trial #2

[judgejudy]

DAY 4 (afternoon) Complex Population: 32 At noon, the same tone from the morning rings out, and Judy's voice filters out over the intercom. "Good afternoon, residents. As per Safety Protocol 6227-A, it is time to conduct a trial to bring justice for the victim. Please proceed to the courtroom on the first level." Just as at night, if you don't go to the courtroom, you'll be treated to an electric shock of increasing strength until you go to the courtroom or are unconscious. Though considering the ominous penalty for not participating in a trial, you should likely just go rather than risk not voting because you've been knocked out by your own stubbornness... Once you're in the courtroom, you'll find that bottled water and light snacks are provided, but otherwise you'll have to bring anything else you may need. As you come to your conclusions about who to vote for, you can step into the judgement theater to cast your vote at the terminal. You may change your vote as many times as you'd like, but at 7PM, your vote (or lack thereof) is locked in. You have until 7PM to discuss and vote for who you think the murderer is. — ic rulebook character statuses character profiles Voting will close at 9PM EST on 10/15. voting

Comments

[karmas]

[Shaking her finger.] Ah, ah, ah. No. I suggested no one in Charles Fei-Ong's apartment. Which eliminates Miss Veronica Santangelo and Alice. I would not be as certain with Rayfa Padma Khu'rain, but it is possible. Personally, I don't consider Leo Baskerville a suspect, merely the hapless fool who first raised a potential scapegoat.

I believe Bigby Wolf, Luke Castellan, and Elizabeth to be most suspicious, personally. I only wished to be thorough in my assessment of who was involved.

[tearable]

Leave them out of it.

[ Elizabeth says with a soft growl under her breath. ]

I suppose you want to look more towards me - who pushed for an interrogation in the first place.

[karmas]

I will not. I accuse the three of you for no personal reason, and therefore, your appeal to your own personal feelings do not matter to me. You think the fact that you've decided these two are your friends makes them immune to suspicion? Ridiculous.

In fact, I find you less suspicious for the reason that you occasionally disagreed with theories that were brought up accusing others. Most suspicious would be Luke Castellan, and it would be a mistake to discount Lara Croft.

[tearable]

They're not my friend, that's the thing you need to consider. If they'd like to defend themselves, so be it, but I'm the one who made the suggestion to do so. Evidence points to me as the source of what brought Diva to her death by interrogating her so carelessly. That was my mistake.

[ She definitely sounds honest with that. ]

If you plan to travel down the avenue, just know that Bigby and Luke's actions were based solely on my suggestion. I had no idea Luke would get involved and Bigby - his card said he's skilled at interrogating, which is why I pushed for him to.

[karmas]

It's not the interrogation I object to, Elizabeth. It was, in fact, a good idea to interrogate Diva. My intention here isn't to punish you for attempting to find a culprit. Why, if I choose wrongly today, I'm sure many will be angry with me as well, but that will not stop me.

Do you agree or disagree that one of the ones to first agree Diva's actions were likely suspicious is likely to be staff?

[antietam]

I'd have to disagree that Luke is the most suspicious. His actions clearly suggested that he thought he was doing the right thing, just like the others. He's been one of the most active people in trying to figure things out, even if it means putting himself in physical danger.

The staff have more self-preservation than he does.

[selfdenying]

Adam, actually, now that you're speaking up for Luke, may I ask a question?

I'd like to know, how did you and Luke get so close?

[karmas]

All right. I'll accept that argument, Adam Parrish. When did he put himself in physical danger?

[liven]

That's fine and all, since I like that guy, but very quickly will you vote to have that one [ alice? ] renamed Jefferey? The matter is very nearly settled. Luke already voted.

[chiseler]

[He's lifting his head from where it's been burrowed into Adam's shoulder most of the trial while napping, sniffling slightly and coughing to clear his throat. Sorry Adam.]

You can also count me out because I'm a lot more invested in keeping kids alive than killing them. I'm a camp counselor. [A pause.] Also Shijima's right, some of us are usually paranoid anyway but you'd be paranoid too if you were chased by monsters for fourteen years.

[Another pause...and a sneeze. Hopefully this will be over soon, gods.] Also Adam convinced me to abstain and I agreed with his reasoning.

