The Let's Play Archive

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

by Mors Rattus

Part 87: Case 5 - Rise From the Ashes - Trial (Day 3) - Part 7

Case 5 - Rise From the Ashes
Trial (Day 3) - Part 7









: When you say "it," you mean...
: Do you even have to ask, pardner?
: (The SL-9 Incident...)
: Two years have passed since that case was closed.
: It was going to completely end with the transferal that day.
: Not if I have anything to do with it.
: That incident's not over!
: But what did you hope to accomplish by sneaking into the evidence room?
: When a case is closed, only the detective who was in charge of it can look through the evidence. I wanted to have a look at it myself one more time...
: no matter what the cost. I don't care what anyone says, pardner.
: That case is mine.
: (But Officer Marshall wasn't in charge of that investigation.)
: (Why does he care so much about it?)
: That day was my last chance. That's why I...





: Why did you disguise yourself as Detective Goodman?
: If I didn't make it look like Goodman was carrying out the evidence transferal... I'd be arrested for stealing evidence, which wouldn't get me anywhere.





: I stole that the morning of the incident.



: I returned his ID card. I left it on the floor in
: the Prosecutor's Office parking lot.
: (The ID card I found was left there)
: (by Officer Marshall!)
: So essentially...
: You managed to succeed despite your lack of foresight.
: What do you mean... pardner?
: I mean the fingerprint-activated lock, of course.
: No matter how well you disguise yourself, you can't change your fingerprints.
: Normally, that locker shouldn't have opened.









: You pulled a knife on Officer Meekins and tried to drive him off?
: Let's just say I was a little surprised. I only planned on being in the evidence room for no more than five minutes.
: I didn't think anyone would actually come in during that short time.



: Officer Meekins... certainly is a one-in-a-million type of person.
: Mistaking a detective for an intruder and demanding to be shown his ID...
: I'll have to think a little more about his raise this year...
: (When did Edgeworth get so much influence...?)
: Anyway, he threw himself at me, and I ended up cutting him slightly. I'm sorry it had to turn out that way...
: with me knocking him out and everything.
: By the way, what happened to your knife?
: Oh, you mean this one?
: ... (I don't know what to say...)
: Hmm...
: So, what happened next?





: So you did your research beforehand.
: Those who go into the desert unprepared don't live long, pardner. I didn't think it would make a difference though. The security tape is erased every
: six hours. If all had gone as planned, no footage would have been left.
: However...



: If someone was in the security room when I came out, the jig would have been up.
: I opened my locker and stashed it in there.
: What was Officer Meekins doing during that time?
: What else? He was sleeping like a baby.
: So what you're saying is, on that day...







: But the blood found at the scene certainly indicates a crime took place!
: What are you, blind?



: So, you stole the evidence from the locker?
: Actually...
: no, I didn't.
: Why not?
: When I opened the locker,
: the evidence was already gone.
: What!?
: Mr. Edgeworth. Where is that evidence?
: It's still missing, Your Honor.



: (Detective Goodman's locker was already empty...)
: (Someone else stole the evidence!)



: Officer Marshall. May I ask you one thing?
: Fire away, pardner. It's a free country. Just remember,
: I'm also free to decide whether or not to answer.
: Why did you do this?
: Stealing a detective's ID, injuring a police officer...
: This is no small offense!



: Moreover, you're an officer yourself.
: This will have serious consequences.
: It can't just be forgiven with a simple cut in salary.
: (Not that salary cuts are ever a valid solution...)
: ...
: Like I said. This isn't your case.
: This one is mine. And I'll do anything it takes to get an answer I'm satisfied with.
: Hmm...
: The witness has an unusual amount of zeal. Let's hear more.







: But that case was solved two years ago, wasn't it?



: That's the reason the evidence was stored in the evidence room.
: Joe Darke was convicted for those crimes.
: One thing I can say for sure, he deserved his sentence.
: I remember the Joe Darke case...
: It involved serial murders, didn't it?
: I don't intend to complain about how it turned out, but there's something that still bothers me. Something went down at that trial.
: Something no one will talk about.
: What happened?
: I don't know. That's what I'm trying to find out.
: ...
: (Why is he so concerned with that incident?)



Loop.

: (I had a feeling we'd wind up here sooner or later...)
: (Everyone involved here is related in some way to that case...)
: (I'd better take another look at the files.)

This one isn't hard.














: Officer Marshall. I think I understand.
: I think I know why you care so much about the SL-9 Incident.
: Sounds like you've been sipping too much cactus juice, pardner.
: I have the SL-9 Incident file here. The name
: "Marshall" is mentioned in here...
: !
: in a list of murder victims.
: "Neil Marshall"... Are you related to this man?
: Neil Marshall...?
: Yeah, I'm sure you've heard the name. Two years ago...





