Last Chance

Day 8. After many days of evidence, testimony, and questioning, the trial was reaching it's conclusion. Following testimony from a captain of the Canterlot guard, multiple witnesses, the two guards who responded to the incident, and even the two guards who had been stationed to patrol the streets around the alley the night of the incident, it was time for one last witness. At this rate, Litigious is hoping for a lighter sentence for his client. He doubts their self defense angle has done much to sway the jury, but... There's still a chance. All the evidence "C.G" had sent him somehow managed to get accepted into evidence, and he'd already revealed it, but when he questioned Corporal Gallant Lance about him being in the pictures, he denied all involvement. However, the other guards did identify the Corporal when they were presented with the photos. Litigious had to get something out of this last witness, or his client could very well end up in a dungeon for the rest of his life. At last, the prosecution calls upon one of the men Nar Yakushi fought during the incident. The supposed leader of the group no less. He gives a testimony about how he and his group never intended to harm anyone, and had fallen on tough times. He says they were going to let the women go after getting their money, then describes how they were viciously attacked, and only barely escaped with their lives. Two of them are permanently injured with life-altering injuries. One of which will never be able to talk properly again, and another who's left side of his body has been paralyzed. He spins a real sob story, and Litigious believes it might be working on the jury. He paints the defendant as a sociopath, who was just looking for an excuse to let loose, while still looking morally right, and the jury seems to be buying it. Notably, he avoids looking over towards Nar. After the prosecution has finished their questioning, it's time for Litigious to cross examine. He has to do this right, or things are going to get very grim for Mr. Yakushi. (https://youtu.be/AzT40NNJaAA?si=y23C0P3hQcSHirPi) "Mr. Crickets, on the night of the incident, what time did you, and your group enter the alleyway between Crown Street, and Canterlot Avenue?" On the stand, Jimmy Crickets tilts his head slightly. "I dunno. Maybe 7:30 or something." He pauses for a moment, then quickly seems to correct himself. "Wait, it was 7:50." "When you entered the alleyway, what were your intentions?" He sees the prosecutor move ever so slightly. Likely thinking about objecting, but he doesn't. "Well. We were down on our luck, and couldn't find any jobs that would hire us, so... we..." He pauses for a moment, prompting a "Please continue, Mr. Crickets" from Judge Vindicant. "We had to turn to doing some shady stuff. Nothing hard. No violence, no drugs, nothing like that. Just... Small stuff." "And was the night of the incident the first time your group had done this 'shady stuff'?" Jimmy shuffles in his seat slightly. The prosecutor's voice calls out. "Objection! Character Evidence, Your Honor." Followed by a calm "Overruled" from Judge Vindicant. He then looks to the stand once more. "Mr. Crickets, please answer the question." The answer is a quiet. "Yes." Litigious turns towards a screen in the well. "If you could please turn your attention to exhibit 11 A." The screen then displays a photo of an official Canterlot Guard document. It appears to be a report from Corporal Lance which describes his attempted arrest of a group of muggers, who managed to escape. "Official reports from the Canterlot guard have mentioned a group of young men with descriptions matching those of your group." He asks for the next document to be shown. This one is another report from Coproral Lance, only this time, the suspect descriptions are much more vague. Jimmy seems to become much less comfortable in his seat. Litigious asks for the next document to be shown. This one is from a Guard Sleuth, which describes the arrest of a young man who mugged a nobleman alongside 5 other suspects. This one details each suspect quite clearly. All descriptions matching Jimmy, and the 4 others of his group. "Are you certain this is the first time you, and your group had committed such acts?" Jimmy can feel Judge Vindicant's eye burning a hole into him. "Well... We may have done it a few times before." The prosecutor's voice speaks up once more "Objection! Character Evidence, Your Honor!" This time, Judge Vindicant gives him a less patient "Overruled." (https://youtu.be/b6pvnwwbNFA?si=paeywUYlAeCX6YmC) Litigious continues. "And in your previous 'encounters', did you, or your group use violence?" Jimmy shakes his head. "No. They usually just hand over the-." He stops himself again. He seems to realize he's made quite a big mistake. Damn it! He's not the one on trial! He shouldn't have to answer these questions! "Look, I'm not answering any more questions about that." Judge Vindicant seems to scowl. "Mr. Crickets, you will answer all questions posed to you unless stated otherwise. Do I make myself clear?" In the gallery, Betty Yakushi finds herself surprised. In Ponyville criminal trials, people on the stand can legally refuse to answer questions to avoid incriminating themselves. It looks like the Canterlot criminal courts don't have those same protections. "Answer the question, Mr Crickets." Judge Vindicant appears to be losing his patience. "They usually hand over the money... No problems." Litigious doesn't give Jimmy any time to gather himself. He launches right into his next question. "In the report from the incident, it says Mr. Currant shot Ms. Yakushi with a homemade crossbow. Was this planned?" Another raised voice from the prosecutor. He's starting to sound annoyed. "Objection, Speculation, Your Honor!" Another short "Overruled" is the response. After a moment, Jimmy responds. "No. We were just going to take their money, and leave." "And when Mr. Hedgerow asked you 'Hey Boss, do you think we could get more than money out of them?' What were your thoughts?" The prosecutor seethes quietly in his seat. "I just wanted the money! That's it!" Litigious allows him a moment before continuing with his next question. "Most of the reports from the Canterlot guard indicate having encountered your group near Solaris Plaza. That's quite a ways from Crown Street, and Canterlot Avenue. Was there a reason you changed locations for the night of the incident?" Someone with their wits about them likely would have said something along the lines of "We thought the people there would be richer." Unfortunately for Jimmy, everything was beginning to compound. He knew he was going to be thrown in the dungeon soon enough, but he wasn't going down alone. (https://youtu.be/UtXiYk1WUwQ?si=DnmPMsBAzZXKEtvg) "Lance told us to set up there! Said we'd score big!" Eyes widen, a few voices utter hushed whispers in the gallery. Litigious hides his surprise. "Lance? Are you referring to Canterlot Guard Corporal Gallant Lance?" "Objection! Leading! Your Honor!" A perfectly valid objection in this case. Unfortunately for the prosecution, Judge Vindicant didn't seem to think so at the moment. "Overruled!" His eye burns holes through Jimmy's skull. The young man is visibly in distress. "Yeah! Corporal Lance told us everything! Where to set up, when, and who to target! He knew those girls were rich or something! Told us if we got a decent chunk of money off of them, he might let us off the hook!" Asuka's eyes quickly scan all the guards present in the courtroom. How did that guard know when, and where they would be to tell the muggers? WHY would he tell them? Had he been watching them? For how long? Asuka doesn't feel safe anymore. Beside her, Scrappy looks as though she's about to have a panic attack. Asuka pulls her close, then begins to help her up. Kisho, Juno, and Deena stand with them, and help the two women, and Cookie exit the courtroom. Scrappy only barely able to stop herself from having a full on panic attack in the courtroom. The six sit in the court lobby, doing their best to help Scrappy calm down. They stay in the lobby for an hour, with Kisho consoling the two while Juno, and Deena pull security. Nearly an hour later, Asuka hears a commotion in the courtroom. It begins with angry screams, followed by the muffled shout of Judge Vindicant shouting for the bailiff. There's a thud, then after a few moments, the screaming gets closer, and closer until... Corporal Gallant Lance is dragged from the courtroom by two guards. He screams vitriol back into the courtroom as he's dragged away. "You fucking rat! We had a good thing going! I'll kill you! KILL YOU!" Not long after, Judge Vindicant calls for an early end for the day.