Trail begins but J has to relearn the basics if she has hopes of getting through it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this.
DM77's Ace Attorney Justice for All Chapter 1
Death of an Officer
September 8, 10:00 AM, District Court, Courtroom No. 2
The familiar courtroom was filled up, the people come to watch the trail sit in the stands above the room chattering, the judge presiding on the trial was again Maccadam, J stands at the defence stand as it activates for her, but she was still confused as V stands by her side. Across from J was a familiar prosecutor, or would be if she still had her memories, Bltizo, her opponent in her first case and known as the Rookie Killer Imp.
Maccadam bangs his gavel to silence the spectators and said "Court is now in session for the trail of Serial Designation V."
"The prosecution is ready, Your Honor." Bltizo said at attention.
J however remains silent and Maccadam notices and asked "What is it, Miss. J?"
"Um, er…Are you talking to me…?" J asked confused.
"Do you see any other defence attorneys here?" Maccadam asked her surprised.
'I guess not.' J thinks sweat dropping.
"Now then, are you ready?" Maccadam asked her.
'I guess I should say, 'Yes' for now.' J thinks on it.
"Are you read, Miss. J?" Maccadam asked again.
"Yes, Your Honor." J said to it then thinks '…Wait a sec…If her life is in my hands…I should really do the responsible thing…' She then said rubbing her head "Actually, you see, Your Honor…My memory is kind of…"
Maccadam shakes his head and tells her "The court will not hear the defence's excuses. Because the defendant is a member of the police troopers, this case is under great scrutiny. Therefore, we must make this trial fair but swift. I believe I have told you this before. I hope you're not telling me you've forgotten!"
'Actually, I have…' J thinks sweating
Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "Mr. Bltiz, your opening statement, please."
"Yes, Your Honor and thanks for remembering the O in my name is silent." Blitzo said nodding and begins to read from the case file "As I'm sure you're well aware, the defendant is accused of killing her lover. What's worse, her lover was a fellow police trooper officer!"
"A police trooper? You did WHAT to a police trooper?!" J asked V in shock.
"It wasn't me!" V told her. "And besides, Taka and I…We weren't 'lovers' like that!"
"In any case…The prosecution will prove that the guilty party is none other than the defendant!" Blitzo said finishing his recount on the case.
"Very well." Maccadam said nodding. "Mr. Bltiz, please call your first witness."
Bltizo looks at J and smirks chuckling and said "It's been a while, Miss J. Let's see what you've learned since last time. Because this time the kid gloves are coming off, rookie!"
"Okaaaay…" J said sweating and her LED eyes turn into a question mark and thinks 'And who are you again?!'
"The prosecution calls Detective Serial Designation N to the stand." Bltizo announces.
"Here we go! Don't let me down, Miss. J!" V said to the drone attorney.
'Nowhere to hide…I'm sooo dead…' J thinks worried.
A while later standing on the witness stand was N, a detective that handles a lot of the homicide cases in these trials. He is usually very happy and positive but this time he stands on the stand sad.
"Witness, please stat your name and occupation." Bltizo asked him
"My name is Serial Designation N, sir." N said giving a sad salute. "I'm the detective in charge of homicides down at the precinct, sir."
"You don't look very well, Detective." Maccadam noted concerned.
"Well, sir, the defendant…She works under me, so, you know…" N explained sadly.
"You work under that detective?" J asked V surprised.
"Yes, ma'am!" V said nodding smiling "And while I was a trainee, he was always watching out for me, ma'am! He's such a wonderful guy, ma'am! I'll never forget what he's done for me!"
'Okay, calm down, I believe you.' J thinks to that over excitable response.
"Detective N. Please describe for us the details of this murder." Bltizo told N.
"Yes, sir." N said with a nod "It happened at the park near headquarters, 'Expose Park'."
He then brings up a picture on the large screens showing the victim lying on the ground by a large wall to a higher point, there was a phone booth and clock in the picture.
N then explained "The victim was one of the local cops, Kiyotaka Ishimaru. He was pushed down from the benches on the upper path, sir. The landing beat his body up bad and snapped his neck."
