The Objection Song

(spoken stuff about actually believing in your client’s innocence)

(music starts)

Phoenix:
(Spoken) But how do I prove Larry’s innocent?

Mia:
(Spoken) You hold the evidence, Wright, it’s in the court record. Find out what’s wrong, and raise an objection.

If your client is innocent
this testimony's pure fiction
So check the court record
for a contradiction
It’s time to take control
His story was clearly phony
Present something (to poke a hole)
In his testimony

The witness is clearly lying
To throw you of your case
So find a contradiction
to rub in his smug face
And after you have made
your careful selection
Present evidence as your aid
and yell “OBJECTION!”

(Spoken)
Phoenix: What, I just yell out when I find a contradiction?
Mia: No, of course not, objecting isn’t just about yelling. There’s a lot more to it.
Now listen carefully Wright

What you need to achieve
Is grabbing everyone’s attention
In order to make them believe
You have to create some tension
That witness telling a lie
While being on the stand
Look him in the eye (and bang your desk)
Loudly with your hand

The witness is clearly lying
To throw you of your case
So find a contradiction
to rub in his smug face
And after you have made
your careful selection
Present evidence as your aid
and yell “OBJECTION!”

(Spoken)
Phoenix: Ok, yelling and slamming the desk, I got it. Anything else?
Mia: Actually, there’s one more thing.

Now the judge is rather old
His hearing’s not that fine
He's slowly getting bald
He needs some kind of sign
So go out on a limb
get his mind to linger
By focusing (and pointing to him)
With your index finger

The witness is clearly lying
To throw you of your case
So find a contradiction
to rub in his smug face
And after you have made
your careful selection
Present evidence as your aid
and yell “OBJECTION!”

(Spoken)
Phoenix: I think I got it now.
Mia: So, you know what to do, Wright?
Phoenix: Yeah, just watch me, chief!

(Simultaneously: Mia - Phoenix)
The witness is clearly lying - The witness is clearly lying
To throw you of your case - To throw me of my case
So find a contradiction - I'll find a contradiction
to rub in his smug face - To rub in his smug face
And after you have made - And after I'll have made
your careful selection - My careful selection
Present evidence as your aid - I'll present evidence as my aid
and yell “OBJECTION!” - and yell "OBJECTION"


(Slamming the desk, yelling, pointing)
Phoenix: OBJECTION!

[SCENE ONE]

[Open to the courtroom. Phoenix and Maya are at the defense’s desk. Phoenix is poring over the case papers laid out in front of him while Maya is sitting and looking around the room. Manfred Von Karma is standing looking completely composed and relaxed. The judge enters and sits.]

Judge: (bangs gavel) Court is now in session for the trial of Miles Edgeworth.

Phoenix: (straightening up) The defense is ready you honor.

Von Karma: (Remains quiet)

Judge: Very well, it seems the prosecution is ready as well…would the prosecution please give your opening statement?

[Von Karma is still silent]

Judge: Er…well…no opening statement, so we should now-

Von Karma: OBJECTION! Not so fast, judge! I was merely taking a meaningful pause before speaking!

Judge: (flustered) O-oh, right, of course…

Von Karma: There’s not need for an opening statement, only a prediction! Today’s trial will end THREE MINUTES from now!

[Crowd mutters amongst themselves. Anything audible is along the lines of “what? How can he say that?” “Three Minutes? There’s no way a trail would end that fast!”]

Judge: (bangs his gavel repeatedly) Order! Order! Mr. Von Karma! What is the meaning of that statement!

Von Karma: OBJECTION! Must you really question everything? Your job is to pass judgment, not question! Three Minutes is running fast, and we do not have time to waste on your flimsy “questions”. I will call my witness.

Judge: (meekly) y-yes….

Von Karma: I call my witness…my decisive witness to the stand!

[Old Man enters and takes the stand. He stands there, staring off into space.]

Von Karma: Witness…state your profession.

Old Man: Ah! I, er, am the proprietor of the restaurant, the “Wet Noodle”, at Gourd Lake.

