Courtroom of DOOM! - In England I wager

The case of the death of Armando Casillas.

Is Calista Vaight guilty?

Will an age old feud finally be put to rest?

Join us in... the Courtroom of DOOM!

Calista sat in the accused box, her short black fringe covering her eyes, hiding them from view. Her robes were black, with a green hem. She glanced up at her father and youngest brother, the only sibling younger than her...Horatio and Raoul smiled encouragingly back.
She sighed and looked across at the Casillas accusers.
How could they accuse her or murdering Armando?!
How?!
She unconsciously placed a hand protectively on her stomach. How she wished she had told Armando sooner...She would have if she'd known he'd react so well...
But it had been a drunken night, she hadn't known what he'd think...
And he hadn't known she returned his feelings...
A single tear slid to her nose, but she brushed it aside, waiting for the court to commence.
The pain in her heart wouldn't shift...but she had to be strong.
She had to be strong for her and Armando's little one.
She had to...
How she wished Armando was here...She fought down the tears from the neverending centre, the empty hole of loss. She raised her head, determination shining in her eyes.
She was a Vaight.
She would be strong!

The Bailiff suddenly stood. "The Court is now in session, all rise for his greatness, Judge Amadaus Gilastco."

Amadaus Gilastco was wearing deep purple robes. He was in his mid-sixties. He wore spectacles but beyond the glass, his eyes held a most interesting look.

He finished his walk through the court and sat down on his predetermined seat.

Everyone else sat back down.

Zeva Illiade glanced briefly at the notes before her.
"My lord, my client...Calista Vaight would like to plead not guilty to the charges laid before her, which accuse her unjustly of the murder of her friend and collegue, Armando Casillas."
Zeva was about fourty, with blonde hair pulled back into a tight bun, dressed in black. Everything about her was ordered and neat, and she radiated efficiency. She sat down and waited for the accusers to speak.

((sorry if this is all wrong, but I don't watch courtrm dramas...lol))

"Lies!" Ferderico Casillas said from somewhere in the back. "No Vaight can be not guilty."

Antonio Villar walked to the center of the room.

He was a stout stubby man, with a critically raising hair-line.
"People of the courtroom, my lord, the jury, Armando Casillas was a wonderful. A promising man. He was intellegent, brave, kind and caring. The death of this man, this man that I've described before you all now, was a sick and disgusting affair that was the result of generations of hostility towards the Vaights and the Casillas. A feud between the two families that has become from the bloodiness of before, to now just a mere disliking from a distance away - that was, before her!" Antonio pointed at Calista. "This witch has suceeded in renewing the blood lust of this feud and must therefore be punished."

((Yes... I rambled... what are you going to do about it? You can do the Family's reaction to Antonio's statement.))

((lol ok...Raoul time!))

Raoul snarled, hand scrabbling for his wand, mind already deciding how to curse the stubby little lawyer into oblivion.
Horatio stopped him with a glare.
"Don't rise, it's what he wants."
"But Father-"
Horatio's eyes shone with silent warning. "Do not forget whose life lies at stake here. Do you want to be responsible for sending your sister to Azkaban?!"
Raoul's gaze lowered to his sister, and he replaced his wand. Then he changed his mind.
He took it out and passed it to his father. "I cannot trust my temper in the prescence of those scum." He nodded at the Casillases.
Horatio almost smiled, proud of his youngest son. He nodded, and turned back to the coutroom.
Raoul smiled slightly. That nod proved he had done the right thing. His face grew impassive again as he looked at his sister in the box, surrounded by bars and unable to escape.
Vaights weren't meant to get emotional, but he knew that he could have cried, had he allowed himself. But he didn't. Only strength would win this war. Only strength would free his sister.

"Your honour," Villar said. "I would like to call in the witness, Albert Jacobs.

There was a general shift in the courtroom as Albert Jacobs took the stand. He was tall and lanky, with large side-burns that made it look like he walked out of a victorian novel.

"State your name to the courtroom please." Villar commanded.

"I am Albert Edgar Jacobs." Jacobs said.

"And what is your relationship with the defendant Miss Calista?" Villar said in the typical lawyer fashion.

"I am part of the team with Miss Vaight and Mister Casillas." Jacobs said.

"Were you with them the day Mister Casillas was killed?" Villar questioned.

"Not at first, no. I was in our tent, recording our findings in the Data Book." Jacobs replied.

"Is it true that you were the first one who discovered Mister Casillas body?" Villar asked.

"Yes."

"How did you find it if you were in the tent?" Villar said.

"I went down to the tomb to ask Mister Casillas for his password - he puts a password on his Data Books and I forgot." Jacobs said.