"The details are listed in the report that was distributed yesterday…" Bltizo points out for the court.
"Ah, yes. This autopsy report, correct?" Maccadam said nodding holding up his copy and looking through it.
'Why do I not remember getting a copy…?' J thinks sweating.
"I see everything is in order here." Maccadam said nodding. "Even the estimated time of death is unusually well documented!"
"The victim's watch stopped from the impact of the landing, sir." N explained. "The results of the autopsy confirmed the time of death as 6:28 PM."
"If I may, Your Honor, the prosecution would like to submit this photograph." Bltizo said pointing to the image on the screen that was shown.
"Very well. The court accepts it into evidence." Maccadam said nodding and Crime Photo 1 was added into the Court Record. "Now then, I recall at yesterday's preliminary hearing, a very important piece of evidence was brough to our attention."
"Yes, Your Honor." Bltizo said nodding.
"Yes, sir." N said nodding.
"Yes…I guess?" J said smiling a bit nervous.
"Miss J!" Maccadam said concerned and asked "Is your head on right today?! There was a very crucial piece of evidence found under the victim's body!"
"Um, was there?" J asked looking at V.
"Have you lost your mind?!" V asked her.
"Well, actually…" J said trying to explain her amnesia again but stops and said "Um, it's just nerves. Give me a second."
"Whaaaaat?!" V said shocked. "How can you talk like such an amateur?! I thought you were a pro, ma'am!" He thinks then smiles and said "Alright, ma'am. I'll help you though this! At a time like this, maybe you ought to take a glance at the Court Record!" She motions to the console in front of them both on their bench.
J looks at it and said confused "…Court Record?"
"Yup! Info about evidence and people involved with this case are all listed there, ma'am!" V said nodding smiling. "You can look at the Court Record at any time during the trial or case with this console or your wrist computer."
"The wrist computer, huh…" J said looking at the holo console that appears on her arm that was similar to the console on her bench, she got this a while after the case with Niijima sisters. "You really know what you're talking about, don't you?"
"It's too bad I'm a cop, right? Just think! I could totally be a legal aide instead!" V said smiling proud.
"Miss. J." Maccadam said looking at her.
"Yes, Your Honor!" J said standing at attention.
"Court is in session. Save your chit-chat for later!" Maccadam told her firmly.
"S-Sorry, Your Honor…" J said sweating at that. She thinks 'Well, I guess I'd better check the Court Record, and see what I can find…' She checks it and looks at the Evidence section.
"Alright, Miss. J. Let's see if your notes are in order." Maccadam said to her and asked "What was the piece of evidence found underneath the victim's body?"
J looks and sees in the evidence were a pair of broken glasses that haven't been presented yet in this trial and said to reply and bringing it up on the monitors "That's simple, Your Honor. A broken pair of glasses."
"That's right." Maccadam said with a nod.
"The victim grabbed his killer's glasses as he was being shoved, sir, and held ontol them as he fell." N said sadly.
J looks at V weary and the glasses wearing drone said noticing "Hey! Why are you giving me the evil eye?!"
"Those glasses you're wearing…" J points out.
"Nnnngh…yes, this is my spare pair." V said to that "But these glasses they found at the scene of the crime are not mine! I swear, sir!"
"You sure about that?" J asked her.
"Look, it was a coincidence that on that same day, I accidentally stepped on mine!" V told her.
'A 'coincidence' she says…Urk…' J thinks concerned
"Your Honor." Blitzo said with a smirk and chuckle "I have further evidence to present."
"Oh? You have more?" Maccadam asked the imp.
"And this evidence is very decisive." Bltizo said grinning.
"Very well!" Maccadam bangs his gavel. "Let's hear from our witness about this 'evidence'.
N begins to give his witness testimony on 'Decisive Evidence' saying "There's something even more incriminating than the glasses under the victim's body, sir. During his date, the victim was pushed from the bench area. But he managed to write the culprit's name on the ground where he landed."
N shows on the monitor showing Taka having wrote in the sand on the ground with his right hand finger 'Serial Designation Vee' "I don't like saying it, but it was clearly the defendant's full name, 'Serial Designation Vee', sir." He sighs and says "With this piece of evidence and the glasses, it's hard not to say she's the culprit."