[Von Karma glares at Old Man, who visibly cringes for a moment before recovering.]

Old Man: Oh, I also rent boats.

Von Karma: The night of the incident, you were in the boat rental shop, correct?

Old Man: Ayup, Ayup, I was.

Von Karma: Please Testify.

Phoenix: OBJECTION! Wait a Minute! The witness hasn’t stated his name yet!

Von Karma: OBJECTION! Because it is TRIVIAL, Mr. Wright. My perfect trial will end in three minutes, so sit down, shut up and listen to the testimony!

Judge: The witness will state his name for the court.

Old Man: Mmph! Well, er…I’m not really sure, ayup.

Judge: What do you mean?

Old Man: My, er, memory…

Von Karma: You honor…the witness does not remember ANYTHING beyond the last several years. Ergo, he cannot recall his own name.

Judge: Hmm ...he can’t recall, you say.

Von Karma: But the incident occurred only three days ago, so he can remember that quite well.

Judge: Very Well. Let’s hear his testimony then, shall we, Witness?

Old Man: It was the night of the 24th, just after midnight, ayup. I was in the restaurant…where I, er …rent boats, as usual. Then I heard a “bang!”, Ayup. When I looked out the window, I saw a boat just a’floatin’ on the lake. Then I heard another “Bang!”. Just about the boat comes back to the shore and a man walks by my window.

Judge: Very well, I’d like to begin the cross-examination-

Von Karma: OBJECTION! There is nothing to question in my witness’s testimony! There is no need for cross-examination! There are only ten seconds left before the three minutes is up! Verdict. Now.

Judge: Um…er…(looks desperately at Phoenix) Mr. Wright?

Phoenix; Of course I’ll cross-examine the witness!

Judge: (rushed) Very Well! Begin!

Von Karma: Raaaaaaaaaargh!

[Judge and Maya dive und their respective desks.]

Judge: (Peeking out from under his desk.) E-excuse me? Mr. Von Karma?

Von Karma: (calm) Three minutes just passed.

Judge: (still somewhat shaken) I-I see…Well, Mr. Wright, we can take our time, so please feel free to cross-examine the witness.

Von Karma: Hrmph.

Old Man: It was the night of the 24th, just after midnight, ayup.

Phoenix: HOLD IT! “Just after midnight,” you say?

Old Man: Ayup, just around then.

Phoenix: Are you sure?

Old man: Pretty sure, ayup.

Phoenix: When I talked with you yesterday you were rather vague about the time. I’m surprised you see so sure about it today.

Von Karma: OBJECTION! I asked him, and he remembered. Isn’t that right?

Old Man: D-don’t glare at me like that…! I, er…I remembered it clearly, I did. Ayup.

Von Karma: You see? Continue!

Old Man: I was in the restaurant…where I, er…rent boats, as usual.

Phoenix: HOLD IT! Is there anyone who can verify that?

Old Man: Well, I guess Polly could…

Phoenix: That’s not good enough for a court of law!

Judge: Mr. Wright…what exactly is “not good enough”?

Phoenix: Well, your honor, “Polly” is a, um, parrot.

Judge: A…parrot.

Old Man: Don’t be so hard on the girl, Keithy-boy!

Judge: Kieth…?

Von Karma: OBJECTION! The prosecution concedes that we cannon verify if the witness was in the shop or not. Please continue.

Old Man: Then I heard a “bang!”, Ayup.

Phoenix: HOLD IT! Where did the “bang” seem to come from?

Old Man: From the lake, I figure.

Von Karma: Are you sure?

Old Man: A-ayup.

Karma: Good. Continue!

Old Man: When I looked out the window, I saw a boat just a’floatin’ on the lake.

Phoenix: HOLD IT! Was there someone in the boat?

Old Man: It was pretty far out there…I couldn’t see clearly…but I figure there were two men out there, ayup.

Phoenix: But you just said you couldn’t see them clearly!

Old Man: Ayup…at the time, that is.

Phoenix: At the time-

Von Karma: Irrelevant, Mr. Wright. Witness, continue.

Old Man: Then I heard another “Bang!”.

