Audrey Petersen (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
mislabeled) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
knightsoflegend2017-05-13 12:39 am
mislabeled) wrote in knightsoflegend2017-05-13 12:39 am
london trial ♔ i guess i'll save the best for last
WHO ||Lydia, Sark, Francesca, Cora, Will, Sam, Lila, Carol, Rose, Sydney, Dean, Audrey, Grant [Closed]
WHAT || Audrey Petersen is tried for her involvement in the schemes of Nicholas St. Andrew
WHERE || London, England
WHEN || June 2017
HOW || Actionspam. Single thread, don't worry about maintaining tagging order.
They're calling it one of the trials of the year. Some of the more hyperbolic tabloids have referred to it as the "trial of the decade" or even "of the new century".
Audrey Petersen, wealthy socialite and wife of Professor Grant Petersen, curator of the Knights' archives has been involved in an extended proceeding ever since the day that the Knights and the London police stopped Nicholas St. Andrew, a charismatic cult leader, from completing a dark occult ritual. St. Andrew was killed in the assault, but Audrey was taken prisoner, her role in the business less black and white. She now stands trial for the crimes she allegedly committed with her former mentor. The authorities are still uncertain as to whether Audrey was a willing accomplice or just another of St. Andrew's brainwashed cultist lackeys. Her lawyers and the popular press have taken to painting her as a victim, but Wynn is hardly so sure. Dozens of people, including prominent citizens have said they are willing to appear as character witnesses for her, and some have even been obliquely criticizing the work the authorities did in arresting her. Many of the Knights who were involved in thwarting the Children of Chaos have been asked to come to the trial to provide more insight into the situation.
Police chief Jared O'Keefe paces nervously outside the doors as they arrive, rubbing his mouth with one hand.
"Oh good. You made it. Now, we've insisted on no cameras anywhere nearby - we want to preserve the sanctity of the Knights' secrecy as much as possible. The attorneys have a ... bit of a history. They've sparred in the courtroom many a time. I believe the plan is to call you up on the stand in small groups."
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"As she says," he nods at carol. "We can control our end. The media is going to be doing all they can to skirt around the laws." ] If they go digging, we'll handle our own damage control. [ syd nods at the doors. ] Let's just get this over with.
[ the courtroom buzzes with conversation as they file in, and jared leads them to the seats directly behind assistant district attorney donald mcgregory, a sharply dressed man in his early thirties with stylish, ultra-thin glasses and swept-back blonde hair. when he notices their arrival, he turns to them with a smile.
"Good morning," he says. "We've got an open-and-shut case. But that means the defense will be looking for a way to discredit our witnesses. So when you're on the stand, remember to give short, direct answers. If you think he's asking an irrelevant question, don't answer it - look to me and I'll either nod to you or make an objection. If the judge overrules my objection, you'll have to answer, but be sure you do so with confidence and self-assuredness. Never look as though you're saying something you're ashamed of - that only makes you look untrustworthy to the jury."
he glances across the room at the defense table and frowns. audrey petersen sits calmly, dressed in a designer business suit with her hair pulled up into a serious-but-stylish coif. her hands are folded on the table in front of her, and she looks as if her thoughts are very far away. seated beside her is her attorney, a short, pudgy man in his mid-fifties wearing an expensive-tailored suit. his thinning hair has been slicked down and combed across his balding pate and the scent of strong cologne mixed with cigar smoke wafts from his direction, particularly stinging cora's delicate senses.
"That's Hiram Carlson," says mcgregory, nodding at the attorney. "He's up to something - I can tell by that smirk on his face." for a moment, ADA mcgregory practically glowers at carlson, then he looks back at them with an ear-to-ear smile. "Just relax and everything will be fine."
grant is already seated on the end of the booth, and sydney files in next to him, followed by sark, lydia, francesca, cora, will, sam, lila, carol, dean, and then rose on the end. so that you know who is close enough to quietly gossip girl with ok ]
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he observes Audrey quietly and murmurs, mostly in Sydney's direction:]
All of her character witnesses and a lawyer who looks like he's already made off with the canary, and I'm sure she's considered I know most of her dirty little secrets. What is she up to?
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Because, Rose, she makes a point of sweeping the courtroom, clocking exits and guards (Spot 34) as she settles with her arms folded across her chest. She likes courtrooms about as much as the Winchesters do, okay. (OTP)]
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Cora visibly gags as the defense attorney's general odor before she can get a handle on herself (will save crit fail), but manages to pull her composure back in again enough to listen to the attorney's schpiel about what they need to do.
She won't complain - she doesn't think it'll get her out of testifying - but she will inch closer to Will so that his usual musk of dog can at least drown out some of it. It probably doesn't help as much as she hopes.]
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Maybe she thinks we won't risk exposing ourselves to put her away.
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"This municipal court is now in session, the honorable Leonard Elmore presiding. All those having business with this court speak and ye shall be heard."
judge elmore, a boxy man with salt and pepper hair and beard, walks to the bench and sits down. i only just remembered this is england so EVERYONE IS ALSO WEARING RIDICULOUS WIGS AND ROBES PROBABLY. JUST FIGURE THAT INTO YOUR MENTAL PICTURES. the judge's eyes twinkle with keen intellect, but his jaw is set with grim determination.
"Be seated," he says. "Before we examine the merits of the People versus Audrey Petersen, I'd like to remind both counselors and the gallery that this room is a court of law. A great deal has been said in the popular press about both the crimes and the defendant, but none of that matters here. I will not let anyone use my courtroom to play to an audience. For that reason, I have banned photo and audio recording from the proceedings." ]
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She okay? Stage fright?
