Turnabout Butterfly
Chapter One

I see the courthouse approaching through the windshield. I nervously adjust my bowtie and run a comb through my hair. I don't know if I'm ready to handle a murder trial fresh out of law school.

Fortunately, my father is here to help me.

My father pulls the rusty pickup truck up to the steps to the courthouse. "You boys go on inside. I'll find a place to park and then meet you there."

Sebastian unbuckles his seatbelt. "Thanks, Mr. Edgeworth."

I open my door and step out. "Where should we wait for you?"

"In the defendant lobby."

"Okay. We'll wait for you there."

Sebastian and I march up the steps while my father drives off to the parking lot.

"So, Miles. Are you ready for your first trial ever?"

"I can't say I'm prepared to give an answer."

"Come on, you got your pops by your side, you have a fellow attorney to work alongside... what could possibly go wrong?"

"If your comprehension of Father's teachings have taught me anything, it's that you're the last attorney anyone should have defending them."

"Come on, I can defend anyone just fine. I'm Debeste."

August 3, 9:47 AM
District Court
Defendant Lobby No. 2

The two of us enter the defendant's lobby, where our client is waiting.

"It's over! My life, everything, it's all over!"

"Is that our client, Miles?"

"Yes, that's him."

"Death! Despair! Ohhhh! I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna die!"

The two of us walk over to where our client, Larry Butz, is standing.

"Edgey! Betsy!"

"Good morning, Larry."

"Dude, I'm so guilty! Tell them I'm guilty! Gimme the death sentence! I ain't afraid to die!"

Sebastian tries to comfort him. "Calm down, Larry."

"Oh, it's all over... I... I'm finished. Finished! I can't live in a world without her! I can't! Who... who took her away from me, Edgey? Who did this!? Aww, Edgey, ya gotta tell me! Who took my baby away!?"

My name is Miles Edgeworth. My first case is a fairly simple one. A young woman was killed in her apartment. The man they arrested was her boyfriend, Larry Butz, my best friend since grade school. Our school had a saying: "When something smells, it's usually the Butz." In the 23 years I've known him, it's usually been true. He has a knack for getting himself in trouble. One thing I can say, though, is that it's usually not his fault; he just has terrible luck. But I know better than anyone, that he's a good man at heart. Which is why I took the case to clear his name. And that's just what I'm going to do.

That and I have no confidence in the attorney assigned to him.

My co-counsel is Sebastian Debeste, who my father's partner, Eddie Fender, adopted 14 years ago after his mother was convicted of murder. My father taught both of us in the art of criminal defense, and over the years, it became apparent that I was the better learner of the two of us. Sebastian had his heart in the right place, but he was abysmal in terms of learning. If it weren't for Mr. Fender believing he had potential as an attorney, I don't think he would've ever passed the bar exam. If Sebastian doesn't have a more competent lawyer by his side, I'm certain that Larry won't have very long to live.

August 3, 10:00 AM
District Court
Courtroom No. 2

The three of us, Sebastian, my father, and I, take our positions at the defense's bench.

The gallery's murmuring is silenced by the judge banging his gavel.

"Court is now in session for the trial of Mr. Larry Butz."

"The prosecution is ready, Your Honor."

I look to the judge. "The defense is ready, Your Honor."

The judge clears his throat. "Mr. Debeste, this is your first trial, is it not?"

"It is. But I'm sure I'll do good."

"Your conduct during this trial will decide the fate of your client. Murder is a serious charge. For your client's sake, I hope you can control your nerves."

"I hope so as well," I remark.

"Mr. Debeste, given the circumstances, I think we should have a test to ascertain your readiness."

I nod. "That would be a wise idea."

"This test will consist of a few simple questions. Answer them clearly and concisely. Please state the name of the defendant in this case."

Sebastian moistens his lips. "Larry... Butz?"

"Correct. Just keep your wits about you and you'll do fine. Next question: This is a murder trial. Tell me, what's the victim's name?"

Sebastian bites his lip as he takes a few deep breaths.

My father leans toward him. "Are you absolutely sure you're up to this? Do you know the victim's name?"

"O-Of course I know the victim's name!" Sebastian whispers. "I, um, just forgot... temporarily."