Phoenix: So you heard two gunshots total?

Old Man: Ayup.

Von Karma: Which was established yesterday, you are wasting this court’s precious time Mr. Wright. I suggest you hurry this along.

Phoenix: R-right…

Old man: Just about the boat comes back to the shore and a man walks by my window.

Phoenix: HOLD IT! By your window?

Old Man: Ayup, right by my window. Right outside the window of my little shack.

Phoenix: Did you see the man’s face?

Old Man: Well, the fog was pretty darn thick, but he was right there in front of me. I saw him.

Judge: This…This is very important! Witness! Add that last statement to your testimony!

Von Karma: Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Old Man: That man was the defendant…he was saying “I can’t believe he’s dead.”

Phoenix: HOLD IT! A-are you sure?!

Old Man: (stares off into space again)

Phoenix: D-Dad!

Old Man: Dead certain, Keith! He said, “I can’t believe he’s dead” as he was walking by, too!

[Crowd mutters unintelligibly in the background.]

Von Karma: Witness! Are you sure that the person you saw was the defendant, Miles Edgeworth?

Old Man: It was him! That Edgeworth boy!

Judge: This is decisive evidence indeed! I see no room for doubt.

Phoenix: (turns to the audience and the crowds murmurs die down some.) Von Karma set this up! He lured me into cross-examining this witness to ensure a decisive victory! I’d better act quickly or this trial will be over in an eye blink!

[The crowd's murmurs crescendo again, sounding angry.]

Maya: Nick…I don’t like how this is going…the whole courtroom’s glaring at us like WE’RE the ones on trial!

Phoenix: OBJECTION! You Honor! We proved in yesterday’s court proceedings that is could not have bee the defendant who fired the gun!

Von Karma: (chuckles somewhat evilly) You are referring to the fingerprints from the defendant’s right hand found on the gun, and the photograph showing a man firing with his left hand, I presume?

Phoenix: Exactly!

Von Karma: That is easily explainable! He could have wiped the prints after he fired! You are ignoring the truth of the matter here! Everything in this witness’s testimony is bulletproof, Mr. Wright.

Judge: hmm….

Phoenix: OBJECTION! You Honor! The witness claims that the defendant said, “I can’t believe he’s dead”…but his word is all we have! If he were telling a lie-

Von Karma: (sounding supremely offended and irritated) OBJECTION! Mr. Wright, need I remind you this is a court of LAW. EVIDENCE tells all, not some paltry conjecture you feel the need to spout in the presence of the court. If you believe the testimony is false, then provide the EVIDENCE to prove it!

Phoenix: Urk..!

Maya: Nick! C’mon we have evidence!…Don’t we?

Phoenix: It’s no good, Maya! We don’t have anything to prove he’s lying. There’s nothing I can do now.

Maya: What?!

Phoenix: To be honest…I have NO idea what to do anymore…

Maya: (stage whisper) Please…Can you hear me, Sis? Please, we need you help! Nick needs you…

Von Karma: (with a triumphant tone) I guess three minutes was perhaps too high an expectation, but still, fifteen minutes isn’t to shabby either! This must be a new record for one of my perfect cases.

Judge: The witness may leave the stand.
[Old Man slowly rambles off-stage]

Judge: I see no reason to further prolong this trial, nor the need for more time to decide the case against the defendant. It is extremely clear and I see no room for misinterpretation of the facts.

Phoenix: (quietly) No! This can’t be the end!

Karma: (to the judge) It certainly took you long enough to come to that conclusion. As I have said, my trials are perfect. There is no room for error.

Judge: Yes, well…the court finds the defendant, Mr. Miles Edgeworth…GUILTY. The accused will surrender to the court immediately, to be held pending trial at a higher court within a month from today’s date. That is all. Court is Ad-

???: WAAAAAAAAIIIIIIT!!!

Judge: What-?! Who was that just now?

[Larry runs up to the witness stand.]

Larry: Me! Err…that is, me, your honor!

Phoenix: Larry, what are you doing?!

Judge: What are you doing here?

