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]

[WHAT IS EVEN GOING ON RIGHT NOW?

Arianna is just going to ... stare dumbfounded at you all while she tries to figure this out, because really, how many people are going to be called the Black Scourge today.

She needs a fucking drink.]

[isisagent]

[Archer stands up, and hurls his half-full flask across the courtroom towards the stand.]

OBJECTION! Your honor, or... whatever - Look. None of these "alleged" Black Scourges are even Black.

Be reasonable.

[romanticidal]

[ the judge is so baffled by what the hell just went down that it takes him a moment to catch up, but archer yelling 'objection' seems to pull him back to reality, and his gavel bangs against the podium a few more times than necessary.

"Order! I will have order in my court!"

but rafael is busy staring at buffy with an expression of horror on his face, and he doesn't even flinch when archer's flask hits the stand. ]

Do not listen to her! It was I, I who did it all. I will not have anyone else accused of my crimes!

[lawofsurvival]

[ with complete and utter calm: ] Mr. Giovanni, would you be so kind as to draw back your hair for a moment?

[romanticidal]

[ welp. that takes him by surprise. ] My... what?

[lawofsurvival]

Your hair, Mr. Giovanni. It's a simple request. Unless you have some reason that you'd care to explain as to why you would prefer not to...?

[romanticidal]

[ realization sinks in beneath rafael's millions of other emotions, and he looks angry and frustrated and cornered, but grits his teeth and yanks his curls back to reveal his elf ears. ] Is this what you are interested in? I'm half-elf, si. What does that have to do with any of this--

[lawofsurvival]

It's a fact you seem to have worked hard to conceal, Mr. Giovanni. Not that I blame you. In your home country of Italy, all Shadowkind face vast persecution, do they not?

[romanticidal]

What do you wish me to say? Yes, it is true. But this does not excuse the accusations you make--

[lawofsurvival]

Those interviewed attested that the love you shared with Miss Jade was quite powerful, very moving, indeed. The Black Scourge was a political assassin, were they not? One who murdered all those who sought to persecute Shadowkind in Italy.

Mr. Giovanni, on the night in question, did you, or did you not, learn that Miss Jade was in fact the Black Scourge... and had done what she did motivated by her desire to protect you, as a hidden member of a Shadowkind race yourself - the man she loved?

[romanticidal]

[ if this were a cartoon, rafael's anger meter would bubble over the top and break the bulb. instead, he reaches over, rips the gavel out of the judge's hand like it's nothing (str 20...) and hurls it at jaka's head. (atk 26, dmg 12... wow rafael) ]

[lawofsurvival]

[ crack, the gavel goes as it bounces off jaka's skull, and he flinches, hand flying to his head as he scowls and throws out an arm dramatically. ]

Your Honor! [ angrily, the judge waves a hand at the security guards.

"Get this madman out of my courtroom!" ]

[romanticidal]

[ they come over to cuff rafael, who is too busy glaring at jaka to offer any resistance. he won't say another damn word though, as they yank him out the door. ]

[lawofsurvival]

[ jaka watches them go and then yanks on the lapels of his suit, before scooping up the gavel with a cough and handing it back to the judge. ] Well.

I have only one more witness, your Honor. I think only dignity suffered from the blow, if you'd care to continue.

[llllllaurel]

Objection!

[Yeah, no. Arianna isn't just letting him carry on.]

Your honor, the prosecution hasn't had a chance to cross examine the witness. We should call a recess until Mr. Giovanni is ready to proceed.

[Also since she wants to research some things to come back at him yet, come on this case has gotten crazy enough.]

[lawofsurvival]

Your Honor. [ jaka's voice cuts silkily across arianna's as he makes what could be a simple dismissive gesture... unless anyone in the room has ranks in spellcraft (DC 16), in which they can identify the command spell dropped on a certain word as he continues. ] I really think you can overrule that. Unless the prosecution would like a matching bruise on her own head.

[ the judge blinks, and then nods (will save... 5), waving his own hand as he mumbles:

"Overruled. For now, let's see this final witness."

the grin jaka throws arianna is almost taunting. ]

[witchwoman]

[Everything is happening too fast (and she didn't make her spellcraft check) so Myri is just glancing around the room in stunned silence. She also has never seen a real trial so maybe that's just how it works...]