[Also Know:current events 15]
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he looks over at sam and whispers back:]
I don't know.
[how is he gonna be like "she smelled your brother not knowing how to do laundry"?? that's rude.]
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The defense attorney smokes god awful cigars and doesn't know the meaning of "subtle" when it comes to his cheap cologne.
[So yeah, she's fine, people are just rude. And she has no ranks in current events so she doesn't have a clue.]
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I'll give you twenty bucks if you get out of a question by throwing up on him. [ she whispers bc she knows cora will catch it. ]
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Depends how much he pisses her off.]
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the judge continues. "Now, let's proceed with the opening arguments." mcgregory is up first, and he offers them a wink as he rises and heads towards the jury. dean glances over his shoulder in a poor imitation of a casual gesture. ]
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[ doesn't matter that he is their lawyer, that deserves judgement. ]
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[is he going to actually explain all the things he learned by doing his homework??? nah. just make everyone uncertain and uncomfortable. that's what's up.]
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What could?
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"Audrey Petersen," he begins, folding his hands beneath his back and beginning to pace. "The perfect wife, or the perfect accomplice? I stand before you today to prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that Mrs. Petersen not only was aware of the machinations of Nicholas St. Andrew, but that she colluded with him on a number of crimes. That she hosted a dinner party at her penthouse home, for the express purpose of allowing members of the Children of Chaos cult to take her 'hostage'. That this allowed her to steal property belonging to her husband and sneak it out of their home unnoticed when she was 'rescued'. That together with Nicholas St. Andrew, she broke into the Sweet Tooth Inc. manufacturing plant and tampered with the Halloween candy manufactured there. This incident alone resulted in at least one death, numerous injuries, and untold amounts of property damage. That also with St. Andrew, Audrey poisoned the Thanksgiving dinner being prepared at a Food for Life shelter. Then the two of them, purposely and with malice, had that food served to homeless and poverty-stricken men, women, and children. That again with Nicholas St. Andrew, Mrs. Petersen committed a series of ritualistic murders and fed the victims' remains to an exotic animal, which they were keeping without a license."
grant is staring down at the back of the booth before him, unable to even glance up as the prosecutor continues. "Audrey Petersen has repeatedly lied to, stolen from, and committed violent offenses against everyone she has come into contact with since meeting St. Andrew. Unlike the cult leader's other associates, she was not a witless dupe. Certainly she was not the mastermind of all these schemes, but she did help in their planning and execution. She is and always has been cognizant of her actions, and is responsible for their consequences. Therefore, the jury should find her guilty of all charges and recommend the most severe punishment possible." he pauses in place, one hand settled over his heart. "Thank you."
the speech is actually quite stirring (diplomacy 35), and he gives carlson a bit of a smug look as he moves to sit down. audrey's own features are inscrutable. ]
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"Audrey Petersen was a neglected woman." his beginning is dropped like a bomb, and he looks pointedly over at grant, who manages to contain his anger, at least. "Neglected to the point of abuse. Although she was a scholar and researcher of the highest order, her husband and the Karthur Institute pigeonholed her into the role of trophy wife and socialite. Rather than allow her any real authority or responsibility, they forced her to stay on the periphery, forever within sight of her life's calling - but never allowed to pursue it."
he slowly walks the length of the jury, each step almost menacing in its measured pace. "Nicholas St. Andrew came to Audrey at her weakest hour and did exactly what he had done to so many others," he adds, spreading his hands. "He brainwashed her. The charismatic cult leader perverted her confusion and dismay into paranoia and hatred, then used her for his own selfish ends."
"Throughout all the incidents detailed by the prosecution, Audrey Petersen was at best an unwitting accomplice - a brainwashed thrall following orders from the only authority figure she could remember. Even so, she never personally attacked or injured anyone. Indeed, at the time the authorities captured Nicholas St. Andrew, Audrey was unconscious and chained to a wall - hardly what any reasonable person would describe as a "willing accomplice." The only criminal act that Audrey Petersen committed was robbery, and even that charge is open to debate. After all, she 'stole' the objects in question from her own home. Furthermore, according to the Karthur Institute's own experts, the objects she took were relatively valueless replicas, not priceless arcane relics."
he stops dead center, looking back to audrey. "Audrey Petersen is not a criminal - she is a victim. While the defense recognizes the need to find and punish the one responsible for these atrocities, Audrey is not that person. To punish her simply because she survived the devastation wrought by Nicholas St. Andrew is not only unjust - it is supremely unfair." he looks back to the judge. "Audrey Petersen deserves both justice and mercy. She needs to the opportunity to heal the damage done to her by the true author of all this senseless carnage - Nicholas St. Andrew. A man who has already paid the price for these crimes. We need to lay this matter to rest with his death, just as it should have been already." his speech is impressive itself (diplomacy 30) and mcgregory frowns as he moves to take his seat. ]
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Well. [he says under his breath.] That's wonderful spin, isn't it? I can only imagine how well that would play if he knew what I know.
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the bulk of the questioning will play out in several threads below. characters will be called up by the mission groups in which they participated and all sworn in. i will tag you to your relevant threads, where you can post your characters' responses. that way we are not being held up waiting to do it in a line. i will probably get those threads posted tomorrow! ]
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was it so impossible that the same had happened to audrey?
she shifts uncomfortably in her seat, avoiding the eyes of those around her as she ... gets some real second thoughts on this. that awkward moment when you are diplomacy'd by a lawyer. ]