[karmas]

I will not count you out. I don't know you, so I cannot take your motivations at face value.

I won't repeat it again - I do not contest you had rational reasons to interrogate Diva. But I stand by what I said. One of those involved in considering Diva before we changed to abstention was likely staff.

[chiseler]

[Just. Deadeyes.]

And I stand by what I said, but apparently that's not good enough for you? Can I ask why what you're saying is more important and holds more weight than what I have to say? [Welcome to an entitled 19 year old Franziska have fun with that.]

[karmas]

Well, for one thing, the intelligence and ability of the person saying it. [Wagging her finger at him.] But for another, no one can confirm what you say is true. Your character testimony is not credible, and irrelevant. But what I say, that you were one of the ones interrogating Diva, is a fact that can be corroborated.

[selfsufficiency]

[...squints. He sure does have the same symptoms she does.]

How long have you been sick?

[She asks, sniffling.]

[chiseler]

[Hi Alice. He at least looks like he's on the tail end of it but that's troublesome.]

...probably the end of the last trial. I don't think I noticed because Diva broke my nose, but after Adam set it everything made more sense.

[selfsufficiency]

...so I caught this cold from you?!

[Either that or from the fountain. She does remember seeing him in the fountain...]

[antietam]

[ Adam doesn't look too disgusted at least. He's had to deal with this for at least a day so he's used to it now. He'll just pet through Luke's hair. ]

See, it's a lot easier to just listen to me. And you're talking too much. You need to rest.

[chiseler]

[Thank you Adam you're a great pillow tbh]

Man, shut up. [But he's still grinning just a little bit.] I'm resting, but I can still defend myself can't I?

[antietam]

You're going to do a bad job of it at this rate. I can handle it.

[adlucem]

[Under normal circumstances he would probably be angry about this, but-- fine, whatever, he was a fool JUST KEEP ON BRINGING IT UP]

Do you really think this is any better than voting based on weak evidence? [Which is, at the time, what he'd thought he'd been presenting.] I'm not voting for people who just ran with a suggestion I brought up. Being an asshole isn't the same as being a murderer.

[Is he insulting them or defending them, it's hard to tell...]

[karmas]

It's better than voting on weak evidence, yes. It is not better than voting on strong evidence. It is better than voting on nothing. So if you have strong evidence, please, do present it.

[puffing]

[ just going to clear his throat and pipe in right about now. ]

Nice to see you chipping in. Don't think I saw you around too much last time we went through this. You know, when Diva ― the suspect at the time ― decided to admit to having killed in the past and did little to remove suspicion. Be suspicious if you would like, but there was a reason Diva seemed to be guilty at the time. The majority agreed to waiting to vote on her either way.

Luke volunteered to help me when asked. Elizabeth went off of Leo's suspicions and thought we should get more info. And I have my... regrets, to say the least, but what's done is done.

[karmas]

Bigby Wolf, Bigby Wolf. Please, cease being so defensive. I'm not attempting to punish you for your actions, or even saying they were wrong. But the fact remains, the odds of choosing staff correctly are higher if we choose from the individuals who were involved in accusing Diva than they would be if we chose from the entire group.

[puffing]

[ DEEP BREATH. also, what the hell lady, just call him bigby??? it's like he's talking to a lawyer or something, jeez. ]

I get what you're saying. It's a solid theory as far as theories go. But to go and assume the people most proactive in trying to find the fucker or fuckers that did this is guilty can and likely will hurt the entire group.

I can already tell you that I've had a one-on-one with Elizabeth, for the very same concerns you have. There's no evidence to conclude it, but I believe she's innocent. Luke never even said he thought Diva was guilty, but I'm sure he was pissed he got his nose broken by the girl. So unless you want to start a manhunt against me...

[ Bigby'll take a harsh swig of the whiskey granted to him upon Judy's request. he seems open to the idea of her trying. ]

[subsisted]

[ butting in here because? lara blames herself still? cool. she likes bigby. she isn't letting him take the fall for this. ]

Bigby was working off suspicions I fed to him. The case of Jerome Brudos. I trust you're familiar, Franziska? It sounded familiar, and it fit the bill enough. You can't blame Bigby for my mistake.