"The victim's name is listed in the Court Record. Remember to check it often."

"Mr. Debeste. Who is the victim in this case?"

Sebastian leafs through the Court Record. "Um... the victim's name is Cindy Stone."

"Correct. Now, tell me, what was the cause of death? She died because she was...?"

Sebastian flips to another page. "She was struck once, by a blunt object."

"Correct. You've answered all my questions. I see no reason why we shouldn't proceed. You seem much more relaxed, Mr. Debeste. Good for you."

"Thank you, Your Honor."

"Well, I don't feel relaxed," I quietly mutter.

"It'll be alright, son."

"Well, then," the judge turns to the prosecutor, "first, a question for the prosecution. Mr. Payne?"

"Yes, Your Honor?"

"As Mr. Debeste just told us, the victim was struck with a blunt object. Would you explain to the court just what that 'object' was?"

"The murder weapon was this statue of 'The Thinker'. It was found lying on the floor, next to the victim."

"I see... the court accepts it into evidence."

My father looks to Sebastian. "Sebastian, be sure to pay attention to any evidence added during the trial. That evidence is the only ammunition you have in court."

"Mr. Payne, the prosecution may call its first witness."

"The prosecution calls the defendant, Mr. Butz, to the stand."

"Mr. Edgeworth, what do I do now?"

"Pay attention. You don't want to miss any information that might help your client's case. You'll get your chance to respond to the prosecution later, so be ready. Let's just hope he doesn't say anything... unfortunate."

Larry gets excited easily; this could be bad.

The prosecutor clears his throat. "Mr. Butz. Is it not true that the victim had recently dumped you?"

"Hey, watch it buddy! We were great together! We were Romeo and Juliet, Cleopatra and Mark Anthony!"

Sebastian glances toward me. "William Shakespeare, right?"

"Yes. They all died, though."

"I wasn't dumped! She just wasn't taking my phone calls. Or seeing me... Ever. WHAT'S IT TO YOU, ANYWAY!?"

"Mr. Butz, what you describe is generally what we mean by 'dumped'. In fact, she had completely abandoned you and was seeing other men! She had just returned from overseas with one of them the day before the murder!"

"Whaddya mean, 'one of them'!? Lies! All of it, lies! I don't believe a word of it!"

"Your Honor, the victim's passport. According to this, she was in New York until the day before she died."

"Hmm... Indeed, she appears to have returned the day before the murder."

"Dude... no way..."

"The victim was a model, but did not have a large income. It appears that she had several 'Sugar Daddies'."

"Daddies? Sugar?"

"Yes. Older men who gave her money and gifts. She took their money and used it to support her lifestyle."

"Duuude!"

"We can clearly see what kind of woman this Ms. Stone was. Tell me, Mr. Butz, what do you think of her now?"

I look to my father. "I don't think Larry should answer that question; he has a terrible habit of putting his own foot in his mouth."

Sebastian shakes his head. "Might be better not to get involved in this one."

"Well, Mr. Butz?"

"Dude, no way! That cheatin' she-dog! I'm gonna die. I'm just gonna drop dead! Yeah, and when I meet her in the afterlife... I'm going to get to the bottom of this!"

The gallery starts muttering until the judge bangs his gavel.

"Let's continue with the trial, shall we?"

"I believe the accused's motive is clear to everyone."

"Yes, quite."

"This is not looking good," I mutter.

"Next question! You went to the victim's apartment on the day of the murder, did you not?"

Larry gulps nervously.

"Well, did you, or did you not?"

Larry laughs nervously. "Well, maybe I did, and maybe I didn't!"

Sebastian drums his fingers on the desk. "What do we do?"

"I say we have him answer honestly."

My father considers this. "I suppose we'll have an easier time if he tells the truth."

Sebastian nods. "Let's send him a signal." He draws a baton from his jacket pocket, and with a gentle look in his eyes, points it at Larry.

Larry nods in acknowledgement. "Er... Yeah! Yeah! I was there! I went!"

More muttering from the gallery.

"Order! Well, Mr. Butz?"

"Dude, chill! She wasn't home, man. So, like, I didn't see her."

