Courtroom Lobby[edit]
As Ryunosuke and Susato prepare for the trial, Soseki notes that the courtroom has drawn a great number of spectators. Susato confirms that this is most likely due to the reputation of Barok van Zieks, otherwise known as the Reaper of the Bailey, as he appears all over the front page of the day's newspapers. Why did Van Zieks choose only to appear in trials against Ryunosuke after his hiatus? According to Susato, there can only be one explanation: Ryunosuke's extraordinarily bad luck. Regardless, Ryunosuke chooses to believe in Soseki, and will fight for him even against the Reaper. The trio is then called into court to begin the trial.
Trial begins[edit]
Prosecutor Barok van Zieks calls Inspector Gregson to the stand to go over the details of the case, as examined by the police. Gregson uses a map to demonstrate where the stabbing occurred. The Case File, containing an overview of the case, is entered into the Court Record. Gregson then introduces the assault weapon, found in the victim's back. Though the blade is heavy, the judge notes that it is a common knife. The Jackknife is entered into the Court Record.
Gregson then admits that the police haven't been able to determine a motive for the stabbing, which Ryunosuke objects to; if there was no motive, then why did they arrest Soseki? Van Zieks has Gregson go forward with testimony to explain why the police came to arrest him.
Gregson's Testimony: Mr Natsume's Arrest[edit]
- As I said, it was five o'clock in the afternoon when the incident occurred. And there was an unusually light fog.
- Visibility was reasonably good, and there was no one else about but the victim and the accused.
- Out of the blue, the victim was stabbed from behind and subsequently collapsed on the pavement.
- The accused ran off, scatterin' his belongings all over the floor.
- Those bein' a number of old books he'd just bought. He was on his way home from a bookshop, it seems.
- It was just a matter of workin' out who the books belonged to, and we found the bloke to arrest him.
Gregson then presents a photograph of the crime scene as evidence to support his testimony. In the photograph, the books scattered by the defendant are clearly visible alongside the fallen victim, who has a knife in her back. The Crime Scene Photograph is entered into the Court Record.
Mr Natsume's Arrest: Cross Examination[edit]
Press statement 5. Gregson claims that Soseki was on his way home from a bookshop, and he pulls out the map in order to help make his point. The closest bookshop to the defendant's lodgings is Bourbon Books, located on the opposite side of Briar Road. Therefore, the route taken by the defendant would clearly place him in the path of the stabbing. The Local Map's information has been updated in the Court Record, but something isn't right about this.
When asked of the importance of what Gregson just testified to, select The bookshop's name. At the new statement 5, present the Secondhand Book Receipt. The name of the bookshop listed on the receipt, Yore Books, directly contradicts Gregson's testimony. The Local Map's information has been updated in the Court Record, but van Zieks contends that this changes nothing about the route taken by Soseki. When given the chance, choose to Raise an objection. Soseki could have taken a route away from the stabbing, but this doesn't convince the jury. It's time for a summation examination.
Judicial Findings: The Jurors' Contentions[edit]
Judicial Findings
- The Jurors' Contentions -
Juror No. 1: For pity's sake, that little Nipponese oddity already admitted it himself, didn't he?
Juror No. 2: If he said that a woman in green collapsed before his eyes, why it can only have been the victim!
Juror No. 3: The man wouldn't have gone around the houses on his way back from the bookshop. Not in winter!
Juror No. 4: So the poor woman was attacked from behind, was she? How dreadful!
Juror No. 5: I really don't care! Can't we just wrap this up now? I've got work to be doing!
Juror No. 6: Hm, Yore Books, yes... Nice shop, that. But Bourbon Books? ...Hmph, no, not worth a visit.
Jury Examination: The Defence's Rebuttal[edit]
Press Juror 5's statement. He notes that he was doing work on Meerschaum Street. If you take a look at the Local Map, you should see Meerschaum Street directly above Briar Road, on the route that Soseki would have taken from Yore Books as proposed by Gregson and van Zieks. But if the street was being dug up at the time, could Soseki really have gone that way? Juror 5 updates this information to his formal statement. Pit Jurors 3 and 5 against each other.
Press Juror 6's statement. He claims that he was at Yore Books on the day of the attack, and was on his way home around the time that the victim was attacked. He then slipped on some ice on Calabash Road and took a hard fall. Could this have been what the witnesses saw? Pit Jurors 2 and 6 against each other.
Now that the jury has been swayed, the trial can continue, and the witnesses are at last called to the stand.
Patricia's Testimony: What the Witnesses Saw[edit]
- It was our wedding anniversary, and Roly was taking me out for a meal. There was no time to change after work.
- Anyway, two silhouettes appeared out of the fog on the pavement in front of us.
- All of a sudden, one of them just collapsed on the floor. Then the other scattered something before running off!
- We ran straight over of course, and then went for help at a nearby police box.
- It was definitely that Japanese man in the dock. Roly and I both saw him as clear as day!
What the Witnesses Saw: Cross Examination[edit]
Press the first, fourth, and fifth statements. Patricia clarifies that it was her who ran to a police box for help, as Roly guarded the scene. Before he sent her away, Roly gave Patricia directions to the "right" police box, as each area has its own police box and beat cops associated with it. This new information could be helpful, but as far as their account of Soseki running from the scene goes, it seems that the witnesses are being truthful. Patricia, however, is dissatisfied with Ryunosuke's questioning, and decides to add some information to her testimony.
Present the Crime Scene Photograph or the Secondhand Book Receipt at the amended testimony. Patricia mentions that there were four books at the scene, but the photograph only shows three. If you've presented the Crime Scene Photograph, when prompted to show proof that the defendant did not actually drop four books at the scene, present the Secondhand Book Receipt. Even if the victim's body was obscuring the fourth book in the photograph, the receipt proves that Soseki only purchased three books that day. If you've presented the Secondhand Book Receipt, you won't have to present the Crime Scene Photograph as Ryunosuke will present it himself in his explanation of the information mentioned above. However, it seems van Zieks was holding some information back.
Crime Scene Photograph #2 and The Fourth Book are entered into the Court Record. This evidence presented by van Zieks not only proves that there was indeed a fourth book at the scene, but that Patricia's testimony was accurate after all, and her recollection can no longer be called into question. Because the fourth book was not listed in the receipt and the victim was found holding it, van Zieks hypothesizes that the book actually belonged to the victim. But is that really all there is to it?
Examine the scorch mark on the back of The Fourth Book. When prompted, choose to raise an objection. When asked to present evidence that has been overlooked, present The Fourth Book. When asked to present a vital clue concealed by the book, present the scorch mark. Why was the victim holding an unreadable book? This can only be described as unnatural. However, van Zieks continues to argue that it has no bearing on the case. When prompted to provide what can be ascertained from the fire damage on the book, select it's owner.
Present John Garrideb or Joan Garrideb when asked to identify the owner of the book. The book's title and the fire damage on its back are clear indicators that the book came from the incident exposed by Ryunosuke and Sholmes at the Garrideb's residence. But how could it have gotten in the hands of the victim? The trial must continue in order to uncover the truth.