search for Seadray…and that's what you were doing!" Todd winces and remains silent pouting, J slams her hands down and said "Well?"
"Hmph…" Todd lets out at that and said "Well, now that you mention it…" He looks down sadly "I did sort of take my binoculars and kind of scan the lake a bit…I mean, Seadray might be out there and all…"
"M-Mr. Snap!" Maccadam said surprised "A-are you saying that you were NOT watching the boat, then?"
"S-Sorry everyone." Todd said sheepishly rubbing his head "I wasn't lying, really. I was just…I thought you know, I could be witness to a murder and all." He looks down. "I kind of got excited. I was sure I was watching that boar…until now."
Maccadam looks at him wide optic and said annoyed "This…this is totally uncalled for…"
"B-but hey!" Todd said suddenly and adds "You got the photograph! You got proof!"
"Hmmm…" Maccadam thinks on that. "Still, we can't see who is shooting who in this."
"Right! Right!" Todd said nodding smiling "That's why I took this photo and…"
"Objection!" Belos yells out and snaps his fingers "Witness…that's enough. You've had a long day. Shut your pie-hole."
"Sh-shut my what?!" Todd said annoyed.
'What was he going to say?' J thinks 'He took the photo…and what? Wait a second…'
She remembers yesterday with N saying "He even had a photograph to prove it. But you really can't tell from the photo who it shooting. That's why he's said he's going to enlarge the photo. He said 'it'll drop the quality a bit, but should let us see who's who!'"
'He enlarged that photo! Why won't Belos let him show it?' J thinks realizing 'I've got a hunch! I bet that enlarged phot show something bad for Belos! This is my chance! If I'm wrong, through, it'll mean prison for Hunter…or worse.' But she decided to go for it and slams her hands on the bench "Mr. Snap! Look at this photograph. You enlarged this photograph, did you not?"
"Y-yeah! I did!" Todd said smiling.
"Why has that enlargement not been presented to the court?!"J asked him.
"Objection!" Belos said and stated "B-because it does not exist!"
"What are you talking about?!" Todd said glaring "You were the one who told me not to show it in court in the first place! You old fool!"
The members of the court murmur upset with the sneaky tactic Belos pulled. Maccadam bangs the gavel and asked "What's the meaning of this, Mr. Belos!"
"Er…erm…" Belos said thinking but couldn't come up with a valid excuse.
"Mr. Snap! Show the photo to the court!" J said pointing at Todd "Show us the enlargement!"
"Objection!" Belos said "The prosecution objects to the submission of this evidence!"
"Objection…. denied" Maccadam said firmly shaking his head. "The witness will show the enlargement to the court."
"Here it is." Todd said smiling and shows the image. It showed two ment standing on the boat both in trench coats, the one with the gun holding the gun in their left hand and firing.
"Hmm. We still cannot see who is firing in this." Maccadam said thinking. "It could be the defendant…or maybe it's not. Regardless, I'll accept this as evidence." The court record of the Lake Photo was updated with this photo.
Belos snaps his fingers and asked "Happy now, Miss. J?"
"Hmmm…." J lets out and thinks sweating 'There has to be something!'
"You asked for the enlargement, you got the enlargement." Belos said smirking, he shakes his head and tsks before saying "And little good it has done any of us! That's why I requested he not show it!"
"Hmm…" Maccadam thinks. "I suppose this means that the cross-examination…"
"Is over! Obviously" Belos states.
Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "Then, I would like to close the cross-examination of Mr. Todd Snap."
"And none too soon. That was a flagrant waste of my time." Belos said smirking.
"Mr. Belos, do you have anything to add?" Maccadam asked.
"I stated everything I needed to when this trial began." Belos said arms folded and gripping his left arm. "Decisive evidence. A decisive witness. What else could possibly be required?"
"Nothing, of course." Maccadam said to that. "Then, I believe it is time for me to declare my verdict."
'Wait…it's not supposed to go like this!' J thinks panicked and looks at the enlarged photo on her screen 'There has to be a clue in this photo…somewhere! This is bad! Real bad!' She sees something and then slams her hands on the bench "Your Honor! There is something decidedly strange with this enlargement!"
"W-what might that be?" Maccadam asked surprised. The members chatter at what could happen now and the judge slams his gavel down "Miss. J…You will show the court what you mean! What about this photo is 'strange'?"
'Okay…here goes nothing! I'll show the judge what's strange about this photo.' J thinks taking a breath and then with the enlarged photo on the screens points to the hand holding the gun. "Take that! Here, Your Honor!"