"OBJECTION! Your Honor, the defendant is lying."

"Lying?"

"The prosecution would like to call a witness who can prove Mr. Butz is lying."

"Well, that simplifies matters. Who is your witness?"

"The man who found the victim's body. Just before making the gruesome discovery, he saw the defendant fleeing the scene of the crime!"

Another uproar from the gallery.

"Order! Order in the court! Mr. Payne, the prosecution may call its witness."

"Yes, Your Honor."

I tug at my bowtie. "This is bad..."

"On the day of the murder, my witness was selling newspaper subscriptions at the victim's building. Please bring Mr. Frank Sahwit to the stand!"

Larry takes his seat in the defendant's chair, and a man in a purple suit steps up to the witness stand.

"Mr. Sahwit, you sell newspaper subscriptions, is this correct?"

"Oh, oh yes! Newspapers, yes!"

The judge nods. "Mr. Sahwit, you may proceed with your testimony. Please tell the court what you saw on the day of the murder."

Witness Testimony:

I was going door-to-door, selling subscriptions when I saw a man fleeing an apartment.
I thought he must be in a hurry because he left the door half-open behind him.
Thinking it strange, I looked inside the apartment.
Then I saw her lying there... A woman... not moving... dead!
I quailed in fright and found myself unable to go inside.
I thought to call the police immediately!
However, the phone in her apartment wasn't working.
I went to a nearby park and found a public phone.
I remember the time exactly: It was 2:00 PM.
The man who ran was, without a doubt, the defendant sitting right over there.

The judge ponders this testimony. "Hmm..."

Sebastian puts a hand to his face. "Larry! Why didn't you tell the truth?" he mumbles. "I can't defend you against a testimony like that!"

"Incidentally," the judge strokes his beard, "why wasn't the phone in the victim's apartment working?"

"Your Honor, at the time of the murder, there was a blackout in the building."

"Aren't phones supposed to work during a blackout?"

"Yes, Your Honor... However, some cordless phones do not function normally. The phone that Mr. Sahwit used was one of those. Your Honor... I have a record of the blackout, for your perusal."

"Now, Mr. Debeste?"

Sebastian snaps to attention. "Yes! Er... yes, Your Honor?"

"You may begin your cross-examination."

"C-Cross-examination, Your Honor?" Sebastian looks to my father. "Uh... what exactly am I supposed to do?"

"You expose the lies in the testimony the witness just gave."

"Lies! What?! He was lying!?"

I nod. "If our client is innocent, then that witness must have lied in his testimony!"

My father nods. "If the witness wasn't lying, that would imply our client is guilty."

"H-How do I prove the witness was lying?"

"Compare the witness's testimony to the evidence at hand. If there's a contradiction between the Court Record and the witness's testimony, present it to the court."

"Okay..."

Cross Examination:

Sebastian sifts through the Court Record with me looking alongside him.

A minute passes before we pause at the victim's autopsy report.

Sebastian flamboyantly points his baton at the witness. "OBJECTION!"

Everyone freezes in place.

"You found the body at 2:00 PM. You're sure?"

"Yes. It was 2:00 PM, for certain."

"Frankly, I find that hard to believe! Your statement directly contradicts the autopsy report."

I nod in agreement. "The autopsy notes the time of death at sometime after 4PM."

"There was nobody to find at 2:00 PM!"

"No body to find at 2:00 PM."

"How do you explain this two-hour gap?"

Mr. Sahwit starts sweating. "Oh, that! Oh, er..."

"OBJECTION!" The prosecutor interrupts. "This is trivial! The witness merely forgot the time!"

The judge shakes his head. "After his testimony, I find that hard to believe. Mr. Sahwit, why were you so certain that you found the body at 2:00 PM?"

"I.. er... well, I... Gee, that's a really good question!"

My father gives a proud nod. "Good work, boys. That's all you have to do: point out contradictions. Lies always beget more lies. See through one, and their story starts to come apart."

"Wait!" Mr. Sahwit exclaims. "I remember now!"

"Would you care to give your testimony again?" the judge asks.