: What!? A prosecutor...?
: (He must be talking about)
: (the King of Prosecutors award.)
: Now I remember...
: Prosecutor Neil Marshall.
: He handled the SL-9 case before I did.
: That's right. He was killed...
: and the case fell into your hands.
: But what's his relation to you...?





: He was investigating the murders with Damon Gant, Chief Detective at the time.



: We were desperate to prosecute the killer.



: My brother fought Darke and was killed. That was the first time Darke left behind any evidence. That was all we needed. He was arraigned and incarcerated. The case was finally closed... at least, according to the public records.
: What do you mean?
: My brother couldn't have been killed by Joe Darke. I knew my brother better than anyone... No one could have beaten him in a fight.
: And that's it? That's your reason for your insane actions?
: There's more to my brother's death than what the records say.
: No matter how much you try to hide it, you can't fool me.
: ...



: Well...
: at least one thing's for certain.
: Now we know what happened at the Police Department on the day of the crime.
: That was the last day the SL-9 case could be reopened. Not satisfied with its resolution, Officer Marshall planned to steal the evidence.





: Yes, this mystery has finally been cleared up. No murder took place
: at the Police Department that day!
: !



: The things that happen by chance never cease to amaze...



: this fake murder was going on at the Police Department.
: (Chance...? It's got to be more than just that...)



: So if no one was murdered at the Police Department on the day of the crime,
: that means the murder in the Prosecutor's Office's parking lot was the real one.
: Which, in turn, means...
: only one person could have committed the crime:







: B-but wait! A verdict wasn't reached in yesterday's trial!





: Which is why we examined the incident at the Police Department today.
: But...!
: There's only one reason the defendant was not convicted yesterday:
: there yet remained the mystery of the simultaneous murder at the Police Department.
: It seems to me...
: this boy's got the draw on you, pardner.
: All the mysteries at the Police Department have been uncovered. No contradictions



: remain. The murder took place at the Prosecutor's Office! The only suspect is Lana Skye.



: If you have a response...
: make it one word or less.
: ...
: ARRRGHHHH!!!



: I rest my case.







: It seems this trial has reached its conclusion. There's no room for doubt.
: Well done, Mr. Wright.
: Thanks to you, I didn't need to waste my time...
: disproving the alleged "murder" at the Police Department.



: (The apparent murder on the security camera's tape really was fake! But I didn't realize...)





: Now then, the time for the verdict has arrived. This court finds the defendant...



: Y-your Honor! Wait!
: Ema!
: The defense has
: an objection.
: A scientific objection!
: Right?
: What do you mean, "right?"
: Mr. Wright.
: Are you this girl's guardian?
: Your Honor!
: Oh, uh, in a sense...
: Please, Your Honor. All I'm asking is for a minute of your time! Please hear me out!
: Mr. Edgeworth, please...
: ...
: I don't want to leave any loose ends.
: You want a minute? I'll give you three.



: I... I was kind of in shock. I mean, finding out the SL-9 incident referred to the Joe Darke Killings!
: (Now that she mentions it...)



: But that's when I figured it out.
: I mean, what Office Marshall was trying to do that day... So I knew his fingerprint had nothing to do with the crime.



: You mean the traces of blood found on Detective Gumshoe's locker...
: But no fingerprints were found on it, right?
: No, but I figured if I examined it scientifically... I'd be sure to find a clue! So
: I ran over there and looked at it again!
: !
: So did you find something?
: Um...
: No!
: Huh?
: Sorry. I guess I'm not much of a scientific investigator after all.
: ...
: ...
: Um...
: Is that all?
: Please don't be mad. I'm just a high school student!
: (And I'm just an attorney...)



: If we can't find something wrong with them...
: Please, Mr. Wright. You're a professional.
: If anyone can save Lana, it's you!







: Time's up.
: Now then, Mr. Wright. With regard to the incident at the Police Department...
: Does any reasonable doubt remain?
: Um...





: Is there a problem with this?
: Mr. Wright!
: I'm sorry I can't be of more use... But still! If you can't find anything wrong with that blood mark,
: Lana will be...
: Please answer my question, Mr. Wright. We don't have all day.
: Y-yes, Your Honor. (If ever I've needed to concentrate, it's now!)







: (I've got to be honest... I don't see anything wrong with it! Still...)



Which leaves us at the right choice.









: clearly
: shows a contradiction!



: The only thing that seems clear is you're grasping, Mr. Wright.
: You've been staring pretty intently at those floor plans.



: ...
: (Yes, this is strange...!) Take a good look at these floor plans.



: "Missing"...?
: You mean, something hasn't been drawn on there?



: Yes. Something that, when drawn,
: will completely change the meaning of the blood mark!





: Let us pray the defense isn't simply trying to buy time.
: Very well, Mr. Wright!
: (With all this evidence here...)
: (there's got to be something I can use!)



Next time: Salvation?