Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney/Episode 5: Rise from the Ashes/Day 3 - Trial Former

'This is a very confusing case indeed. The same person was killed in two places at the same time. In the Defendants Lobby, Lana will tell you despite a long questioning, the police are entirely clueless, even Lana is in the dark.'

Day Three: Court Mode
Edgeworth states that it takes 30 minutes to reach from the Police Station to the Prosecutor's Office, and yet Goodman was disappeared in the former and was found at the latter. Edgeworth promises to bring accurate evidence to court. He calls Mike Meekins to the stand.

Meekins promptly admits to the murder. However, Edgeworth still demands that Meekins will give the report about the murder.

Crime Report, Sir!: Cross-Examination
Press all of Meekins' statement. Meekins was assigned to guard the Blue Badger (the dancing contraption in front of the Police Department). It was during the ceremony, so Meekins had to put it in the Evidence Room. Meekins needed an ID card to enter the Evidence Room. Meekins reveals his ID Number, 4989596. If you look carefully, the number was used twice, 25 minutes before the crime, and around the same time as Goodman! The first time for relocating the Blue Badger, the second time to get it back. The ID Card Record will be updated in the Court Record. When Meekins saw the knife, He was swinging his arms, cutting his hand in the process. Meekins eventually disarmed Goodman, who, with a mess of Meekins' blood, punched Meekins in the face. Meekins was slapped awake at 5:30. Afterwords he went to finish his deed, to put the Blue Badger back to its place.

Cross-Examination Ends

The Judge believes he has heard an accurate testimony, but one thing remains unclear, was the man murdered at the Police Station really Goodman? Meekins then presents a video tape of the murder sent by Chief Gant. Meekins was told to erase it but couldn't do so. We then see the tape.

Here is the description of the tape. The camera pans left and right:


 * Right view 1: Nothing interesting here, maybe.
 * Left view 1: Goodman walks by.
 * Right view 2: Goodman opens his locker
 * Left view 2: Meekins walks by
 * Right view 3: Meekins and Goodman notice each other and began fighting.
 * Left view 3: The fight continues as the camera faces away from them.
 * Right view 4: The fight just passed as we see Meekins knocked out cold. We don't see Goodman for some reason.
 * Left view 4: Nothing interesting here, maybe.

As you can see in everyone's faces, while it proves Meekins did encounter someone and there was some activity, the tape doesn't show the man's face, and what happened. Edgeworth tells Meekins to describe the man.

Mystery Man: Cross-Examination
Press Meekins' 5th statement. Edgeworth asks if there is a problem with the video tape. Say There is a problem. You then examine the tape.

Right view 1: Look at Goodman's locker. It's lit up! Present it. If the locker was lit, then its opened. Goodman's locker was lit, so it is already opened. The Judge wants you to show why. You examine the tape again.

Right view 2: If you look closely at Goodman's locker as it opens, you see something fall out. Pause at the right time and Present it. If the locker was closed, but not locked, the the object might have been stuck between the door and the sensor. The Judge wants you to present the thin insulator. Present the Rubber Glove. It says "SL-9 Incident", and with this glove, anyone could have opened the locker.

Cross-Examination Ends

Edgeworth isn't willing to give in, as he has Meekins testify more about the tape.

Meekins' Testimony: Mystery Man (2)
Edgeworth even has the ID Card Record to prove that Goodman's card was used. It was due to transferals, but why a few people? You began the cross examination.

Mystery Man (2): Cross-Examination
On Meekins' 4th statement, Present Goodman's Lost Item Report. Goodman has lost something important to him, likely his ID Card, since it wasn't with him on the day of the crime. This proves that the man that Meekins encountered is not Goodman. Edgeworth then makes a conclusion, If that's true, then the murder might not have taken place in the evidence room, so what the camera showed is fake, thus, the primary location of the murder is the Underground Parking Lot, with Lana Skye the defendant.