[llllllaurel]

[NO THAT IS NOT HOW IT WORKS, ARIANNA IS SO ANNOYED RIGHT NOW.

GO DIE IN A FIRE JAKA.]

[bigbad]

[Spike wouldn't recognize magic if it bit him in the ass, but at this point he's pretty sure this entire trial is a trainwreck and they'll have to break Rafael out of a maximum security prison and live life on the run. Or something. He leans back in his seat and just watches.]

[slay]

[ w h a t.

buffy looks physically pained, but i guess ... all according to plan ???? all the same, she excuses herself from the courtroom at this point, hoping to catch rafael and ... finally noticing des bailed. ]

[lawofsurvival]

The prosecution calls Dr. Kay Alaina to the stand.

[ a redheaded woman in a power suit takes the stand, very self-assured and polite. after being sworn in, jaka approaches the bench. ]

Would you please identify your connection to this case, Dr. Alaina.

[

she nods, staring at him. ]

"Certainly. I am the court-appointed psychiatrist assigned to the defendant."

[ jaka nods. ]

And how long have you been speaking with Mr. Giovanni by now?

"Several months. Long enough to get a clear understanding of where he stands, from a psychiatric perspective."

[ jaka gestures for her to continue ] Do go on. What have you learned, regarding Mr. Giovanni's sanity?

"... Well. I think, as you have clearly seen, Rafael suffers from certain psychological triggers that can prompt his own mind to... turn against him, you might say. This is purely defensive, but not, as you might think, constructed to protect himself. Mr. Giovanni has collected an elaborate mental delusion, and it took some time to pierce through to the heart of it. But I believe the evidence presented today helps make clear precisely what's occurred.

The truth regarding the crimes potentially committed by Miss Jade - particularly given the likely motivation for these crimes was her desire to protect Rafael - was too much for his psyche. I would hesitate to call Mr. Giovanni a dangerous man - when he is himself. But his mind was so determined to reject the notion of Miss Jade as a twisted murderer that he was willing to take on the guilt of those crimes personally rather than allow the truth to tarnish his mental image of the woman he loved."

[ jaka nods, looking saddened by the knowledge. ]

And you believe this is what we witnessed, on the night of the concert?

"It is my professional opinion that the arrival of the gunman acted as a catalyst for a dis-associative episode, given that it was confirmation of her likely role as the Black Scourge. I do not believe that this man was in his right mind during the moments of the shooting - and I think the truth has been so far buried in his psyche that he will continue to lash out whenever his delusion is challenged. As we... were all able to see, moments ago."

[ jaka clucks his tongue and shakes his head ]

Do you think Mr. Giovanni is a danger to society, or is there hope for him to be cured of these delusions?

"I would not consider Rafael to be a danger to anybody, if he were able to receive the continued therapy necessary to help him cope with the loss of Miss Jade and his own role - however unwittingly - in her demise. We've made great progress already, given the state of depression he was in during our first sessions together. The pressure of this trial no doubt pressured his subconscious to revert back beyond the progress we've made, but that doesn't negate the successes."

[ jaka nods a few times, pressing his fingers to his lips, then waves a hand casually to arianna, sitting down. ]

Very well. Prosecution's witness.

[llllllaurel]

[Arianna pauses for a moment, trying to decide how to best approach this.]

You said the arrival of the gunman triggered a dis-associative episode. Were you able to determine what it was about him that triggered such a strong response?

[behindcloseddoors]

As I mentioned, the gunman presented tangible proof that Miss Jade's lifestyle was much more dangerous than she'd ever let on to him - witnesses heard the gunman specifically stating that he was there for the girl or something she possessed - not there as revenge against Giovanni, or for some unrelated purpose. Whatever denials Rafael had been able to make regarding what he'd learned about her wouldn't hold up in the face of such violent intrusion of cold hard evidence.

[llllllaurel]

[She raises an eyebrow before taking a step forward.]

I'm sure. Did Mr. Giovanni mention ever having seen Mr. James before? Recognizing him from the victim's "work"?

[behindcloseddoors]

Not at all. But then again, he had been unaware of the nature of her "work" until shortly before the incident.