Witness Testimony:

You see, when I found the body, I heard the time.
There was a voice saying the time... It was proba
ly coming from the television.
Oh, but it was two hours off, wasn't it?
I guess the victim must have been watching a video of a taped program!
That's why I thought it was 2:00 PM!
Terribly sorry about the misunderstanding...

"Hmm... I see. You heard a voice saying the time on a taped program. Mr. Debeste, you may cross-examine the witness."

"You know what to do, Sebastian."

Sebastian gives an amused chuckle. "I got this one."

Cross Examination:

Sebastian points his baton at the witness. "OBJECTION! The prosecution has said there was a blackout at the time of the discovery! And this record proves it!"

Mr. Sahwit staggers at the stand.

"You couldn't have heard a television... or a video!"

Mr. Sahwit begins hyperventilating.

"The defense has a point. Do you have an explanation for this, Mr. Sahwit?"

"No, I... I find it quite puzzling myself! Quite! ... Aah! W-wait! I remember now!"

"Mr. Sahwit? The court would prefer to hear an accurate testimony from the very beginning. These constant corrections are harming your credibility. That, and you seem rather... distraught."

"M-my apologies, Your Honor! It... er, it must have been the shock of finding the body!"

"Very well, Mr. Sahwit. Let's hear your testimony once more please."

Witness Testimony:

Actually, I didn't "hear" the time... I "saw" it!
There was a table clock in the apartment, wasn't there!
Yeah, the murder weapon! The killer used it to hit the victim!
That must have been what I saw.

"You saw a clock? I guess that would explain it. The defense may cross-examine the witness."

Cross Examination:

"Wait just a moment!" Sebastian doesn't touch the Court Record this time. "The murder weapon wasn't a clock. It was this statue! Now how is this supposed to be a clock?"

"Whaa!? Y-you with your 'objections', and your 'evidence'... Just who do you think you are!?"

I heave a sigh. "Just answer the question, Mr. Sahwit."

"Hey, I... I saw it there, okay! That's a clock!"

The prosecutor speaks up. "Your Honor! If I may..."

"Yes, Mr. Payne?"

"As the witness stated, this statue is indeed a clock. The neck is a switch. You just tilt it, and it says the time out loud. As it doesn't look like a clock, I submitted it as a statue. My apologies."

"I see. So the murder weapon was a table clock after all. Well, Mr. Edgeworth? Mr. Debeste? It appears that the witness's testimony was correct. This is a clock. Do either of you have any problems with his testimony now?"

Sebastian shrugs. "I guess not. There was a clock on the scene, so, no problem."

I point a finger at the judge. "OBJECTION! Your Honor, there is a gaping hole in the witness's testimony! The only way he could have known the weapon was a clock is to hold it in his hand. Yet the witness testified that he never entered the apartment! Clearly, a contradiction!"

"Hmm... indeed!"

"The witness knew it was a clock, because he was inside the apartment on the day of the murder!"

"Oh yeah? Prove it! Prove I went in there!"

"I'll do better than that! I can prove you were the one who killed her! You struck her with the clock, and the shock of the blow triggered the clock's voice! That was the sound you heard!"

The gallery descends into yet another bout of murmurs.

"Order in the court! Intriguing. Please continue, Mr. Edgeworth."

"Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Sahwit, the sound must have left quite an impression on you. Understandable, since the murder weapon spoke just as you hit the victim! That voice was burned into your mind. That's why you were so certain about the time!"

"OBJECTION! W-w-what's the meaning of this? This is all baseless conjecture!"

"Baseless...? Just look at the witness's face!"

Mr. Sahwit is digging his nails into the railing of the witness stand.

"Would the witness care to elaborate? Did you strike the victim with the clock?"

"I... I...! That... that day... I... I never! Look... I... the clock... I heard, no! I mean, I saw...Saw... nggg! Gwaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Mr. Sahwit grabs his toupee off his head and throws it at Sebastian's face.

"Shutupshutupshutup! I hate you! I-it was him, I tell you! I saw him! H-he killed her and he should burn! Burn! Give him death!"

The judge furiously bangs his gavel. "Order! Order in the court I say!"

"Your Honor, a-a moment please! There isn't a shred of evidence supporting the defense's claims!"

"Mr. Edgeworth?"

"Your Honor?"

