[ WEEK FOUR – TRIAL ]

[sheriffexe]

TRIAL

In the morning, the town comes back to life. Birds crow overhead, a snake nearby hisses, a lingering coyote dips behind a shop before disappearing into the wild. It's a frightening contrast to the stillness of yesterday but it doesn't mean it's over yet. After all, today is the trial. The Sheriff stands on the porch of the Town Hall and brings his hand up to his mouth to let out a whistle. He'll thumb back to the Hall behind him and very clearly state -- "Trial time, folks. Get in here and figure out who did it." And then he'll turn to leave before pausing and adding on, "Bring a snack or somethin' too. The Town Hall is set up more like a court house, a Judge's bench at the front but instead of at center, it's off to the side as if more for observation than participation. There's a table at the front of the room already holding a small box and a pad of papers and pen, for voting apparently. A side room containing only a metal gurney is next and today it's obvious why there's a gurney there at all with the corpse, resting right on top of it. Aside from that, there are rows for everyone to take a seat and it's only after everyone is inside and settled, that the doors close and the Sheriff speaks. "Well, have at it. You've got till nine." And then, he points to a clock on the wall that reads 12:00. Good luck. Welcome to the trial post! Characters are free to discuss everything related to the trial here. They won't be let out of the room until 9PM when voting ends. Every character must vote and the voting post can be found here. If there are any questions, please shoot a message to this journal or to robowest.

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Comments

[tightly]

[ Please, Barnham. Don't have a justice aneurysm the day after you go swimming in corpse water. ]

Did Miss Lust seem like the type to put up a fight? The possibility of a struggle may be relevant, considering the manner in which she was disposed.

[moraled]

[he might have a justice aneurysm, he's having a hard time :'(]

I believe she would, yes. She had stated to me before that she wished to live her life free of constraints. I cannot see her so easily caving to death.

[alcobrawlic]

I did just teach her how to use a pistol, so there's no doubt she wanted to be prepared.

[moraled]

[.......]

How many others, Lady Instructor, did you teach to use a pistol?

[alcobrawlic]

Not including Lust, two. Milla and Xion.

[moraled]

... I see. I hesitate to assign guilt based off of this, considering our prior failures.

[But someone who could shoot a gun probably...shot the gun??]

[alcobrawlic]

Not to mention the both of them were injured.

[insincerely]

And a lot more people here already knew how to use a gun without your teachings. No offence, of course.

[impulsiveness]

Did you and Papika see any signs of struggle in the area, then? Or did anyone see anything out of place around town?

[Besides........... corpses, obviously.]

[moraled]

There was no sign of a struggle in the area, I fear.

[??? he's got nothing.]

I believe that would only indicate that she was not killed there.

[feminitis]

So we're... looking for someone strong enough to overpower her, then?

[moraled]

Indeed, I believe that is likely. Someone would have to be strong to cut her up regardless; that is not to be done by someone with little physical strength.

[insincerely]

Unless they caught her by surprise or drugged her beforehand. Or something to that effect, anyway.

[moraled]

... Yes. That is also a plausible option, particularly if there have been no signs of a struggle about the town.

[It's a shitty way to die, though...

He really should've done a better job of protecting her.]

[feminitis]

...drugged her? Do we... have things that we could drug people with...?

[Because that opens up a lot of really disturbing possibilities.]

[insincerely]

[He shrugs, before calling out:]

Hey, Dr. Lecter! Anything in the clinic that could be used for this?

[HANNIBAL PROBABLY KNOWS THE CLINIC PRETTY WELL...]

[sating]

We do, yes.

[ the resident doctor is here to help ]

The anesthesia I've used in my surgeries would be the most efficient, but other drugs available would have the same effect. Even painkillers in excess would, and all of them pose the risk of killing whoever takes them if it's in excess.

[robitussin]

If they drugged her and then cut her up instead of just stabbing her once, we're looking for a huge piece of shit. Which I guess is true either way, but... You know.

[insincerely]

On the bright side, if it turns out that she was drugged and we know that for sure, it might help narrow down the pool of suspects. Not everyone here would be familiar with modern medicine.

Right now, though, it's just conjecture.

[tightly]

[ She's thinking that perhaps we ought to check for injuries or signs of a scrap again... but considering how that turned out last week, she's not exactly rushing to say it. Chane herself has few qualms with the prospect, but the community at large is.

Varied. ]

...

[ Okay, fine. With a few minutes passing between Barnham's reply and this one, she writes -- ]

Perhaps we should determine who shows signs of having been in an altercation.

[insincerely]

[Assuming Xion's help, etc.]

... Are you suggesting another strip search?

[tightly]

[ ugh ]

[ yeah she doesn't even answer anymore, she's done ]

[sating]

[ oh goddammit ]

...If we would like to, I would encourage it before the last hour, certainly. It ended up being unrelated, but I didn't get to question Nisha on her injuries further because of the short time we had.

[impulsiveness]

Then how about now? If we get it out of the way early, we can avoid another screw up like that.

[sating]

[ He nods in agreement ]

That would be my suggestion, at least. If everyone is comfortable, I can conduct them again.