Lawsuit between 1457-11-22, Aasha and An Mumhain

[Aasha]

Charges and opening statement by the Public Prosecutor Albrecht

You are hereby called to appear before the Munster General Court to answer to the following charge:

That you did on the 11th of September, while a member of the army called "Obscene Outlaw Party Squad", participate in the heinous murder of Benzid.

Per the Munster legal corpus, II-6.7: Manslaughter:

Any death caused by neglect or violation of any part of the Rules of Engagement constitutes manslaughter. Those convicted may face Extensive Incarceration [III-1.7], a Major Fine [III-1.4] and/or a Creative Fine [III-1.5] equivalent to any damages caused to the victim. The general of the offending army may also face Execution [III-1.9].

As a reminder, per the Munster legal corpus, I-2.1, there is no statute of limitations for the charge you face.

How do you answer to this charge? Are you Guilty or Not Guilty?



Aasha's First Defense Plea

Aasha listened to the charge against her, her eyes widening as Albrecht finished. She remembered lots of things, but she sure didn't remember anything about murdering Benzid. Clearing her throat, she bowed before the judge and Albrecht, then began to speak.

OOPs army was sittin' 'round relaxin' when Benzid was travelin'. Everybody in Munster knows he dun likes NNGO. I'm guessin' he saw us an' dun lost his mind, cuz he was chargin' reckless rights towards us. Ended up runnin' rights into my sword when I wasna even aiming for him! Gots it all bloody, tooks a while ta be gettin' it cleaned ups lat'r. Dunno if'n I was hearin' things or no, but I thought I heard him mutt'r somethin' likes: "I meant to do that..." fore he shuts up fer a change. Didna last long, him bein' quiet...case ya didna figure that'n on yer own. He jumped up a bit lat'r an' started runnin' his mouth 'bout NNGO all ov'r 'gain.


I didna murd'r Benzid's heiny. Didna go killin' no oth'r parts o' his body neith'r. How ken ya charge me wit' killin' 'im if'n he ain't dead? If'n I was killin' 'im, he wouldna still be talkin'. Woulda taken his tongue, then Munster folk woulda been payin' me fer him ta be deads. Dead folk dun walk 'round whinin' cuz they's dead. They dun walk nowheres. 'Sides, fer me to be guilty o' yer manslaugt'r charge likes yer sayin', I'd be havin' to slaught'r a man.

Aasha looks around the courtroom closely, then shakes her head.

Las' I looked, Benzid isna even half a man...ya ken checks fer yerself.



Funmath's witness statement

Aasha is a nice, honest, and trustworthy young lady with a wicked sense of humor. When she led her own army, she was trusted enough to be let inside the walls of Inis, after obtaining council approval. She did nothing to harm Inis and disbanded her army when she told me she would.

I would like the judge and this court to consider the character of Aasha when making it's decision.



Benzid's statement against Aasha

As much as Aasha talks tripe, distorting the truth to a point where one would need to have eaten special mushrooms to understand, and even finds it appropriate to question my manhood in this court, she admits to striking me with her sword. She even tells us the reason in her own peculiar system of law and logic it is obvious a man should die when 'everybody in Munster knows he dun likes NNGO'.

As much as I respect Lady Mayor Funmath, I find it hard to stomach that she chooses to write this off as 'a wicked sense of humor', and there is nothing nice, honest or trustworthy about Aasha's actions that night, or her statement here today

Your Honour, I ask you to punish her and punish the rest of my assaillants. I clearly recall every one of them: _aidan_, Mick_, Aasha, Zakku, Principessa72, Miss_alirah, Fhead, Acantha, Samanthastone, Dizmalus, Utukku, Plutogirl, Toastini and Uthred. All of them mercenaries, paid assassins, members of the army known as OOPS, led by Donnor.

The action of these individuals has damaged more than my physical wellbeing and my pride. There is also a severe loss of income involved. I lost around 40 stat points costing me 400 pounds to regain. Also, I was unable to travel for 45 days, which has made it impossible for me to run the then lucrative Inis / Cill Chaoi trading route and work my mill as often as I would like. Instead, I did some fishing and worked the mines when I could not mill. I estimate my total loss of income at 225 pounds (5 pounds per day). Making the total damages 625 pounds. I have asked Donnor for compensation but have received only insults.


Padraig Mackenzie's witness statement

Your honour,

I have little option but to restrict myself to witnessing with regards to Aasha's character as I find myself without evidence relating to whether she did or did not commit the crime in question.

During my time in office I found Aasha to be of responsible character and I would corroborate the testimony of Mayoress Funmath. I have found that Aasha has acted well and been a good citizen in my own experience but understand that there may be evidence to the contrary in this case.

So I am saying that Aasha has been in my own experience a person of good character, however I believe the case may hinge on whether character allied to following orders is an appropriate defence.

