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Long time gaps also disadvantage the defense even outside blatant prosecution misconduct. Nobody's going to have a good answer for something like "You are accused of robbing a gas station five years ago. Where were you on that night? Can anyone else vouch for that or is there any supporting physical evidence?" even if you're innocent
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Apr 2, 2023 02:39
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| # ? May 24, 2024 15:43 |
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Ok the next update required a bit more prep work than I expected and I completely failed at making time this weekend to get it done. Sorry everyone; I'll be back with the next regularly scheduled update on Friday.
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Apr 4, 2023 05:26
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Ah, the dreaded schedule slip. Happens to the best of us.
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Apr 4, 2023 06:02
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Take yer time, pace yourself.
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Apr 4, 2023 08:49
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Overwhelming schedule here too. No problem. Glad I can wait to read the next chapter here. We must all be ready to face the Legion! 
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Apr 4, 2023 21:08
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How dare you 
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Apr 5, 2023 03:54
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Part 86: Episode 4, Day 2, Trial: Karma We're back at court, the day after Christmas. Music: Courtroom Lobby ~ Beginning Overture  Time for a pre-game pep talk with Edgeworth.  Karma...? Looks like we're in line for a new prosecutor.  He hasn't lost a case in his 40-year career. No losses in 40 years? Yikes. Maybe he'll have gotten slow in his old age...  Not a single case?Sound: Realization  Coming from Edgeworth, that statement has me concerned. Hmm. Sounds like someone else I know, Edgeworth. Hmph. You don't understand. We have a prosecutor named Karma in a case involving an unsolved murder from 15 years ago. I'm sure that won't be a hint of things to come. (That's quite a claim coming from someone who forges evidence...) Wh-what!?Sound: Whack  I'm starting to get concerned...  Ugh...  Something like that...  Oh, wait...Sound: Light Bulb  Not if he's really Edgeworth times ten. God, I'm trying to imagine our first encounter with Edgeworth back in the second episode, ramped up by an order of magnitude, and completely failing. Not a chance... He hasn't lost once in 40 years. 40 years! poo poo, I've got a really bad feeling about this.  That's pretty ruthless... (I guess that's something like Mia was to me.) (Speaking of Mia...)  Uh huh? We could really be using Mia's help right now... don't you think? Oh... ? I can't. We're going to have to be in extra super duper trouble first, huh? You couldn't "reach"? Guess we should have found her that waterfall after all.  My powers are weak again... Oh man, what bad timing! I'm really sorry. I'll try my best! I hope so! I like that the entire previous conversation was in hushed whispers. I guess we don't want Edgeworth to think we're too crazy yet. O-oh, it's nothing. Well, it's time. Let's head in... Music: Silence  We haven't been in this courtroom before. I'm not expecting it to look any different.  Sound: Gallery Our opposing prosecutor is apparently the Joker.  Sound: Gavel Music: Trial  The defense is ready, Your Honor. "..." indeed. That sure does look like Edgeworth times ten right there. poo poo I have to go make more talking head images.   ... Fool...Sound: Realization  I know this guy's old, but he seriously looks like a zombie or a lich or something. And is he really yelling at the judge? I guess you win all your cases in 40 years you expect the judge to know that you know what you're doing...  R-right, my apologies! Sound: Whoops We are in for a long trial, aren't we? Very well, your opening statement, please. ... A decisive witness... It's like you combined Vasquez's short sentences with Edgeworth's dickishness. And that outfit, my god. Is that an earring in this guy's left ear? Ah... er, nothing of course. That should be fine.Sound: Light Bulb The prosecution may call its first witness.  How am I supposed to fight against this!?I'll give the writers credit here - I am suitably intimidated right now.  (Okay, Gumshoe's first... Let's see how this goes.) Describe the incident. Now! Y-yessir! Caught between Karma and Edgeworth, Gumshoe has a fine line to walk here. Er, please take a look at the map.Music: Logic and Trick  For some reason I imagined the boat house and the woods to be on opposite sides from the beach. But it seems they're both different destinations along the same path. I wonder how this map is going to be relevant later. It doesn't look like Lotta Hart could have seen the boat house itself from her campsite.  There were two men on the boat. At 12:10 AM, she heard two pistol shots. Then the boat started to move. It went towards the boat rental shop.Music: Trial Hmm. Sound: Select Jingle Well, we now have the map. In fact, we have a lot of evidence now but still no idea how it all fits together.  