Larry: I was there, in the park, the night of the murder! I…I wasn’t sure about it until yesterday. But I remembered!

Judge: What did you remember?

Larry: I heard it too! The Gunshot! I heard it!

[Crowd murmurs]

Judge: (bangs gavel) Order!

Von Karma: OBJECTION! What is the meaning of this?! The verdict has been decided! The case is closed!

Judge: One moment Mr. Von Karma…So, you say you heard a gunshot?

Larry: you bet I did! A gunshot! That night! I was sitting here in the audience, listening to the testimony…then I realized something he said was different from what I remember! Anyhow, I can’t just sit her and let you call Edgey a murderer! It’s…no! It’s just not right! C’mon let me testify!

[The crowds murmuring crescendos.]

Judge: (banging his gavel0 Order! Order! Well, this I the first time anything like this has happened in my court. I’m not quite sure how to proceed…

Von Karma: (somewhat desperate sounding) Judge, you’ve given you verdict! There is no reason for further testimony to be wasted on this farce! The trial is over!

Maya: Nick! Larry’s given us a final shot! Things can’t get much worse so let’s give it a try!

Phoenix: Right, let’s go for it! Your Honor! If there is another witness, it is our duty to hear him speak! Right here, right now!

Karma: A waste of time! A verdict cannot be overturned at this point, Mr. Wright!

Judge: hm…My opinion is this. In court proceedings, it is our duty to prevent an inaccurate verdict. In order to ensure the full truth can be brought to light and a true and just verdict be rendered, every witness should be heard.

Karma: (shocked and outraged) What?! What can you possibly mean by this?!

Judge: I withdraw my previous verdict of “guilty”!

[The crowds murmuring again crescendos.]

Judge: Mr. Von Karma! I order you to call this new witness to testify. Now.

Karma: you do not have the authority to-

Judge: My word is law in this courtroom Mr. Von Karma. You will prepare the next witness for testimony and the court will adjourn for a five-minute recess to allow you time to do so. After the recess we will hear this new witness. Court is adjourned!

[Judge bangs his gavel and stage fades to black.]

Make it Right

(Phoenix tells Maya Grossberg refused to represent her)

(music)

Maya
I never thought it would ever come to this
In times of trouble, I could always count on my sis
She’d always be there for me, coming to my aid
But now she’s gone, and I…am afraid
My immediate future doesn’t look so bright
And I need someone to help me, someone to make it right

Maya (Spoken)
I've been abandoned, then.
Just a little longer now before the state-appointed lawyer comes, I guess...

Phoenix (Spoken)
I've made up my mind!
I'm going to defend you whether you want me to or not!

Maya (Spoken)
Why?

-Phoenix (Spoken)
Why? Well...

All the evidence says that you are guilty
But the witness’ strange behavior, it was kinda fishy
You’ve no one who’s there for you, and it makes me really mad
‘Cause Nothing is more sad and lonely than that
I couldn’t convince Grossberg, try as I might
And you need someone to help you, someone to make it right

Maya (spoken)
That's so kind of you...
*sniff*...
You know, my sis mentioned you once, before she…

Mia
Today was my junior partner’s first day in court
And the actual trial, although it was kinda short
He’s a genius, it was really intense
The only thing he’s lacking, is experience
He’ll strike fear into the heart of evil ‘cause he’s really bright
Give him three more years, then he’ll make everything right

Phoenix (spoken)
Three years, huh?

Maya (spoken)
I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to trouble you...


Phoenix (spoken)
No, it's okay. It's true, I guess.
But... at the same time, I can't just sit and watch!

Maya (Spoken)
Thanks, Nick. I can call you Nick, right? Mia said that’s what your friend Larry calls you.

Phoenix
So I’ll make sure you get acquitted in there
You’ll be OK, So don’t you despair
Maya
I’ve got a new friend, coming to my aid
I trust you, Nick, I’m no longer afraid
Mia
He can do it, He’ll bring the truth to light

(Mia, Maya, Phoenix simultaneously)
Trust Phoenix, he’ll make it right
So, nick please make it right
I promise, I’ll make it right