"This is this picture of the writing, Your Honor." Bltizo said proud of himself as he shows the image on all screens.
"Why, this is…!" Maccadam said shocking looking at it. "Yes, I can see her name is clearly witten here."
"The prosecution would like to submit this picture." Bltizo said smiling.
"Understood. The court accepts it into evidence." Maccadam said nodding and Crime Photo 2 was added into evidence to the Court Record.
"As is the glasses alone didn't make you look suspicious, the victim even wrote your name clear as day on the ground!" J said face screening.
"But, but, but, I already told you! Those glasses aren't mine!" V told her.
"And how do you explain his dying message?" J asked her.
V thinks for a moment then said "It's a conspiracy! I'm not guilty, ma'am!"
Maccadam bangs his gavel and said, "Miss. J, you may cross-examine the witness."
"Cross-examine?" J said confused.
"This is it! I'm counting on you!" V said with a smile.
"Sure…But what am I supposed to do?" J asked her.
"WHAT?!" V said in shock. "This isn't like you at all! Normally, this is the part where you get in the witnesses faces!"
"Get in their faces and do what?" J asked still confused.
"I guess there's no way around it!" V said to her. "Okay I'm going to lend you a hand! The prosecution's witnesses all hide things from the court, which means they lie from time to time."
"Lie?" J asked surprised. "But…isn't that detective your superior?"
"Well, even if they don't mean to lie, sometimes people just remember things wrong." V explained.
"Hmmm, like that detective." J said look at N "He does sort of look like a scatterbrain a bit…"
"It doesn't matter! Either way, it's bad for us, ma'am!" V told her. "That's why when you question witnesses you have to find and expose their lies!"
Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "Miss. J. Your cross-examination, please."
"Y-Yes, Your Honor." J said nodding 'Talk about trial by fire. Here goes nothing. As long as I can 'expose the lies', we should be alright.' She begins looking through the recording of the statement.
As she looked V asked "I am eager to see your 'Special move', ma'am!"
"My what?" J asked confused.
"You always look so cool when you present evidence!" V said to her.
"Present…evidence?" J said thinking and said "Um, about this 'presenting evidence'…"
"Okay. When you're listening to testimony, you can compare it with the Court Record." V explained "If you do that, you're sure to find contradictions in the witness's statements!"
"C-Contradictions?" J said a bit worried.
"Well, there are many reasons why a testimony might contradict the evidence." V continued to explain "The witness might be lying, or maybe they're just mistaken."
"Uh huh. And?" J said nodding confused.
"You still have no idea what I'm talking about?" V said surprised "When you find a contradiction, open the Court Record to the item you need…"
"And then, I present the evidence, right?!" J asked her.
"You got it!" V said with a smile "You can also present people's profiles as evidence! With so many items, make sure you present the right thing!"
"Hmm…Sounds complicated, but I'll give it try." J said nodding "You're pretty good at this."
"Wow, being praised by a pro! I don't know what to say!" V said smiling happily
With that knowledge J notices that the name Witten in Crime Photo 2 and V's profile were different. So on N's fourth statement about the name, she said pointing out her finger at N "Objection!" However she remains silent.
"Wh-What is it?" Maccadam asked confused.
J pauses as her heads up display read 'Memory partially repaied' and J thinks 'What…What's come over me…? Without thinking, I just blurted out, 'Objection!'…And I yelled it at the top of my lungs, finger outstretched ready to take on my opponent! What a rush!' J slams her hands down on her bench and said, "Detective N!"
"Y-You talking to be, buddy?" N asked looking at J.
"Please state the defendant's name for me!" J told him.
"Objection!" Bltizo yelled out and said "What are you trying to prove with this futile exercise, Miss. J?"
"You'll see." J said looking at Blitzo "This is a very crucial line of questioning! Actually, Mr. Blitz, you can answer. The defendant's name, if you please." She smiles.
"Wh-Where is this ridiculous question coming from?" Blitzo said a bit nervous on where this is leading. "The defendant's, uh, name is, uh…'Serial Designation Vee.'