Cross-Examination Ends

Object to this. While the camera doesn't show the moment of the murder, it is still, however related to the case. Time to call someone to the stand. If asked who, Present Jake Marshall. Edgeworth agrees and calls him to the stand. The Judge calls a 30-minute recess.

Recess
Lana tells Phoenix that hes is knowing something. Lana seems to know something about the case herself, but doesn't want to talk about it, even to her sister, why? Gumshoe then comes in to bring files, from the SL-9 Incident, at Lana's request. It is also revealed that Lana was a witness on that case. The SL-9 Incident Files will be added to the court record. In there, you see a list of people involved in the case known as the "Joe Darke Killings", and one of them is Ema, who runs off crying seeing that. Gumshoe leaves too. Lana wises you best of luck.

Court Mode: Part 2
Ema hasn't come back, so you won't have any help this time. Edgeworth calls Jake Marshall to the stand. He testifies the day of the crime.

Marshall's Testimony: Day of the Crime
Two security systems? Marshall is talking about the security camera, and the ID Card reader. He doesn't know about the lockers though.

Day of the Crime: Cross-Examination
It's finally time to use that trump card. Present Marshall's Fingerprints on Marshall's 4th statement. If Marshall wasn;t at the department, why were Marshall's bloody fingerprints on one of the lockers? Marshall denies it, but Edgeworth has him testify about the fingerprints.

Bloodstained Fingerprints: Cross-Examination
Press Marshall's 1st statement. Marshall tells you that it was his locker the handprint was on, so it wouldn't be a surprise that Marshall's fingerprints were on it. Marshall's Fingerprints will be updated to the Court Record.

The murderer was wearing gloves? Press Marshall's 5th statement. How does he know about that? Edgeworth states that they tried out the prints and found nothing, so they assumed that he is wearing gloves. Marshall presents the video tape whom he says to catch all. Marshall adds this to his testimony.


 * Too bad it wasn't me in that video, right, pardner?

Press on that statement. The camera was moving back and forth and it doesn't show the floor, so if someone was familiar with the movement, he could have found a way to leave the room without getting caught. The Judge wants to know if you have any proof. Choose Show evidence, and you'll examine the tape.

Left view 4 look at Jake's locker. There is a cloth sticking out. If you rewind it, you'll see it wasn't there before. Present this to court. If that locker can only be opened by Marshall, then he might have put the cloth in there, thus proving that the Goodman in this video was indeed Marshall.

Marshall wants proof. Present the Evidence Locker, and Marshall will freak, as he doesn't know about the new lockers.

Cross-Examination Ends

The Judge wants Marshall to testify, but Phoenix wants to find out himself. The Judge asks you to show where Marshall was. You examine the floor plans. Present the Victim's Spot. It is clear that it was Goodman's spot, but recall Meekins' story, if he asked Goodman for his ID Card, why didn't he just show it, rather than have his knife out? If he did show his ID Card, his cover would have been blown.

Marshall is still not giving up as you still don't have any solid proof. You don't have any, but Edgeworth says you should go back to the basics. Instead of showing direct evidence, show evidence for a reason for Marshall to put the cloth in the locker. The tape should answer your questions, so you look at the tape once more.

Right view 3. Pause just as Goodman (if he is Goodman) lunges at Meekins. There's blood on his shoulder, LOTS of it! Present this to court. There was lot's of blood on it, so it would be too obvious that he fought Meekins. So someone had to hide it, and that hiding spot must be Jake Marshall's locker.

Cross-Examination Ends

Marshall says "are you happy now Edgeworth?" for two years ago, as his persistence is what got Marshall into this mess. The Judge has Marshall confess.

Marshall's Testimony: Marshall's Confession
No murder huh? Then why was there large amounts of blood on the floor? Marshall says Meekins was the donor, since he cut his hand, but isn't that a little too much blood?

Marshall's Confession: Cross-Examination
Press all of Marshall's statements.

