chicago ♔ i wish you could see | how apart we've all grown

[lawofsurvival]

WHO || The Failboat, Rafael Giovanni, Isabella Alessandro, Hiro, Jaka, Burt Becksworth, DA of Chicago [closed]
WHAT || The trial of Rafael Giovanni
WHERE || Chicago courthouse, Chicago, IL
WHEN || Friday, Nov 22nd  [backdated]
HOW || Actionspam

The big day has finally arrived.  As media coverage rises to a frenzied fever pitch, Jaka's final preparations are completed, and the team assembles to head down for the trial of Rafael Giovanni.   

Large crowds are gathered outside, some of whom tote signs condemning Rafael as a murderer, others pledging their support and love for the singer.  Police officers keep order, and hold the crowds back as the stars are led up the steps and inside the courthouse.  

They'll have some time to convene with Burt and Jaka in a private room before the trial itself begins.  Unfortunately, Jaka still hasn't shared the change in plans that he and Des discussed in private... 

Comments

[llllllaurel]

[She could. Probably. But considering the way things are going she's not going to risk putting Becksworth or Giovanni on the stand herself. She sorts through her papers for a moment before rising.]

The prosecution rests, your honor.

[lawofsurvival]

[ jaka smugly waves a hand towards the audience. ] The defense would like to call Genesia Cimini, of the Polizia di Stato in Rome, Italy.

[ a neatly-dressed woman with excellent posture and hair in a tight bun makes her way up to the stand and is sworn in dutifully. ]

Ms. Cimini, would you please identify your connection to this case?

[

genesia looks jaka square in the face, hands folded in front of her as she says simply, with little trace of an italian accent: ]

"I'm employed as a Detective in the city of Rome, Italy, where several years ago I headed the investigation on the assassin who was known publicly as 'The Black Scourge' or 'Il Volpe.'"

[ jaka nods, glancing at arianna. ] I see. So you are very intimately familiar with that particular case then. Tell me - was the Black Scourge ever caught?

[ genesia shakes her head. ]

"No."

[ jaka gestures with a hand. ]

Can you explain to us more of the nature of these assassinations?

"The assassin committed a number of politically charged murders beginning in 2007, and continuing through last year where we saw an abrupt end to them. While they may have otherwise been seen as the work of several individuals, the Scourge left a 'calling card' not unlike some serial killers might, that helped us start linking the crimes. Each victim was flayed with a scourge after their death, across the back, meant to evoke the idea of a 'punishment' being enacted for their 'crimes'. All of the men and women who were victims of the Scourge were involved one way or another in political motions that affected Shadowkind within the country. The message was rather clear, and we believe that the assassin was being used as a weapon by an underground resistance movement in Italy that uses terrorist activities on a frequent basis to try to undermine local government."

[ jaka nods. ]

You've heard Mr. Descant here say that he believed Eterna Jade to be this killer - this Black Scourge. The prosecution pointed out that he had no evidence to support that fact. Did you, in the process of your investigation, find anything that might have identified who this merciless killer was?

[ genesia looks over at the jury and then raises her chin slightly. ]

"In November of 2010, evidence emerged that helped us track down the identity of this assassin, but by the time we moved to make an arrest, there was no trace of them to be found. The person in question was, in fact, Miss Eterna Jade, who at the time was registered as living with the defendant. He was questioned briefly, but they seemed to have had some kind of lover's quarrel, and he had no idea where Miss Jade's current whereabouts were. Her re-emergence on the night of the concert was the first we've seen evidence of her since. We found no evidence that Mr. Giovanni had any knowledge of her illegal activities, and he vehemently denied that she would be involved in any such resistance."

[ jaka does a good show of looking sobered slightly, nodding ]

I see. And you have, of course, the evidence in question with you to show the judge and jury?

[ genesia nods. ]

"I think you'll find it all very convincing."

[ jaka rubs his hands together and moves towards his table. ]

Well. Prosecution - your witness.

[llllllaurel]

[Arianna's jaw steels a bit as she gets to her feet, making her way around the table in front of her carefully.]

Detective Cimini, what exactly was this evidence that brought you to the victim?

[behindcloseddoors]

Our attention was initially drawn to her when she was identified as the Black Scourge by a member of the Italian Resistance Movement who was acting as an informant to the government, seeking amnesty for some of his own crimes by helping us round up key members of the organization. Further investigation yielded quite a bit of evidence: fingerprints on weapons matched to the crime scene and victims that were identified as hers, photographic evidence of Miss Jade on location at several of the places where the murders took place, various DNA evidence - the list went on. All we were missing was video of her actually carrying out one of the assassinations.

[graveflowers]

[ luckily, vi has the attention span of nothing at all, so she's quite literally zoned out for about 90% of the trail past paying attention to mark for five seconds so she doesn't actually grasp the full clusterfuck of what is going on. which is nice. her lack of attention is also what makes her gently get up and stealth out of the courtroom (move silently 28) with a whispered "bathroom" as she goes. too cooped up, need to breath, later gators. ]

[llllllaurel]

That seems ... convenient. Your case just fell into place.