"You claim the sound the witness heard came from the clock... Do you have any evidence?"

Sebastian spits out a few hairs as he leans toward me to whisper. "The whole case is riding on this! You'd better think it through carefully!"

"Yes, Your Honor. The sound Mr. Sahwit heard was definitely this clock. A fact which is clear if you simply sound the clock now, here in this court. Your Honor, may I have the clock?"

The clock is brought to the defense's bench.

"I ask the court to listen very carefully."

Sebastian, being the only one of us wearing gloves, examines the clock until he moves the head of the statue.

A beep sounds from the clock, followed by a voice saying "I think it's... 9:25."

The judge's eyes light up. "That certainly is a strange way to announce the time."

My father nods. "Well, he is 'The Thinker,' after all."

"So, we've heard the clock. What are your conclusions, Mr. Edgeworth?"

"Mr. Payne... can you tell us what time it is now?"

The prosecutor looks at his watch. "It's 11:25... Ack!"

"As you can see, this clock is exactly two hours slow! Precisely the discrepancy between what Mr. Sahwit heard and the actual time of death! So, Mr. Sahwit... Try to talk your way out of this one!"

Through his hyperventilation, Mr. Sahwit begins to laugh. "You forgot one thing!"

"Uh oh..." Sebastian grabs the ends of his baton with both hands. "What's he talking about...?"

"While it may seem like that clock IS running two hours slow... it proves nothing! How do you know it was running two hours slow on the day of the murder!? If you can't prove that, you don't have a case!"

Sebastian accidentally hits himself with his baton. "He's right! How are we going to prove that!? Dammit! We were so close!"

"Mr. Edgeworth? Mr. Debeste? It seems you lack the critical evidence to support your claim."

"Yes, Your Honor."

"This means I cannot let you indict the witness. Unfortunately, this ends the cross-examination of Mr. Frank Sahwit."

"I come all the way down here to testify, and look what happens! You treat me like a criminal! A criminal! You lawyers are all slime!"

"I almost had him! Sorry, Larry... I failed you. There's nothing I can do about it now."

"OBJECTION!" My father isn't having any of this. "Not so fast, Mr. Sahwit!"

"Mr. Edgeworth!"

"Listen, Sebastian, don't throw this one away. Not like this! Think!"

"But Mr. Edgeworth, it's over. I can't prove the clock was slow the day of the murder! Nobody can prove that!"

"Try thinking out of the box. Don't waste time doubting the facts. Assume the clock was two hours slow and... think through it. Ask yourself, 'Why was the clock two hours slow'? Figure out the reason, and you'll have your proof. Can you think of a reason as to why the clock would be two hours slow?"

Sebastian searches through the Court Record, pausing when he sees a piece of evidence that hasn't come into play yet. "Wait! Maybe I can prove it!"

"Well, Mr. Debeste? You say the clock was already running slow on the day of the murder... Have you found evidence to support this claim?"

"Of course. There is a piece of evidence in the Court Record that can prove my claim beyond a doubt!"

"Hah! Tough words! Let's see you pull this one off!"

"Let's see this evidence that proves why the clock was running slow!"

A smile creeps up his face before he pulls out the victim's passport. "TAKE THAT! The victim had just returned home from abroad the day before the murder."

I pick up from there. "As we all know, the time difference between here and New York is ten hours! When it's 4:00 PM here, it's 2:00 AM the next day there. The clock wasn't two hours slow; it was ten hours fast! The victim hadn't reset her clock since returning home! That's why the time you heard when you struck her dead in her apartment was wrong! Proof enough for you, Mr. Sahwit?"

Sebastian smiles wildly as he points his baton. "Or should I say... Mr. Did It!"

Sahwit's breathing grows faster and faster until he foams at the mouth and falls over.

"O-order! Order, I say!"

"Well... This case has certainly turned out differently than we all expected. Mr. Payne... your witness?"

"He... er... he was arrested and has been taken away, Your Honor."

"Very well. Mr. Edgeworth? Mr. Debeste?"

"Yes, Your Honor?" we both respond.

"I have to say, I'm impressed. I don't think I've ever seen someone complete a defense so quickly... and find the true culprit at the same time!"

