Crown v. Lady Maurina
Crown represented by Roslyn Underhill, appointed by Thom Tiller
Lady Maurina represented by Nate Wingates
Note: this summary submitted by Nate Wingates for Magisterial approval.
D'Arneau M.
King George, a King without a direct heir to his Crown, engaged three women in romantic courtship for the purpose of producing an heir. One of the three women, Lady Elisa, plotted to kill another of the three, Lady Aino, by casting the "Finger of Death" spell upon her. At this point the facts, in the eyes of the Magistracy, become less clear. Lady Maurina allegedly learned of this plot, and allegedly planted a ring of spell reflection upon Lady Aino through subterfuge. Roslyn Underhill, and several other adventurers, learned of these alleged facts and produced evidence found in a magical crystal capable of recording audio and visual input through a short range scrying spell, and re-producing the audio and visual input through an illusion spells akin to "greater image" or "control sound" spells. Upon this crystal a confession was allegedly recorded. A detective's report was also submitted.
At issue were the following provisions of the statute.
1.01: Premeditated Murder - Plotting and executing a plan to kill a person is a violation of the law. Recommended Sentence: Life in prison.
1.03: Conspiracy to Commit a Murder - One who does not participate directly in a murder, but help plots or mastermind it, is in violation of the law. Recommended Sentence: 15 year to the death penalty.
1.13: Obstructing Justice - Failing to help in the apprehension of a criminal by concealing evidence or information. -Recommended Sentence: Up to 5 years
D'Arneau M. held that Lady Maurina was not guilty of any charges.
On the issue of evidence, Counsel Wingates argued that the recorder crystal produced by the Crown to prosecute Lady Maurina should not be admitted into evidence due to the fickle, unreliable, and potentially misleading nature of the recorder crystal itself. As a conduit for illusion magic, the magic of deception, Counsel argued it should not ever be admissible as evidence in a civil court. D'Arneau M. only partially agreed, and noted that such crystals may be admitted if accompanied by supporting evidence such as additional witnesses, or other forms of evidence that immediately and directly corroborate the actual contents of the spell crystal. For these reasons, the evidence of the crystal recording was not accepted by the Court.
On the issue of murder, D'Arneau M. further emphasized that the evidence (with or without the recorder crystal) did not prove the element of intention (i.e. the intention to kill) necessary to trigger articles 1.01 and 1.03. D'Arneau M. contemplated that Lady Maurina may or may not be guilty of negligent murder under article 1.10, but that this article was not charged (and nor was the Defense given an opportunity to defend itself), and so such a charge is immaterial for the judgment.
On the issue of obstruction of justice, the Crown alleged that Lady Maurina ought be culpable for failing to inform the guard of the plot to murder. Though the remarks from the Magistrate were scant in this regard, the holding and lack of recognized guild suggests there was an implicit acceptance in the Defense Counsel's argument that we cannot hold Lady Maurina culpable for not treating Lady Elisa's remarks such as "I want her dead," or "I want to kill her" completely literally in the context of a lovers' quarrel. The utility of this specific reasoning as precedent is not particularly clear, given the Magistracy's relative silence about it during the holding.
