Trial of Prince Marukus of Fornoire
Charges: Murder, Massacre, Civil Rights Violations, Genocide, Treason, Corruption, Theft, Arson, Damage to Property, Human Rights Violations, Terrorism
Judge: High Judge Nokigenu Regami
Prosecutor: High Prosecutor Prince Mario of Fornoire
Defense Attorney: Lawyer Iginikore Merivena
Trial: Murder of Galadie Aragepuga
List of Evidence:- Knife: The murder weapon. Has no fingerprints. Tested for blood, it gave a faint reaction.
- Glove: Belongs to Tarufoli Koruvusa. He claims he wore it on the day of the crime.
- Autopsy Report: The victim died at 16:40-17:20 due to excessive blood loss caused by a single stab wound to the chest. May have lived for a few minutes after stabbing.
- Galadie's Jacket: The jacket the victim wore the day of the murder. Soaked with the victim's blood.
- Galadie's Biology II Book: The victim's book. Soaked with the victim's blood.
- Galadie's Phone: The victim's phone. Last call was made 16:48 to Modeluxe Aurumile. Has the victim's blood.
Judge (J): All rise
The people rise
J: Court is now in session for the trial of Prince Marukus of Fornoire. The charge is murder of Galadie Aragepuga. How does the defense plea?
Defense Attorney (DA): Not guilty, Your Honour.
J: The prosecution may begin with its opening statement.
High Prosecutor (HP): It pains me to see my cousin in such a situation...however, he must be tried for his crimes.
HP: As we are aware, Galadie Aragepuga was murdered by the soldier Tarufoli Koruvusa, which was ordered by Prince Marukus of Fornoire. He is being tried at the neighbouring courtroom as we speak, and from what I've heard from Prosecutor Akua Vilope, he has already plead guilty, as an honest man.
Cousin, this simple soldier has more dignity than you. I can't believe you would fall so low.
DA: Objection! This is unjust badgering of the defendant!
J: Objection sustained. The prosecution will refrain from badgering the defendant.
HP: Fine. Let me call my first witness. Will Modeluxe Aurumile take the stand?
-------
HP: Witness. Your name, age and profession, please.
Modeluxe Aurumile (W1): My name? Modeluxe Aurumile. Age? 27. Profession? Unemployed Student at Catherine University of the Sciences
HP: You saw the events transpire the day of the murder. You saw the victim, Galadie Aragepuga, a known socialist in your campus, being skewered to death?
W1: Yes, High Prosecutor.
HP: Please, offer your testimony on what you witnessed. Tarufoli Koruvusa killing the victim, and what transpired after that!
TESTIMONY
W1: It was around 16:45 when the murder happened, I believe.
W1: Me and Galadie were talking a bit earlier, and we finished at 16:43.
W1: Then, suddently, I saw a soldier running towards Galadie in the distance.
W1: I saw him being.....being st-stabbed.....
W1: The soldier saw me as well. He ran towards me, and I ran for my life.
W1: I managed to escape by losing the soldier. I hid in a nearby forest until around 19:00, as I remember my phone losing battery at 18:54.
W1: When I came back to the hallway, the soldier was gone, and the body as well.
W1: I then saw soldiers at campus, putting the body at the center of the campus plaza at around 19:00-19:30, I believe. All the students were astonished, frightened, and sad. They wept for Galadie after the soldiers left at around 20:00.
W1: As I am researching forensic science, I made an autopsy to the best of my ability. The victim died at around 16:40-17:20 by excessive blood loss from a single stab wound to the chest. He might've lived for a few more minutes.
J: You may cross-examine the witness, Mr. Merivena
CROSS-EXAMINATION
DA: Wait a minute, how is your autopsy report even accepted as official evidence?
W1: It's simple, actually. I am one of the best-ranking students in my class, and I am on my last year. I also worked as an intern with the police and simulations in my class in order to get experience.
DA: Then your testimony has a contradiction.
W1: How?
DA: You say that he was stabbed at 16:45, but why would the autopsy report say 16:40?
HP: Objection! This is irrelevant!
W1: No, it is okay anyway. I'll tell him.
W1: Autopsies are not exact, Mr. Merivena. They are just an estimate, pure and simple.
DA: Eh...eh....
HP: Finished, Mr. Merivena?
DA: No. Mr. Aurumile, could the victim move after being stabbed?
W1: I believe he could.
DA: Did you see him move?
W1: No, never. I ran for my life.
DA: Did he call you in his last moments?
W1: No. If he did, I didn't notice. I put my phone on silence in the forest, and only checked it to see the time.
DA: Didn't you think you could check the notifications?
W1: No. My only objective was to save battery as long as I could. Besides, my phone's password settings makes it impossible to show notifications without inserting the password to open the phone.
DA: How can you even back up this statement?
HP: May I talk, Your Honor?
J: Yes, you may.
HP: This phone keeps a record of when the password was changed for security, and these logs cannot be deleted. The password was changed 3 months before the murder. This model, For-7X, from the company of Forcell, came with this special feature in case of fraud.
DA: Witness, what can you describe about the soldier's appearance? Was he wearing green gloves?
W1: I did see him wearing gloves.
DA: Do they have blood? When the victim was stabbed?
W1: Yes.
DA: Objection! Your Honor, I would like to present the glove as evidence!
J: What is this all about?
DA: This glove. It has no blood, yes?
J: I believe not.
DA: Exactly! The witness has just testified to the contrary!
HP: Objection! Your Honor, it is true that the glove had blood. However, it was wiped off.
DA: What?!
HP: Because of time constraints, we had no time to undergo a full analysis, nor we knew of the existance of the blood. However, Tarufoli himself confessed that he wiped the blood off. He couldn't stand seeing it, as according to him, he was overwhelmed with guilt after committing the deed.
DA: But...but! This was not mentioned!
HP: I apologize to the court and to the attorney there for this inconvenience. We have just received this testimony from the recently-concluded trial next door. The prosecution presents the court with Tarufoli's Testimony as evidence!
J: The court accepts this apology, and the evidence.
HP: Stop grasping at straws, Mr. Merivena. This testimony is solid because it is the truth.
DA: No...no more questions, Your Honor.
J: Well then! I believe we have reached a conclusion.
J: It is clear to me now. The defendant is guilty. Not only does this testimony proves this crime, the co-killer has already confessed, and the evidence backing the prosecution's case is even more solid.
J: Allow me to make a closing statement before I give my sentence.
J: Marukus, I think that you have disturbed order in our society. You have caused excessive grief with your regime. Thousands killed, all for a single thing: power.
J: I hereby sentence the defendant, Prince Marukus, as guilty!
J: The defendant shall face 40 years in prison, with no chance of parole. There will be no appeal, due to the strength of the prosecution's case.
J: That is all. Court is adjourned!