Thread: ROGUES GALLERY - Courtroom (Jeremy - NOT GUILTY) MODS: PLEASE LOCK

The Evidence: Rogues Gallery Issue #3

All rise! The high court of the honorable Judge M.M. is now in session!

The Defendant Jeremiah Darius is accused of assaulting law-enforcement officers, resisting arrest, and assaulting a civilian.

The Prosecuting Attorney will now present their case, followed by the Defense.

(Voting note: Whichever verdict receives five votes first will be declared the final-verdict - unless the difference in votes is less than three, in which case voting will continue until a verdict reaches ten votes, or the Judge issues a ruling in the jury's stead)

The prosecutor stands. He first reminds the jury of Jeremy's status as a registered physio-anomalous entity with total power over water. He goes on to say that, at each of the locations where the transgressions allegedly took place, there were reports of flooding, and investigations revealed severe water damage and, occasionally, shards of ice. As there had been no storms at the time and place the transgressions occurred, the weather could not be to blame for this.

In the matter of the assaulted civilian, the prosecutor calls the proprietor of the Cape May ice cream parlor as a witness. Responding to the prosecutor's questions, the proprietor reports that a young woman claiming to be self-proclaimed terrorist Icira Witherflame and a man wearing a conspicuous Spandex getup were assaulted by Jeremy, who shot ice shards at them and then sealed the door shut. The man in Spandex proceeded to call the police, but shortly thereafter the three started talking amicably amongst themselves. The boy apparently went with the police without argument when they arrived.

The prosecutor then calls the officer who had been guarding Jeremy's cell as a witness. He reports that he fell asleep on duty, and when he awoke, the boy was gone.

No other officers involved in the incidents are available to comment due to having been hospitalized or otherwise incapacitated.

The prosecutor finally calls a scientist whom Jeremy had recently had dealings with as his final witness. The scientist reports that Jeremy had commissioned an expensive anti-laser, but then failed to pay for it in full, filling the bottom of the suitcase containing the money with dictionaries to make up the weight. The prosecutor proposes adding theft on top of the existing charges.

In conclusion, the prosecutor finds Jeremy to be a heinous felon who deserves at least Security Level 1 imprisonment in New Alcatraz. The prosecutor takes his seat.

Thank you, Prosecutor. The Defense may now present its arguments.

The defense stands. She states that while Jeremy claimes to be guilty of theft, assault of police officers, and the sealing of the door of the ice cream parlor in Cape May, there is a lot more information to reveal.

The defense calls a bystander at the Cape May incedent as a witness. He states that two people at the parlor claimed to be Dissaray, the criminal famous for avoiding the authorities, and Icira Witherflame, the terrorist that intended to build a giant laser to destroy D.C.

She then calls a member of the army to the stand. He states that he was there when Jeremy was fighting Dissaray. He also states that there was also a man there, who claimed to be Carlos Witherflame, who was supposedly Icira's cousin. He continues by saying that this Carlos person attempted to lauch a giant laser at the Capitol building, right before Jeremy absorbed it with the contraption that he partially stole, thus saving D.C. Presenting the device to the court, he then reports that after Jeremy foiled Dissaray's and Carlos's plan, that Carlos suddenly dropped to the ground dead.

A police officer then wheels over to the stand, as he was put in a wheelchair. He states that he was part of the group that was chasing Jeremy. After the defense asked him some questions, he reports that he was not injured by Jeremy, nor was any member of the police squad. Rather, he was injured by Dissaray, which he gave the exact height measurments for. He also states that once Icira was in captivity, she suddenly dropped dead, much like Carlos did afterward, and that if Jeremy hadn't kept them at bay, D.C. would have been doomed.

The witness from before then came back to the stand, stating that the person who claimed to be Dissaray was about the same height as the measurments from before. The defense then concludes that, as a villain and Icira's sidekick, that Jeremy didn't assault "innocent civilians," rather, Icira and Dissaray themselves.

She then concludes that if Jeremy hadn't have escaped from prison, washed away the police, and partially stolen the anti-laser, then, once again, D.C. would have been destroyed. She then recalls that those who use thier powers in a negative way for a positive purpose may be excused from New Alkatraz. Finally, she states that Jeremy should, however, be kept in solitary confinement until more is found out about Icira and Carlos, as he is guilty of theft. The defense takes her seat.

The floor is now open for Jury deliberations.

Well, I personally find the defendant not guilty for numerous reasons.