Edgeworth this is your future in forty years if you don't shape up. What a douche.  Just me refreshing myself on our evidence list. In addition to our badge, we have Lotta's camera, the autopsy report, the supposed photo of the murder, a photo of Maya's mom from the DL-6 Incident, a newspaper artical about Gourdy, and now an overhead map of the lake area.  I really went looking for new profiles, now that we have this fancy new prosecutor. Edgeworth has received an update reflecting his new status.  We also have a new profile for Edgeworth the Elder. Our buddy Edgeworth the Younger is clearly modeling himself after a certain flamboyant older prosecutor instead of his father.  Finally we have our new opponent, the dread lich Karma.  Sound: Light Bulb Right, we have a trial going on.  Yes? You'd think these two would have some kind of rhythm with each other after so many years working together.  Oh good, new guy has some ridiculous animations, too. That finger wag is almost as bad as Edgeworth's bow. Wrong. There is only one thing you need to do here. Y-yes, of course. You're quite right. (No, he's not!!!)Sound: Whack No one treats our judge like that! Music: Silence  Sound: Testimony 2 Music: Questioning - Moderato  We headed to the scene of the crime as fast as we could. That's where we found Mr. Edgeworth.  But... the next morning, a body was found in the lake. So we had to arrest Mr. Edgeworth.Not really expecting much from that one, so I guess we'll just press on everything and try to get some more information out of him. Music: Silence  Hmm... I see. Very well... I'm surprised he even allows us to have a cross-examination, really. ... Sound: Testimony 2 Music: Questioning - Moderato But first, our post-cross pep-talk moved to pre-cross.  Nick.  I bet von Karma is feeding him lines! His testimony's probably filled with landmines just waiting for me to press. Grit our teeth and press, I guess. What else can we do? All right, let's get pressing.  A man called into the station around 30 minutes after midnight. You received a call from a "man"? Er... yup. But you said there was a woman camping there? Trying to establish that there were two witnesses, to later ask why we're only hearing from one of them?   Karma isn't about to let us deviate from his script, though. Give that oddly deep objection voice a listen at least once.  Different people? There were two witnesses!Sound: Realization Or he can just make our point for us.  Well we're not off to a great start. Apparently Phoenix reverts to a blithering idiot at the start of each trial. Their testimonies were quite similar however. (The woman who was camping... Lotta Hart.) What happened next, Detective? We headed to the scene of the crime as fast as we could. How long was it between receiving the report and your arrival at the lake? That's pretty fast! Our motto for the month is "get there quick."Sound: Light Bulb Wasn't that the same motto during the second episode? (I looked it up; it was "quick response," basically the same thing!)  Sound: Fwa-Shing 2 What the hell was that animation. First he finger-wags at us, now he's snapping at Gumshoe? Combine that with the flamboyant outfit and the earring... draw your own conclusions.  ...The department motto for the month is a secret? Y-yessir! Sorry, sir!Sound: Stab  He's even got the same scummy threats as Edgeworth.  So much to look forward to, these days...Sound: Realization This is no time for dejected daydreaming! Continue! Y-yessir! That's where we found Mr. Edgeworth. What was Mr. Edgeworth like when you saw him then? Well...  No way Karma lets that amazing line stand. How many years have you been on the force!?Sound: Fwa-Shing 2  Facts only, Detective! Hard, cold, objective facts! Y-y-yessir! (Man, he's got his share of objections...)This entire sequence appears to be establishing Karma as being able and willing to fight us for every inch. We'll see how well he holds up once we're able to throw a few surprises at him... Now, I didn't suspect him of anything at all. Why didn't you think he was suspicious? You should know!Sound: Light Bulb   "Deep"? "Trusting"? Poppycock!Sound: Whack Apparently the feeling isn't mutual. Sorry Gumshoe.  Mmph!Sound: Whoops  Continue! Now! But... the next morning, a body was found in the lake. Did you find any clues on the body? There we go, some real info. Weren't there two gunshots, though? Did the other one just miss? He was shot through the heart... fatally. Judge! Here's the bullet... Do we get to play a ballistics game with this case? Very well. The court accepts this bullet into evidence. Sound: Select Jingle Pressing again there just leaves off the lines with Karma submitting the evidence to the judge. So let's just continue. So we had to arrest Mr. Edgeworth. W-why is that? Sound: Light Bulb That seems pretty important. Why wouldn't that be part of your main testimony? The murder weapon...? Sound: Realization  Detective Gumshoe... Right! S-sorry, Your Honor. The new line replaces the last line of testimony, so all we can do is press again. What about the pistol made it "decisive evidence"? Sound: Realization Oh, I see. It was a trap. I guess Edgeworth learned that from Karma, too. (Ack! He has the same evil laugh as Edgeworth...) They were clear prints from Mr. Edgeworth's right hand. Yeah, that's not great.