"Thank you, Your Honor."

"At this point, this is only a formality, but... this court finds the defendant, Mr. Larry Butz... Not Guilty. And with that... the court is adjourned."

We later learned that Frank Sahwit was a common burglar. He posed as a newspaper salesman to check and see when people were out of the house. That day... when Larry went to her apartment, the victim wasn't home. After he left, Mr. Sahwit let himself in to do his dirty work. While he was searching her place, the victim returned. Flustered, Mr. Sahwit grabbed the nearest blunt object he could find...

Sebastian wipes the sweat off his brow. "Whew... I still can't believe we won!"

Father pats our shoulders. "Good job in there, boys! Congratulations!"

"Th-thanks, Mr. Edgeworth. I owe it all to you."

"Not at all, not at all! You fought your own battles in there. It's been a while since I've seen a trial end on such a satisfying note!"

I've never seen Father looking this happy... If he's this glad, I imagine Larry must feel the same.

"My life is over..."

Sebastian looks to Larry, confused. "Larry! You're supposed to be happy! What's wrong now!?"

"Aww, Betsy... Don't worry 'bout me! I'll be dead and gone soon!"

I walk over to him. "Larry, you're innocent! The case is closed."

"... But... but my Cindy-windy's gone, man! Gone forever!"

"Larry, she was a - "

I quickly put a hand over Sebastian's mouth.

Father shakes Larry's hand. "Congratulations, Harry!"

"H-Harry...?"

"Yes, you! I can practically see the headlines now: 'Harry Butz, Innocent!'"

"Heh... um... thanks! I really owe you one. I won't forget this, ever! Let's celebrate! Dinner? Movie? My treat!"

Father shakes his head. "Oh, no, I couldn't."

Sebastian looks miffed. "Hey, I was the one who got you off the hook!"

"Oh, hey! H-here, take this! It's a present!"

"A present? For me?" Father looks at the statue Larry gave him. "Wait... Wasn't this the evidence that..."

"Actually, I made two clocks! I made one for her and one for me."

"R-really? You? You made this?" Father doffs his hat. "Well, thank you. I'll keep it as a memento."

"Yo, Edgey... Can you believe it? I was so into that chick... And... and she was just playing me for a fool! Don't that make you wanna just cry?" Larry starts crying.

"Larry..."

"... Are you so sure?" Father smirks.

"Ex-squeeze me?"

"I think she thought quite a lot of you, in her own way."

"Nah, you don't gotta sympathize with me, 'sokay."

"Oh, I'm not just sympathizing, really. Isn't that right, boys? Don't you have something to show your friend? Something that proves how she felt about him?"

"H-hm? Oh, yes, of course!"

Sebastian looks to me. "What the heck is he talking about?"

I point to the statue in Father's hands. "Proof positive you weren't just some loser to her."

"Huh...? What about that clock?"

"This is the clock YOU made for her, Larry! And she took it with her when she traveled."

"Whatever. She probably just needed a clock, that's all."

Sebastian catches on. "You think so? It's a pretty heavy clock to take traveling."

Larry is lost for words.

"Well, make of it what you will."

"... Hey, Edgey, Betsy. I'm glad I asked you guys to be my lawyer. Really, I am. Thanks."

"Hope that made him feel a little better..." Sebastian mumbles to me.

Father tucks the statue in his jacket pocket. "I hope you boys see the importance of evidence now. Also, hopefully you realize, things change depending on how you look at them. People, too. We never really know if our clients are guilty or innocent. All we can do is believe in them. And in order to believe in them, you have to believe in yourself. Miles, Sebastian... Listen. Learn. Grow strong. Never let go of what you believe in. Never."

The three of us head for the lot where Father's truck is parked.

"Well, I think our work here is done."

"Agreed."

"Yeah, I guess so!"

"So, what do you boys want for dinner tonight?"

And so, our first trial came to a close. Larry slapped us on the back and said, "Gee, Edgey, it's good to have friends!" But I'm pretty sure he's not going to pay us. Unless you count the clock he gave Father.

I didn't know it then... but that clock was soon going to be at the center of another incident. And the world as I knew it... would take a very bizarre twist.