J said shakes her head and grins saying confidently "I think someone needs to check the Court Record."
"What...?" Bltizo said confused and checks "It says right here that it's 'Serial Designation V.' Aaaah!" He yells out seeing what J was pointing out.
"It looks like the Tailow caught the Meowth napping!" J said with a grin.
"What's going on here?!" Maccadam asked confused.
"I have no idea either, sir!" N told the judge.
J slams her hands on the bench and explained "As you can see, the victim did indeed leave a name, 'Serial Designation Vee.' However, the defendant's last part of her name is actually spelled, 'V'! This is a blatant contradiction of facts!"
"Ohh!" Maccadam said getting it.
"How about that? I hadn't even noticed!" N said in realization
"Objection!" Bltizo called out but then said nervous "But, but, but…! But maybe the victim didn't know how to spell her name correctly…"
"Objection!" J called out and said "May I remind you that it was you who said, 'The defendant is accused of killing her lover.'" She slams her hands down "If they were truly lovers, it would be impossible for him to have known her name!"
"Nooo!" Bltizo said to that and this revelation made the members of the court murmur in shock.
Maccadam bangs his gavel to quiet them down and said "This is very true. Mr. Blitz." He looks at the imp firmly.
"Y-Yes, Your Honor?" Bltizo said a bit nervous.
"Are you absolutely certain that the defendant and the victim, Kiyotaka Ishimaru, were, in fact, lovers?" Maccadam asked him.
"Y-Yes, I am quite certain, Your Honor." Bltizo said with a nod. "They were a well-known couple in the police trooper force despite being a human and a drone."
Maccadam looks at N and said "Detective N. Please testify for the court the relationship between the victim and the defendant."
"Yes, sir…" N said sadly and testifies 'Taka and V' saying "Officer Ishimaru and Officer V had been going out for about half a year. It sounded like they were even talking about marriage. The day of the incident just happened to be the victim's birthday, sir. V…I mean, Officer B, had gotten Officer Ishimaru a present. It was something she had bought over 2 months ago. I should know, because she came to me to ask what she should get for him."
"Oh…. Those two sound like they were close…" Maccadam said when N was done.
"Nevertheless, tragedy struck." Bltizo said smirking.
"Hmm, yes, I see…You may cross-examine the witness, Miss. J." Maccadam said nodding.
J nods and starts by pressing the last statemen about V asking N about the gift asking "Hold it! You discussed what the defendant was going to give to her boyfriend?"
"Well, I'm, er…" N said nervous and clears his throat smiling "She, uh…trusts me, so…"
'Boy, does he look proud of himself right now…' J thinks sweatdropping. She then asked pressing the first statement about how long V and Taka were going out asking "Hold it! How do you know about this?"
"Every year in March, we have a training camp for up trooper cops. Officer V was a rookie at the time, and she and Officer Ishimaru seemed to hit it off."
'They got close, I take it…' J thinks on that.
"Actually, I was supposed to go, too, but…" N said then looks down sadly "I couldn't pay the deposit for the trip, so I didn't. If only I had gone on that trip…"
"What is it?" Maccadam asked concerned.
"Oh, uh, nothing sir! Really!" N said to that.
J then presses the statement about the day of the incident was the victim's birthday saying "Hold it! The say of the incident…You mean September sixth?"
"Yeah." N said nodding and explained "The victim, Officer Ishimaru, had just gotten off duty at 5:30 PM that day, and since V's night shift hadn't started yet, they went to the park for a bit…"
"Ah, I remember when I was young and in love." Maccadam said smiling "Oh, it was a jolly time."
'That's great, Your Honor…I'm glad you're such a cheerful old bot…' J thinks sweat dropping. She then presses the fifth statement about V having gotten the gifts 2 months prior saying "Hold it! 'Over 2 months ago?'"
"Yep. She's a very considerate woman, buddy!" N said with a smile.
"So…What was this birthday present?" J asked him.
"She got him a glove." N told her.
"A single glove? Why would she only give him one?" Maccadam asked confused.