My first reasoning is because in no way did the defendant have any intention to hurt anyone, his only concern was the safety of the city. Second, the "self proclaimed terrorist" Icira Witherflame is not self proclaimed because she is listed as one and is on many wanted lists as are most Supervillians. The only reason the defendant had seemed to attack was that he saw the threat and decided to protect the civilians. Third, the defendant has been accused of stealing a machine that had the ability to absorb a massive laser. He, quote "payed some of it but filled the bottom with dictionary's". Now, I'm sure the defendant probably had trouble getting the financial support for this machine and was in a rush.

Even though claimed Not Guilty, the defendant should remain in custody until the deaths of the Witherflame duo are figured out. In this time, the defendant will preform community service by helping to clear flooded areas and he will also pay back the man he semi-payed.

OOC: Icira actually wasn't actually wanted when the RP started.

Jeremy is almost certainly guilty. Whether or not he saved D.C. is totally irrelevant. While it is indeed true he saved America's capital, he had no proof that the duo were planning anything. What if they weren't? He would have assaulted police, wrecked an ice cream shop, disrupted a funeral, and could quite possibly have killed a pair of mourners. While he got lucky this time, what about next time he tries to arrest someone? What if the corporate executive isn't corrupt? What if the scientist isn't mad? If he doesn't go to jail, he would have their blood on his hands. And even though he did save D.C., did he need to cause so much property damage? Many heroes have saved cities without causing any harm to them. But Jeremy showed no concern for the places he wanted to save.

"Objection!" the defendant yelled. "The duo was clearly intent on destroying D.C. After all, every single witness that saw the scene saw Mr. Witherflame blast a laser at the capitol, with Dissaray assisting him. And even if Jeremy trashed the said areas, that isn't a matter to discuss here. Like I said, while Jeremy may need some time in juvenile hall, because of the fact that everything else that he did was needed to save D.C., it proves it irrelevant in this case!"

No. That's not the point. The point is, up until they actually revealed the laser, Jeremy had little reason to believe they were actually going to do anything illegal, and still attacked them. For example, during the funeral procession, everyone thought Icira was dead, yet he still attacked for no obvious reason. What if they were really just normal people? Besides, even if we disregard that, he could still likely have achieved the same ends legally. And considering that is one of the charges brought against him, the property damage should be discussed here.

"No, you're the one missing the point." she says. "Even though, as you said, he had little reason to belive that the villains were doing anything, they did do illegal stuff in the end, correct? And matters like property buisiness are best discussed in a proper court, not here. I'm pretty sure we decide who goes to New Alkatraz here, not who goes to juvenile hall."

OOC: Not to but in, but this actually is a proper courtroom, and the fact that Jeremy used his powers to commit these crimes means that, if found guilty, he could be sent to New Alcatraz.

Like Mr. OOC said, this is a proper courtroom. And the point isn't whether they did illegal stuff or not. It's that he had little proof they were doing evil stuff, and it was just as likely they were just a pair of random people who dressed oddly. In other words, he got lucky and assaulted villains this time, but what about next time? Also, they had yet to actually commit crimes when he attacked them. So when they were attacked, they were still civilians under the eyes of the law. After all, if someone shoots someone, and ten years later that person robs a bank, the person who shot the bank robber should still go to jail in the mean time.

Yes but to argue your point Mr. Tamaki, were not concerned with the future were concerned with the near past and present. The fact that he had knowledge of the duo's plans gave him clearance under the new amendment to stop him. Like we said, his deeds will not go unpunished but him being sent to New Alkatraz is taking it to far.

Originally Posted by Derier44

Yes but to argue your point Mr. Tamaki, were not concerned with the future were concerned with the near past and present. The fact that he had knowledge of the duo's plans gave him clearance under the new amendment to stop him. Like we said, his deeds will not go unpunished but him being sent to New Alkatraz is taking it to far.

For clarity, under current law, Jeremy could be sent to New Alcatraz, Juvenile Hall, OR sentenced to Community Service if he is found guilty. If the jury issues a Guilty verdict, the judge will decide the sentencing.

OOC: Is anyone allowed to be jury? If not I will delete this...

If so I would just like to state that I believe that the defendant is not guilty because though he did perform the said actions that could be taken to be "illegal", he acted in the heat of the moment to protect the people of the city. If he hadn't and this was a threat then we would have many dead civilians, so I believe his acts were justified.