Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney/Episode 4: Turnabout Goodbyes/Day 3 - Trial

You instantly begin trial, and von Karma wants to end the trial in three minutes (don't worry, there's no time limit). Karma calls the caretaker to the stand. You still haven't found the caretaker's name, so when you have the choice, "Raise an objection". Karma adds that he didn't ask the name, as the caretaker has a bad long-term memory. He should be okay to remember what happened three days ago. Or so you thought.

The Caretaker's Testimony: The Night of the Murder

The Caretaker

The Caretaker's Testimony

- The Night of the Murder -

1. It was the night of the 24th, just after midnight, ayup.
2. I was in the restaurant… where I er… rent boats, as usual.
3. Then I heard a "bang!". Ayup.
4. When I looked out the window, I saw a boat just a' floating on the lake.
5. Then I heard another "bang".
6. Just about then the boat comes to shore, and a man walks by my window.

Just before your cross-examination begins, Karma says there's no need for it as there's only 10 seconds left. The judge asks if you'll agree. Of course you'll choose "Cross-examine". The judge sides with you, angering Karma. Alternatively, even if you "Don't cross-examine", Karma is about to have a heart attack, believing his three minutes is up after Maya presses you to check the witness' statements.

The Night of the Murder: Cross-examination

Press the caretaker on his sixth statement. He claims to have seen that man by his window. The judge wants the caretaker to add who it was to his statement. Karma laughs. What's he up to?

• "That man was the defendant… he was saying, 'I can't believe he's dead.'"

Didn't the caretaker forget what he said yesterday? Press him on that statement. The caretaker yells at "Keith" that he really saw Edgeworth, before he falls to the ground. Looks like Karma lured you to your fall, and the whole court is staring. Didn't you prove that Edgeworth's right fingerprints on the gun, yet the murderer was shooting from his left? You are given an option, so choose "Raise an objection". Karma will object back, saying Edgeworth must have wiped off the fingerprints. The judge is lost. Raise an objection again. Karma says the evidence says it all, unless you have proof. Unfortunately, you ran out of ideas. Maya tries to reach Mia once more… again, no luck. Without any more evidence or objections, the judge sees no reason to continue.

Miles Edgeworth is found Guilty!

It's all over... or is it?

The judge adjourns court… and then a "Wait!".

It isn't Maya this time, if you recall yesterday's court, but Larry, who remembered just then that he heard a gunshot on the night of the murder. When Larry was listening to the caretaker's testimony, it didn't match with what he heard that night. Karma objects, as the verdict has already been announced, however the judge states that they must hear all witnesses to ensure an accurate verdict. He then calls a five-minute recess after withdrawing his Guilty verdict.

Recess

That was a very close one, perhaps too close. Maya asks Edgeworth why his fingerprints were on the gun. He explains that after Hammond fell into the water, he picked the pistol up without any thought.

Edgeworth then says that before this one, Karma had run nothing but perfect trials. The secret to his success is to have perfect witness' and perfect evidence. It seems that this case is the very first time Karma has seen anything unexpected. This is the first time in his career that he has let someone he hasn't talked to (in this case Larry) testify in court.

You're back in court and Larry goes on to the stand. This is your last hope of obtaining the not guilty verdict. Hopefully, he doesn't mess up.

Larry's Testimony: The Night of the Murder

Larry

Larry's Testimony

- The Night of the Murder -

1. That night, I was out in the boat on the lake.
2. I was looking for something, and I, er, found it.
3. So I quietly slipped the boat back in at the rental shop dock.
4. Then, just as I was thinking about going home, I heard this "bang"!
5. I looked out over the lake, but I didn't notice the boat.
6. So after I heard that single gunshot I went home.

The Night of the Murder: Cross-examination

Present Lotta's Deposition against Larry's sixth statement. Both Lotta and the caretaker heard two gunshots. Larry then admits that he missed the second gunshot, because he was listening to the radio on his headphones. Choose either statement. Choosing That's enough causes Phoenix to ask the Judge to continue to cross-examine Larry. Continue to cross-examine when you get the choice. Larry is allowed to give another testimony about his radio. Just what is he listening to?