I would leave that precise judge to yourself your honour and trust in Munster's justice in this.


Prosecutor Bekah Bar Kochba's indictment

Your honour, things seen from different angles appear in different ways. Benzid sees a vicious and cowardly attack, Aasha sees a mad man impaling himself on her sword. Which is the true account? I believe that Aasha is guilty of, at the very least, careless handling of her sword. I feel that for this she needs to spend some time thinking about how she can care for such a lethal weapon more appropriately. As she does not deny the deed, I recommend a Guilty verdict and I suggest that a period of working in the mines of Munster will go a long way towards teaching her about the safe handling of dangerous objects.

Thank you your Honour
Bekah Bar Kochba
Munster Public Prosecutor



Aasha's last defense plea:

It took everything Aasha had to listen to Benzid's statement against her. She was clearly agitated when she finally stood before the judge. Her tiny frame shaking with rage, eyes flashing, she faced her accuser. Yer doin' it 'gain...runnin' yer mouth an' nae listenin' to what folk is sayin'. I didna says I struck ya wit' my sword, I said ya ran rights into it. Ain't my fault when ya ain't watchin' where ya was goin'. Funny thin' is, there wasna nobody else what was kilt by OOPs army. Most folk let an army gen'ral knows when they's comin' jus' so we ken watch inna dark an' nae hit somebody on acc'dent. Ya was sneakin' up, an' nae watchin'...how's that my fault?

Didna say ya should die cuz ya dun likes NNGO. But we both knows ya hates NNGO, an' talks bad 'bout us any chance ya gets. Pointin' out ya gots a reason to be wantin' us to be in trouble, an' wouldna puts it past ya to be creatin' a situ'shin to be usin' 'gainst us.

She moved again, this time facing Funmath and Pebm. Aasha bows to them both, grateful that they were willing to speak of what they knew of her. She had been open and honest with them both, even if it was just to say she couldn't speak of things if they'd asked more of her than she was able to give. She went quiet as the new prosecutor spoke, wondering what happened to the old one only briefly before bowing to the new one. The lady had a point about one thing, she really wasn't as good with her sword as she'd like, the daggers she wore upon her person were much more deadly, and her accuracy was greater.

Wasna me bein' careless wit' my sword, even if'n I didna kills 'im wit' it. Ain't my fault when he was runnin' straight into it. Didna gives a girl a chance to be puttin' it 'way...an' ain't likely to be doin' that when it was full on dark an' I didna know who mights be 'proach'n the army.

Turning back towards the judge, her voice showing a tinge of apology, she continues; Rights sorry fer my outburst in yer court. Ain't too good at keepin' my mouth shuts som'times. Dun pointed out, an' him standin' here proves it 'gain...I didna kills Benzid. He's alive an' well...well as he ken be I'm guessin'...an' standin' rights in this room wit' us. I'm thinkin' this all comes down to his pride bein' hurt...an' that ain't somethin' to be takin' up court time wit'. He went back to Cill Chaoi, which means he could be workin' his mill anytime he wanted...so he didna lose no wages I should be payin' 'im fer. He still made moneys, same as anybody else what was in Chaoi. I ain't no paid ass'in, or no merk...merken...merken'ry...

Aasha mutters under her breath about big words and why folks wanted to be using them just to confuse her...

an' him sayin' we is jus' shows he ain't in his rights mind speakin' in yer court. I'll be finishin' wit' what I said more'n once already. I didna kills him, he's standin' rightrs there. Yer charges 'gainst me is manslaught'r...an' he ain't dead. Sos I canna see how ya ken be convictin' me o' that.

Trusting in the good sense of the judge, Aasha takes a seat and waits for the decision of the court.


Aasha's mail to the judge after the case dragged on 2 weeks after all pleas/witnesses were done speaking

Aasha sits down, frustrated that the case has dragged on longer than she expected, and really needing to get home and check on things. Writing was not her strong suit, but she didn't feel she had a choice any longer, so she began to write to the judge.

Lady Judge,

I hates ta be botherin' ya 'bout my case, but I canna stays in Inis no longers...needin' ta be gettin' backs home, nae jus' sittin' 'round waitin' all the times. I knows it ain't normal ta be askin', but we dun get news likes oth'rs do in Cill Chaoi, so I was wonderin' if'n ya could be lettin' me know what ya decide once ya does.

I dun heard ya has sense, so I'm hopin' fer ya to be decidin' fast, an' be real happy if'n ya'd lets me knows.'

Thanks,

Aasha

The note was messy, but mostly legible. Hoping the verdict would come soon, Aasha turned to finish packing what little she had to go home.



Judge Arianrhod's verdict:

Discharged with Prejudice. These cases were brought in court after the 30 day statute of limitations as ordered by our King and noted in his Edicts.