"Um, actually, Your Honor, the glove in question is a baseball glove." Blitzo corrects the prior statement.
"Oh, I see. A baseball glove." Maccadam said nodding getting it.
"Officer Ishamaru had recently become a huge baseball fan." N explained.
'A baseball glove. Hmm…' J thinks on it and chooses to press further saying "Just now, I believe you said that the present was something she had 'bought over 2 months ago'."
"Yeah." N said nodding.
"Are you saying she had bought the glove at the store that far in advance?" J asked him.
"Nah, nothing like that, buddy!" N said smiling.
"Then, what is it like?" J asked.
"She ordered it. It was custom-made!" N told the court.
"Custom-made? The glove was custom-made?" J asked a bit surprised.
"Yup, that's what I said!" N said chuckling.
"Hmm…So the glove was custom-made." Maccadam said thinking.
"Objection!" Bltizo called out and then said confidently "Your Honor, I really don't see how this glove is related to this case."
"Yes, it would seem that there is little relevance. What do you think, Miss. J?" Maccadam said looking at J. "Do you think this glove is really relevant to this case?"
'I don't know where this will lead me, but…' J thinks then slams her hands down and said "Of course it is relevant! That glove is the key to this whole case!"
"Yes! Bluffing to the max!" V said excited smiling. "Now, THIS is the Miss. J I know! I'm so happy you're back, ma'am! I was wondering how long it'd take! This is great!"
'Hmmm, pressing people…It feels like I've done this before.' J thinks as more of her memory repair was done. 'As if I used to do this to squeeze information from even the most tight-lipped people.'
Maccadam slams his gavel down and said "Very well. If you that convinced, then let's hear some more about the matter."
"Actually, I brought the glove with me today." N points out.
"And?" J asked him.
"Why didn't you say so earlier?" Maccadam said surprised "Hurry and show the glove to the court!"
"Well, I didn't think it had anything to do with this case…" N said and hold up a blue baseball glove "Anyway, this is it, sir."
"It's, uh…rather blue, isn't it?" Maccadam said surprised. He then allows Baseball Glove to be added to the Court Record..
"Officer Ishimaru really liked the colour blue." N explained.
"And that's why you had to special order it?" J asked V as normally basecaull gloves were brown.
"Yup, that's right!" V said with a smile "That, and one other reason…"
Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "I think this court has heard enough. It is clear that the victim and the defendant were involved with each other."
"Yes, that's correct, Your Honor." Blitzo said with a nod.
"Now, if that is true, it brings up an important question." Maccadam said and brings up Crime Photo 2 on the screens "Was the name 'Serial Designation Vee' really written by the victim?"
"I see your point, Your Honor." Blitzo said looking at it "Hey, Detective N, why don't you tell the court a little more about the name on the ground."
"Yes, sir." N said with a nod. He beings his testimony on 'Writing on the Ground' saying "We first looked into the handwriting. Unfortunately, we couldn't confirm that it was the victim's handwriting. Next, we checked the victim's pointer finger. We found that there was sand sand trapped under the victim's fingernail. There were also scratches on his skin that were caused by him writing on the ground. From this, we could confirm that the victim wrote this name with his right hand."
"Hmm…Yes, a perfectly logical conclusion." Maccadam said nodding. "Now then, Miss. J, you may cross-examine the witness."
"Thank you, Your Honor." J said with a nod. She presses the last statement about how they can confirm Taka wrote the name asking "Hold it! Are you absolutely sure?"
"I believe in the power of science." N said nodding.
'Hmm, I wonder if my evidence is solid enough to counter with?' J thinks on it. 'Listening to this, you would think there was only one conclusion…that the name was defiantly written by the victim…'
"But don't you think that would be really strange, ma'am?!" V said to J. "If Taka really wrote that message with his right hand, do you think I would have gone though that much trouble to get him his present?"
'The present…? What about it…?' J said and looks at it and realizes what V meant, she then says at the last statement presenting the Baseball Glove "Objection! Detective N. Take a look at this."
"That's the glove, right?" N asked looking at it.
"Could you tell the court what is special about this glove?" J asked him.