Larry's Testimony: What Larry Heard

Larry

Larry's Testimony

- What Larry Heard -

1. It's lonely, being alone on Christmas Eve!
2. That's why I was listening to an all-requests show on the radio, see?
3. I was listening to it real booming loud, like.
4. But I'm sure I heard that gunshot!
5. I remember exactly what the DJ was saying when I heard it, too.

Larry was hearing it at high volume. Karma says that Larry was hearing a drum beating. You object to this. The DJ was talking, so no music was playing and Larry must have heard the gunshot. You would like to cross-examine this topic. The judge agrees.

What Larry Heard: Cross-examination

Press Larry on his fifth statement. The judge asks if we should care about what the DJ said, so choose "We should care" and the judge then allows Larry to add a statement.

• "Just when she said 'Hey! it's almost Christmas!' I heard the gunshot!"

Present the Lake Photo or Lotta's Deposition on that statement. The DJ said, "It's almost Christmas!" when Larry heard the shot. This means it was still Christmas Eve when he heard it. In the other two testimonies, Lotta and the caretaker said it was after midnight when they heard the shots, meaning it was Christmas by then. Karma says that the witness was mistaken. Choose "Larry's right". Karma wants proof. But if you choose "Larry's wrong", he'll chastise you for not agreeing with his statement and force you to try again. Ouch!

Present the Second Lake Photo to the court. It reveals the photo was taken just before midnight. It looks like Larry did hear it. The photo was used to detect loud noises. The loud noise occurred on Christmas Eve. Karma objects, saying there is no proof that the loud noise was a gunshot. Present the Pistol to the court. The report shows that the Pistol actually fired three times rather than two. But this leaves the judge wondering what really happened. Karma asks Phoenix to answer why there were two shots 25 minutes apart.

Turning the case around

Phoenix thinks for a moment, and then finally figures something out. There was a shot 15 minutes after midnight, however, it turns out that Robert Hammond was already killed by then. Karma then asks if that wasn't the victim on the boat, then who was it? Answer, "Edgeworth and the murderer". Phoenix says that the murderer assumed the guise of the victim and met Edgeworth. It seems that the murderer called Edgeworth, and Edgeworth didn't recognize his face.

The judge asks you to say the murderer's name. Answer, "I don't know", because he hasn't told you. Phoenix assumes the caretaker is the murderer, and that the murder didn't take place on the lake. The judge asks you where it happened. You'll automatically examine the Gourd Lake Map. Present the Boat Shop (just below and left of the SUV). Karma wants proof. Phoenix tells Karma to recall Larry's testimony. As Larry starts to go home, he heard the gunshot despite wearing earphones, thus, the gunshot was nearby. So, it couldn't have been out on the lake. The judge tells Phoenix to make a summary of the night of the murder.

The caretaker called Hammond to his shop, and at 11:50 PM he shot Hammond dead, as Larry was passing by. He then took Hammond's coat and called Edgeworth. When the judge asks who fired the shot at 12:15 AM, out on the boat, answer "The boat shop caretaker". He shot twice, missing both times. Karma asks you why. Answer, "To create a witness". The caretaker fired one shot to ensure someone was looking out at the lake. He then shot the second time, and jumped in the lake to make it look like he was shot. He then swam back to his shop, put the coat back on the victim, and threw the body into the lake. The judge calls the bailiff to retrieve the caretaker.

While he waits, the judge calls Edgeworth to the stand. Edgeworth says he received a letter from "Hammond" to meet him at the lake. The guard comes back with rather shocking news: the caretaker is gone! Karma says a search is underway. The judge then says he cannot reach a verdict with the case in this state, and will extend the trial until tomorrow before adjourning the court for the day.

Thanks to Larry, Edgeworth is saved once again. Another close one. Edgeworth however, still feels it's far from over, as he had a nightmare about a crime he committed.

Note: If you're experimenting with other lines, yes it can be silly but it can also cause such a comedy of errors that forces the court to correct you. Well the lines you can experiment on is "If it's not the victim, who is it?", "Murderer's name?" and "Why the caretaker shoot twice?".