"The shooter…?" Maccadam said confused. "I'm not sure I understand. What about the shooter is strange?"
"Look at the hand holding the pistol, Your Honor!" J told him.
"The hand…?" Maccadam said.
"That hand directly contradicts another piece of evidence!" J told him.
"This man's left hand does what…?!" Maccadam said shocked.
"Let me show you. I'll show you the evidence that left hand contradicts!" J said and presents the Pistol saying "Take that! The evidence it clear. The man in this photograph is holding that pistol in his left hand. However! The prints on the murder weapon were from Hunter's 'right hand'!" She slams her hands on the bench and said "Ergo! The man shooting the pistol in this photograh…Is not Mr. Deamonne!"
The revalation made everyone cause a major ruckus as this sure-fire trial was flipped over by this, it make sense how can the shooter shoot with one hand but prints from the opposite hand were on it. Maccadam bangs his gavel trying to quite them down.
It took a while but eventually everyone was silenced.
"Now that everyone in the courtroom has quieted down…" Maccadam said sighing in relief. "I would like to reconvene this court of law! Miss. J."
"Yesh, Your Honor." J said looking at him.
"You have given us definitive proof today." Maccadam said nodding. "We now know that it was not Mr. Deamonne who fired the pistol that night. However…This leaves us a rather large problem. If Mr. Deamonne didn't do it, then who shot our victim?"
"Precisely!" Belos said nodding to that. "As we have seen, there were no other people on the lake that night!" He snaps his fingers "Who but the defendant could have shot the victim?!"
"There is only one explanation remaining!" J said proudly and states "The man who shot the victim was none other thant…the victim himself!"
This made the members of the court chatter again but Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "Order! Order! So…you are saying that the victim committed suicide?"
"Yes, Your Honor. I can think of no other explanation." J said nodding.
"Hmmm…" Maccadam thinks and said "Indeed, that does seem to be the only remaining option."
"Objection!" Belos lets out and said "I'm so very, very sorry, Miss. J. But suicide is out of the question."
"Wh-what?!" J said surprised.
"An examination of the victim's wound reveals the distance at which he was shot." Belos explained.
"The…distance?" J asked.
"The victim was clearly shot from further than a meter away!" Belos told her.
"A meter! Th-that's three feet!" J said surprised.
Belos smirks and tsks saying "There is no way it could have been suicide!"
The members of the court chatter at this and Maccadam again bangs his gavel "Order! Order! Mr. Belos! Are your sure of the accuract of your data?!"
"Of course! I had already considered the possibility of suicide, you see." Belos said nodding. With that the Autopsy Report in the Court Record was updated.
"Hmmm…" Maccadam thinks "I see." He bangs the gavel "Very well, allow me to state my opinion. Considering the situation, the shooter had to be the defendant, Mr. Deamonne. However! The prints on the gun reveal that the shooter was not Mr. Deamonne. This is a conundrum. Therefore, I would like to suspend proceeding for this trial for the day. The court orders the defence and the prosecution to further investigate this matter. Understood?"
"Yes, Your Honor." J said nodding. Belos however remained silent.
"That is all. This court is adjourned." Maccadam said nodding and bangs his gavel ending the court for the day.
December 26, 1:15 PM, District Court, Defendant Lobby No. 2
"Whew, that was a close one." J said sighing in relief and sipping some oil. She then sees Hunter approach her but remained silent "Hey! Don't you have anything to say?!"
"No, I have yet to be declared innocent, J." Hunter said looking away.
"Well, yeah, but…" J said thinking "What happened out there on that lake, anyway?! If he didn't commit suicide, then who…?! The shooter was about a meter away, too!"
Hunter glares and said "W-what? Don't give me that look! I did not kill him!"
"I was just kidding around." J said to him.
"Hmph." Hunter looks away.
J sighs and said "Look…I'm going to go check on Jaden."
"Oh…" Hunter said nodding. "J."
"What?" J asked.
"Tell him something for me." Hunter said to her.
"What?" J asked him curious.
Hunter remained silent for a bit before saying "Tell…Tell him to watch what he says in court. That's all."
'Would it kill you to just state how you really feel with a 'thanks,' Hunter?' J thinks smiling rolling her eyes
As she was leaving, she said in her mental space "I requisitioned a transcript of Todd's entire testimony. I thought it might give me some ammunition for the trial tomorrow. Of course he didn't see the shooter…So the only part of his testimony that stood was the 'bang' he heard."
She adds Todd's Deposition in the Court Record and makes her way to the Detention centre to check on Jaden.
Well that was a close one, but J has earned another day, just have to check on Jaden before continuing the investigation.
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