"And what did you see in the tomb?" Villar asked.

"I saw Miss Vaight purposely activate an ancient Egyptian ward and dodge out of the way just so Mister Casillas would be hit." Jacobs said.

There was a ripple of noise in the crowded courtroom.

"He is making it up, he didn't coming in to the tomb till after he died"Amy thought over.

"Boy will these people be surprised when we show them our memory" thought Aiden.

Calista's eyes gleamed momentarily with anger. How dare he lie in court? How dare he turn against her?!
But then she fell back into resignation.
Of course he'd been bribed.
She snuck a glance up at Raoul, noticing his face was contorted with rage. Horatio was immobile beside him.
Zeva stood, straight as a pin.
"Your honour, I believe it is my turn to cross-examine the witness." She straightened the notes before her and waited for Villar to sit back down.

"You see here your honour, an eye witness testimony of what had happened down there. Albert Jacobs, a man who is not a Casillas nor a Vaight nor is in anyway affliated with this 'feud'. An objective testimony, one that is without bias. This testimony shows this witch," he pointed at Calista, "for what she truly is!"

"No further questions your honour," Villar sat down fully satisfied with the reaction of the jury.

Zeva faced the witness.
"Mr Jacobs, what prevented you from acting and saving your friend, if we presume this, temporarily to be true..."

"It all happened so fast," Jacobs said. "I barely had any time to react."

"I see...So why exactly were you nominated for such a position of responsibility in a crew of curse-breakers? Surely that is a career requiring a significantly swift reaction time." Zeva raised an eyebrow.
"But that is all by-the-by really isn't it...The crux of the matter is my client's alleged murder of her friend and collegue."
She straightened her notes, unnecessarily.
"Now Mr Jacobs, approximately how long have you been with my client's group of curse-breakers?"

"This specific team? For about six months now." Jocabs said.

"And who was it who recommended or promoted you to said team...despite your apparent reaction shortcomings."
Zeva leaned forwards slightly, placing her hands on the table, to either side of her perfectly organised notes.

"Objection your Honour, she's insulting the witness!" Villar stood up.

"Sustained." Judge Amadaus said.

"It was my father, Robert Jacobs." Jocabs said.

"I see...And during the time you have been with my client's group, have you ever had to be disciplined or warned against any sort of behavior?"
Zeva had to admit the case against her witness was strong, and she had no other witnesses to call...yet.
Her young assistant, Greg muttered something in her ear.
Apparently there were some new witnesses outside, wanting to speak to her.
"Excuse me your honour, my deputy shall take my place temporarily..." She left he courtroom.
Greg sat down, feeling pleased. He was also slightly drunk...

"Objection your honour!" Villar said. "One cannot merely leave a courtcase in the middle of an examination!"

"Miss Illiade, an explanation please." Judge Amadaus said.

((Will she call the Twins?))

((Yup they can enter when she comes back in or sumthin, after her collegues acted drunken and effectivly ruined the defense.))

"Your honour, I believe it is perfectly within my rights to leave temporily to see if the witnesses I have just recieved word from are who they say they are."
Zeva left the room. Greg stood up.
"Yes so, as you can see, I am here and ready to continue. So Mr Jacobs or whatever, have you been beaten up for acting outta order in your group yet?"
The drink slightly slurred his speech, but not really enough to be clearly drunk.

Villar wasn't really that happy however, he got his point across, the more objections to an examination, the worst it looks to a jury.

Jocabs looked slightly confused. "Sorry sir? I don't think I understand your question."

Greg banged a fist on the table.
"Jakey boy, do you speak English?"

"Objection your honour!" Villar shouted up. "Personal attack to the witness!"

"Sustained." Judge Amadaus said. "Mr... are you going anywhere in your questioning or merely taking us around... are you under the influence?"

"Am I heck?" Greg wobbled slightly still standing upright. "Anyway, so have you ever been reprimanded for...lying for example?"
One of his hands knocked the notes onto the floor, and in his drunken state, he didn't notice.
Until Zeva appeared, eyes flashing, and magicked them back into a neat order.
"We shall conclude this now, your honour..." Zeva informed the judge, glaring daggers at her assistant. Greg quivered.
"Get out of this courtroom and back to my office. As soon as the session is concluded you shall pay dearly for this." She hissed at him, and he hurtled from the room, the pure anger in Zeva's voice sobering him up brilliantly.
Zeva faced the judge again.
"I believe it is my turn to call our witness..es. She clapped and the door swung inwards, revealing the twins in the doorway. She motioned for them to take the witness box.

The twins sat in the witness box and await the questions.