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Apr 8, 2023 05:52
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The game sells Von Karma hard and very well. I think he's the best prosecutor in the series (sorry Edgeworth).
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Apr 8, 2023 07:24
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Somewhere in the crowd, a certain gnome Hellknight is watching Von Karma and taking notes. Dun dun dun!!!!
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Apr 8, 2023 10:09
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Oh, I see what the mix-up is. Von Karma is supposed to be a persecuter, not a prosecutor!
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Apr 8, 2023 10:59
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Unfortunately, dejected daydreaming is all Gumshoe has.
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Apr 8, 2023 13:09
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And we’re off to the races! After Winston Payne was a joke you could bulldoze with basic logic and Edgeworth was someone who actually put up a fight, Karma comes at you hard and fast and the effect is stark in putting you on the backfoot.
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Apr 8, 2023 14:47
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hm, I wonder if there's any symbolism in our boy Edgeworth being savaged by a ruthless prosecutor named von Karma ...nah, couldn't be
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Apr 8, 2023 15:04
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God, I love von Karma. One LPer I saw recently gave him the Dracula voice, and well, yeah.
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Apr 8, 2023 16:01
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Zulily Zoetrope posted:hm, I wonder if there's any symbolism in our boy Edgeworth being savaged by a ruthless prosecutor named von Karma Names aren't subtle 'round these parts. I'm still not convinced the judge isn't actually named Judge. Anyone got any ideas for his name?
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Apr 8, 2023 16:23
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Judgey McJudgeface
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Apr 8, 2023 17:05
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Well, his real name is *truck rushes past*, but everyone calls him Judge.
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Apr 8, 2023 17:07
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Philip Banks.
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Apr 8, 2023 20:22
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I'm just going to throw in that I really like how the case previews play out here. Case 1 unambiguously shows you the true murderer and he shows up almost immediately during trial. Case 2 also unambiguously shows you the murderer but he doesn't appear on Day 1, leaving you scrambling to figure out how to proceed to get to the next day when you finally encounter him. Case 3 doesn't show the murderer, it just focuses on two suit characters in a TV Show, but the way that it plays up the "One person falls under the moonlight, but who? Find out next episode!" could be seen as a foreshadowing of what you uncover in Day 2 about who was actually in the Steel Samurai suit during the murder. Case 4 shows you an incriminating scene of the person you're defending, who is also the person you just went head to head with in the last two cases, and that leaves a strong impression that you just don't know WHAT to think anymore. Is Edgeworth holding the gun a red herring, or a hint as to something that needs to be uncovered in trial on the way to finding the true murderer? Are you actually up defending a real criminal and are heading for a downer ending or is he truly innocent? Obviously the existence of sequels and an Edgey-centric spinoff blunts this a bit, but I still think there's a lot of room for ambiguity even knowing that there's so much more to this franchise now.
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Apr 8, 2023 21:03
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I wonder if Edgeworth has an evil twin brother named Selim.
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Apr 8, 2023 21:08
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*wearily* It's never twins. Especially not secret twins.
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Apr 8, 2023 21:11
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Twins don't have identical fingerprints, anyway.
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Apr 8, 2023 22:43
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Omobono posted:Names aren't subtle 'round these parts. A fan case I saw once named him Judge Chambers.
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Apr 8, 2023 23:01
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Gen. Ripper posted:Philip Banks. Philip Busters.
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Apr 9, 2023 06:46
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Quackles posted:A fan case I saw once named him Judge Chambers. That's good, but that implies that you and he are on a first name basis, which seems like a stretch. Judge has to be his last name.
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Apr 9, 2023 06:56
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Zulily Zoetrope posted:That's good, but that implies that you and he are on a first name basis, which seems like a stretch. It's his middle. His first name is Huroner.
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Apr 9, 2023 07:04
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Zulily Zoetrope posted:That's good, but that implies that you and he are on a first name basis, which seems like a stretch. Well, the fancase has him as the murder victim, so... I don't think we ever do find out his first name, there.