[She seems amiable, but everything about her tone reads that she thinks that's just a little too convenient.]

Especially after all that time of not having any leads at all.

[behindcloseddoors]

Our case 'fell into place' as such because of good policework, and the cooperation of an inside man from the Resistance. One clue leads to another.

[llllllaurel]

And how do you know that your inside man was reliable? How do you know he wasn't throwing the scent off someone else? Himself, even.

[behindcloseddoors]

[ she just stares at the lawyer, flatly, clearly not entertained. ] I know this might come as a shock to you given your line of questioning, but I've been at this job a long time. You can imagine that nothing was taken at face value. All the evidence is available for review by the court.

[llllllaurel]

And I'm sure we will review it. I'm just surprised you didn't come forward sooner, when Ms. Jade was first killed. If you were so interested in her apprehension, you would think that you would have been on the first flight out.

[behindcloseddoors]

For some reason, it never pinged on our system - probably tampering by her revolutionary friends, some of whom are skilled hackers. There hadn't been an assassination in the style of the Black Scourge for quite some time - we'd left the case dangling open, but we had other priorities that were our focus.

[llllllaurel]

So a cold case with possible high tech tampering - but not proven?

[behindcloseddoors]

These people are good at what they do. The Resistance seeks them out, pays them exorbitant fees. It's only a theory, but it's backed by overwhelming examples.

[llllllaurel]

Examples, but no evidence.

[Basically a theory is just that, a theory. There is no proof. With that, she'll head back to her seat.]

Your witness.

[lawofsurvival]

[ she is excused, and jaka fixes the audience with something of a shit eating grin. ]

The defense calls the defendant: Mr. Rafael Giovanni, to the stand.

[romanticidal]

[ they say the eyes are the window to the soul, and to anyone present who gets a good look into rafael's, this holds remarkably true, as one can practically watch his remaining sanity trickling away as he makes the solemn, fuming march to the stand. he recites the oath through clenched teeth, and his eyes never leave jaka, as if he's a snake about to bite. ]

[lawofsurvival]

Mr. Giovanni. [ jaka barely even actually looks at him, doing his pacing across the floor as if it's a stage, and cheating out to his audience. ]

I'm sure people are quite curious to hear about the events of that fateful night - in your own words.

[romanticidal]

[ this part, of course, has been well choreographed between lawyer and client by now - or had been, until jaka hurled a diremonkey wrench into the works. rafael's caution expression shows that he's at least trying to keep his cool and run over everything in his head, but thinking straight right now is not coming easily for him. he takes a moment to gather himself, before saying very genuinely: ]

It had been some time since Eterna and I had gone our separate ways. Our hope was that she would perform a final number with me - but she had still not completely agreed to do so on the night of the concert. She was not very comfortable with the idea of performing on all major networks at once... and I was still uncertain how she felt about me, after the time we had spent apart.

Eterna had received a threat on her life in the days before the concert, but asked me not to share this information with anyone else. [ he hesitates, clearly angry at how this part of the story fits so neatly into jaka's spin ] That is why I chose to stay armed, and hire bodyguards of my own, without giving them too many details.

I was surprised when Eterna chose to join me onstage - and another surprise when James appeared. I assumed this was the man of whom she had spoken...

[lawofsurvival]

[ instead of letting rafael finish, jaka jumps in at this point ] But Miss Jade did not tell you why men wanted to kill her? What she was involved in that would lead to such extreme retaliation?

[romanticidal]

[ all of rafael's composure crashes to the ground instantly, his face falling and rage working into the set of his jaw as he glares at jaka as if he's considering all the different ways he could make the man suffer. he manages to spit out, venomously: ]

Eterna was not this Black Scourge you speak of. It is not possible.

[lawofsurvival]

[ jaka arches an eyebrow smoothly ] It seems she was a woman with many secrets, Mr. Giovanni. And many dangerous enemies. Can you really be sure you knew her as well as you're convinced you did?

[romanticidal]

[ and rafael angrily snaps to his feet, slamming his hand against the stand as he explodes: ] Because I am the Black Scourge.

[notaroundme]

[oh god sinking into seat because this is literally the fucking worst]

[65]

[at first finnick was like wow i probably shouldn't bring a flask to the trial that would look bad ... but now he's like w/e good life decision.]

[slay]

[ her stomach drops. from the moment he'd been called to the stand, buffy had a horrible feeling about what was going down, and THIS MOMENT IS THAT HORRIBLE FEELING. her body feels outside of her control, and numb - so much so that she doesn't notice she's jumped to her feet, or that she's shouting out and interrupted the court proceedings with a loud: ] No!

[ that's what a crit failed will save gets you. and it only gets worse. her brain catches up quickly and she leans forward, hands braced on the bench in front of her. ] He's lying! He didn't do it. [ THINK FAST GUESS WHO WATCHED SPARTACUS THIS WEEKEND. ] ... I did! [ bluff 28 ... ]