1st statement: He couldn't just let th SL-9 Incident die, he wanted to look at the evidence one last time. He wasn't in charge for that case. That's his reason for stealing Goodman's ID and clothing.

2nd statement: The reason he stole Goodman's ID and clothing is because if he was caught taking evidence, he would be caught stealing. He also fooled the camera too, but there was one thing he didn't count on, fingerprints. He managed to open the door, so Goodman might have opened the door before Marshall.

3rd statement: Marshall expected to be there for about five minutes, but he didn't expect Meekins to be in that room. Marshall is still holding the knife he used to cut Meekins' hand.

4th statement: He knew the tape would be erased soon, but with the commotion with Meekins, he had to do something not to get caught.

5th statement: When Marshall opened Goodman's locker, the evidence was actually missing, according to Edgeworth, it wasn't found yet.

Phoenix asks Marshall why he went through such lengths trying to get the evidence (i.e. stealing a detective's ID, injuring a police officer (Meekins)) Marshall wanted evidence he was satisfied with, and adds this to his testimony.


 * I can't just forget the SL-9 Incident... You know why?

Press on that statement. Though the serial killings of "Joe Darke" are solved two years ago, Marshall felt that something isn't right. He doesn't know what, so you have to show him a reason. Present the SL-9 Incident Files to the same statement (just after the 5th). There is a name called Marshall, "Neil Marshall". Jake Marshall says Neil was a prosecutor, just like Edgeworth, also his brother. He was the one that handled the Incident, but was killed, so Edgeworth had to take it himself. Neil and Jake once worked with a group of detectives led by Damon Gant. They were desperate for answers. Eventually Neil fought Darke, but was killed, and thus, left evidence the they needed. But Marshall knew his brother, he wouldn't never lose a fight, so in the last day the files could be reopened, he stole an ID, intended to steal evidence, and assaulted a police officer.

Cross-Examination Ends

The good news is, now you know what happened at the Police Department. The bad news is, this also makes Lana, your client, a primary suspect again. Seeing Lana the only person to have committed the crime, The Judge declares a verdict, but is stopped.

It's Ema! Ema wants the Judge to hear you out. After hearing her name on the SL-9 Incident Files, Ema went to the evidence room again to recheck the handprint on Gumshoe's locker, she found nothing again. She leaves you to do the talking. But you have nothing. The Judge asks you if there is something not right with the handprint. Say I object. Something might not have been drawn in the floor plans. If it has, then the handprint may change the case. If asked what could have been drawn on there, Present the Blue Badger Panel. The Blue Badger was dancing at the time the fight took place, and, from where it's dancing, it would've been impossible to place a handprint on Gumshoe's Locker.

Ema comes back and comes up with a solution. If the print wasn't there during the fight, it may have been put there before the fight happened. Thus, blood was spilled at the evidence room twice! So, something might have happened in there before the commotion caught on tape. However, you need proof, so when you get the chance, Present the ID Card Record. If the murder took place before the fight, it would be either 4:40 or 4:20. But it would've been impossible for Edgeworth to clean up the act before Meekins brought the Blue Badger, so the only remaining number is "7777777". If Goodman lost that ID Card that day, then he could've walked in with the real murderer. The Judge asks if Edgeworth knows the holder of this ID, he hasn't, as he doesn't have the authority to look up someone as high as a executive, unless he/she is charged.

Just by that, Marshall mocks Edgeworth with his "cover-ups" and "forgeries" and says "That's how the Prosecutor's Office operates!" Edgeworth wants Marshal to keep his "slander" to himself. Marshall then asks a question to Lana, "In that trail two years ago... did you really use legitimate evidence?". Lana says when she became a prosecutor, she thought she can suppress law, but was the one being suppressed.

Lana then answers Marshall's question to Edgeworth, "We did what we had to... in order to get the verdict he deserved. Even if it involved "forging" evidence."

Lana's last bit left the court in such a ruckus, that the Judge was forced to adjourn court for today