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Apr 9, 2023 07:11
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Part 87: Episode 4, Day 2, Trial: Decisive We last left off with Gumshoe presenting a pistol that had Edgeworth's fingerprints all over it...  Sound: Gallery Sound: Gavel  Order! Order! Y-yes, Your Honor. A-accepted into evidence. Sound: Select Jingle Now that's even stranger. The pistol was fired three times. The witness heard two gunshots. And only one bullet was found in the victim. Music: Silence  If we didn't have the bullet yet, we could press on the previous line again and we get the same dialogue, ending before the gallery shot. However since we have both the bullet and the pistol as evidence now, we get a new scene...  He's going to tie them together, isn't he. Sound: Fwa-Shing 2 Detective! Y-y-yessir! Yes. The ballistic markings on the bullet match the pistol. Hmm... Hey, Nick! Shocking! Now Karma is basically mocking any player who hasn't watched a crime drama.  N-Nick! He's glaring at me!Sound: Realization Tsk... very well, I'll explain. This trial is actually making me feel bad for the judge of all people. Eh? M-me?Sound: Light Bulb ... Erm, ahem.Music: Logic and Trick  The barrel leaves distinctive marks on each bullet it fires. It's quite accurate. Indeed. was, without a doubt, fired from this pistol.Music: Silence Sound: Fwa-Shing 2  poo poo even I'm convinced Edgeworth is guilty now. Did Karma fake the ballistics report maybe?  Sound: Gallery Sound: Gavel O-order! Order! (This is bad...) No poo poo Sherlock. Music: Trial Well, Judge? Honestly, I could declare a verdict at this point. However... Very well. He doesn't even ask for a recess, just declares it. Maybe we can at least wear this guy down if he needs a break already. I will call my witness after the recess. Which will last ten minutes. Judge! Y-yes?Sound: Light Bulb  B-but, wait, I...Sound: Fwa-Shing 2  Sound: Damage 2 Flimsy? It's going to be so satisfying to take this guy down later. Music: Silence Y-yes!Sound: Stab 2 Sound: Gavel Ahem. This court will take a ten minute recess. It's actually impressive that we seem to be even worse off at the start of this trial than in any prior episode. And we haven't even heard from the witness yet!  Music: Courtroom Lobby ~ Beginning Overture  Edgeworth even looks guilty here. Edgeworth! What's going on here!?Sound: Whack Your fingerprints were on the murder weapon! Uh... hmm... The only one who could have shot that man was the person in the photo! True... Was that you in the boat? ... Sound: Realization ...What the hell kind of case have you handed us here Edgeworth? What!? This idiot picked up the gun after it had been fired, or something similarly stupid, huh? Th-then who did? I... don't know. You don't know!? Weren't you right there!? ... Then... the other man fell from the boat. I can't say why, but... Sound: Realization What we saw in the prologue aside, it seems like it'd be hard to efficiently shoot yourself in the heart. I'm still going with someone riding Gourdy and sneaking up behind them. Y-you mean it was a suicide!? ... Huh... (How am I going to convince anyone of that!?) Huh? Wh-what?Sound: Light Bulb Any progress with Mia? Oh... We're not quite up against it yet. We still have another witness to cross-examine, and hopefully trip up with some contradictions. Ugh... I know... I'm no good for anything, am I, Nick? Well, I mean, I certainly wouldn't say that... No, of course not, I need you here! I can see you're always trying to help out. Even if you don't actually help... it's the thought that counts, right?quote:Phoenix's protests would be more convincing if he wasn't asking after Mia every five minutes. Maybe we should just be honest with Maya.  I don't know anything about trials, or defense... Aww, everyone has their off days! I mean, I've just been getting lucky lately... But you never know when my luck is going to run out! Really...?Music: Silence  Sound: Damage 2 Oh, right, not the best conversation to have in front of our client I guess. Don't jinx this case any more than it already is!Sound: Whack It's bad for my heart... Oh? Oh! S-sorry... (Whoops!)Not our most productive recess. Sound: Gavel Music: Trial Court is back in session. I guess if I refer to this guy by his last name, I should be saying "von Karma" all the time instead. gently caress that. Someone did have a better idea for the reference of his name, though: Zulily Zoetrope posted:hm, I wonder if there's any symbolism in our boy Edgeworth being savaged by a ruthless prosecutor named von Karma Yes.    That I am. And don't add anything trivial or subjective. Understand? ... UNDERSTAND? Er... very well. Your testimony, please. Sound: Testimony 2 Music: Questioning - Moderato It was Christmas Eve, just after midnight, I reckon. I was in my car. I heard this "bang" come up from the lake.Sound: Weak Gunshot    Sound: Weak Gunshot  There wasn't nary a thing on that lake but that boat.Music: Silence Enough. Huh? Judge! She happened to take a photo of the incident! W-well! This is a surprise! Sound: Guilty Looks like the same photo as the one we have, I guess? We don't get a separate evidence entry for it. Music: Telling the Truth  Sound: Gallery  Sound: Gavel x 3   There were no other boats on that lake! Sound: Fwa-Shing 2 Yes. It was the defendant, Miles Edgeworth!!!Come on, there's no evidence of that. Yet.  Sound: Gallery Sound: Gavel x 3 Order! Order! Order...! I will have order! ... Well, Judge? The evidence is... decisive. Sound: Gavel  What, before we even get to cross the witness? Phoenix, do your thing!  