"What's special? Um, never really thought about it, but uh…" N said and thinks on it. "It's REALLY blue…And that's about it."
"Yes, it's REALLY blue, but that is only one of its qualities." J told him.
"Huh?" N said confused.
"There's another reason why it's special." J said.
"And what would that be?" Maccadam asked.
"It's very simple." J said and explained grinning "This glove is made for a left-handed person!"
"Left-handed…?" N said pondering it and looking at it.
"Why, you're absolutely right!" Maccadam said shocked looking at it "This glove is made to be worn on the right hand!"
"That is why it had to be custom-made." J said with a nod. "I have never seen a bright blue left-hander's glove for sale. Have you?"
"Well, um…no." N said thinking about it.
"So, Detective." J said and asked "Which hand did the victim use to write the name with, again…?"
"That's easy!" N said smiling and shows the Crime Photo 2 on the screen saying "Look, it's obvious from this picture that it was his…W-W-Wait a sec…"
"Don't forget that the victim was left-handed!" J told him smiling.
"Aaaaah!" N lets out in shock.
"Objection!" Bltizo cried out in a panic and said "This is…That is…I mean…I…Objec…"
"Overruled." Maccadam said shaking his head. "Miss J, I would like to know what your line of reasoning proves."
J slams her hands down on the bench and said "There is only one conclusion that can be drawn! A left-handed person could not have written a message with his right hand! Therefore! The person who wrote the name 'Serial Designation Vee' could not have been the victim!"
Thie made the audience murmur loudly shocked at this, Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "Order! Order!" Once it was quite he said "When you think about it that way, then yes, it is not possible that this name was written by the victim himself."
"Then that means V is…!" N said getting happy.
"No…. IT'S NOT POSSIBLE!" Blitzo called out in shock.
"Mr. Blitz." Maccadam said firmly.
"Y-Y-Yes, Your Honor?" Bltizo said sweating nervous.
"The evidence the prosecution has presented has failed to prove the defendant's guilt." Maccadam told him. "In fact, I believe you have proven her to be innocent!
"NOOOOO!" Blitzo yelled out and a loud muted sound is heard as he lets out a swear.
"Alright! You did it, Miss. J!" V said happily. "Whew! I feel like I can breath again!"
Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "It seems that we have reached the conclusion. You did a fine job once again, Miss. J."
"Me, Your Honor?" J said and smiles rubbing her head "Ah, well, thank you, sir…"
"See, you got complimented by the judge again!" V said with a smile "You're really good! And that's why you can't give up being a lawyer, ma'am!"
'Are you joking?! I'm more than ready to retire!' J thinks at that.
Maccadam will bang his gavel and said "I will now announce my verdict. This court finds the defendant Serial Designation V…"
"Objection!" Blizo called out and said "No! I'm not done yet!" This takes everyone aback and he calms down and said smiling "I mean, please give me a few more minutes, Your Honor."
"Wh-What is the meaning of this, Mr. Bltiz?!" Maccadam asked shocked.
"The prosecution is not finished yet!" Bltizo said smiling confidant.
"What do you mean?!" J asked him shocked.
"We would like to call our next witness to the stand!" Bltizo said with a smirk
"Whaaaaaaat?!" J said in shock and it makes the members of the court murmur.
Maccadam bangs his gavel and asked "And what did this witness…witness?"
"The moment the victim was pushed to his death!" Bltizo told the court. "What's more, he saw the very face of the culprit!"
"What the timeshare?!" J said finding it very odd she said that instead of something like heck.
The court murmurs again at this news. Maccadam bangs his gavel and said "Order! Order in the court!" He this said "I believe a recess is in order. Afterward, we will hear from this new witness."
'I had a feeling that was a bit too easy…' J thinks sweating. She then thinks 'Hmm, I need more information. I have to see what I can find out during this recess. I can't let my guard down! It's only going to get tougher from here!'
"Court is adjourned for recess!" Maccadam said and bangs his gavel
Well J has won the battle but not the war of this case yet as Bltizo has one like card to play in the form of an eye witness, can J win this and will her memories return. Next chapter a familiar face appears.
Please Read, Review and Suggest. Thank you.