Sound: Objection (I may not have mentioned it before, but each one of these voiced lines is also accompanied by, fittingly, the "Objection" sound effect.) W-wait! Your Honor! Quibbling details. A cross-examination? I don't like that face. Edgeworth already admitted he was in the boat. Pushing on this one feels like a trap. But what choice do we have? This photo is worth a thousand words... and they all read "guilty"! You lose. Or... Sound: Realization Music: Suspense Not gonna lie, I haven't crossed or pressed yet so I didn't really pay attention to her testimony. ...! Very well. If you have to, you may cross-examine the witness. That is like 90% of what we do. But it seems to work! You will fail to find anything.Sound: Fwa-Shing 2 And then, I will have you held in contempt of court!For taking our legally-required cross-examination of your witness? Get out of here.  "Contempt of court," you know? I... guess I understand. Well... what are you going to do? Hard to tell with how vague she was, but I sure hope so! I... think I noticed on little thing... Sound: Light Bulb Right! Let's take him on! Y-yeah... (I got a bad feeling about this...)quote:It's not like we can just not do it, but... Music: Silence  Sound: Desk Slam  Tsk tsk tsk... Very well! Next time, we cross Ms. Hart!
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Apr 11, 2023 03:33
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I'm very sure Karma just blowing past the number of gunshots recorded and number of bullets fired won't be of any import in this case!
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Apr 11, 2023 06:36
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The Judge is taking it out on Phoenix that he got bullied by Von Karma 
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Apr 11, 2023 07:24
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In most courtrooms I know, Karma would be in contempt right now for acting the way he does.
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Apr 11, 2023 09:43
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Unfortunately for Nick, this courtroom is run by kangaroos. Seemingly literally, sometimes, with the way the Judge hops from verdict to verdict.
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Apr 11, 2023 09:56
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First von Karma cross, and it's a doozy. I wonder if there's a pattern across most of the trial: first cross after recess and/or new day is a sheer cliff face with no safety rope, because old Manfred got the time to really prep the witness and shave away any imperfections. Progress past that and it goes easier for a while because you can't prep for everything and Nick is a loose cannon with less than nothing to lose. (of course gameplay mean the difficulty ramps up again) I seem to recall it is but it's been a long while.
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Apr 11, 2023 09:59
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Commander Keene posted:Unfortunately for Nick, this courtroom is run by kangaroos. Seemingly literally, sometimes, with the way the Judge hops from verdict to verdict. Karma looks more like a koala to me. Wait, make that a cassowary. He is vicious, not cuddly. I now have to imagine him with an Aussie accent. 
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Apr 11, 2023 10:49
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Koalas are pretty darn vicious. Don't mess with them.
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Apr 11, 2023 10:51
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Manfred von Karma is a goddamn force of nature in the courtroom, isn't he? He may not be my favorite prosecutor, but I can't deny that he knows how to take total control of a situation.
Sword_of_Dusk fucked around with this message at 00:32 on Apr 13, 2023 |
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Apr 12, 2023 03:02
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i feel like half of his effectiveness is because the judge is doddering and spineless. an actual judge with presence could just insist on actually carrying out the law and he couldn't do much.
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Apr 12, 2023 05:06
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I mean yeah, our Judge's profile specifically calls him out as wishy-washy, but von Karma couldn't have been able to get this one specific judge his entire 40-year(?) prosecuting career. He might have the pull to choose to what judge he works with nowadays, but certainly he couldn't end up in the same courtroom for every case he handled? His ridiculous power in the courtroom is in-universe due to his flawless prosecuting record.
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Apr 12, 2023 05:29
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He's mostly just a gigantic rear end in a top hat that bulldozes people because he can. He isn't really getting away with this poo poo because of his record, he's just a bully that's brow beating everyone, even the judge, into submission.
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Apr 12, 2023 11:40
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| # ? May 24, 2024 15:43 |
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Clearly I don’t know everything I should about koalas. I will take new information under advisement. I agree with everything said so far about the judge and Prosecutor Karma. I hope they both improve their character in the near future. We’ll see if they do.
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Apr 12, 2023 11:46
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