Imperial Crown Court
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IMPERIAL CROWN COURT OF INIMICUS
Court Term August 2021
Imperial Prosecutor Extraordinaire Paul Robinax EC and Commissioners of the Same (Claimants) vs. Lando Ambrogio, Augustus Barrington, Maximillian de Barrington, Marco Brookfield, Dominic Dalfarra, Glennis Mayfair, and Peter Zan (Defendants)
To Commence Wednesday, the 11th Day of the 8th Month, in the Seventh Year of H.I.M.'s Reign
Before Vice President of the Crown Court Curtius van Tienhoven, Learned Justice Lucinda Bercowe, L.J. Daniel Cocx, L.J. Theodore Eyssel, L.J. Dineke Grotius, L.J. Enrique Samuel, L.J., Jonathan Strathclyde
H.I.M. ARTABANOS of Inimicus presiding
The Defendants having been charged with the following offences:
- Lando AMBROGIO: Intentionally directing military attacks against civilian populations; committing outrages upon personal dignity; adhering to His Imperial Majesty's enemies, intending to encompass the death of His Imperial Majesty.
- Augustus BARRINGTON: conspiracy; High Treason, by adhering to His Imperial Majesty's enemies, and intending to encompass the death of His Imperial Majesty.
- Maximillian de BARRINGTON: unauthorised disclosure of official secrets; conspiracy; High Treason, by flight from law enforcement, adhering to His Imperial Majesty's enemies, and intending to encompass the death of His Imperial Majesty.
- Marco BROOKFIELD: Intentionally directing military attacks against civilian populations; committing outrages upon personal dignity; adhering to His Imperial Majesty's enemies, intending to encompass the death of His Imperial Majesty.
- Dominic DALFARRA: Intentionally directing military attacks against civilian populations; committing outrages upon personal dignity; adhering to His Imperial Majesty's enemies, intending to encompass the death of His Imperial Majesty.
- Glennis MAYFAIR: Unauthorised disclosure of official secrets; conspiracy; High Treason, by adhering to His Imperial Majesty's enemies, and intending to encompass the death of His Imperial Majesty.
- Peter ZAN: Intentionally directing military attacks against civilian populations; committing outrages upon personal dignity; adhering to His Imperial Majesty's enemies, intending to encompass the death of His Imperial Majesty.
Coming Soon
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11th August 2021
Door Steward: "His Imperial Majesty and the Imperial Crown Court, all rise."
Justices, led by Emperor Artabanos, enter the room and are seated at their benches.
Vice President Van Tienhoven: "Please be seated. This Court is now in session, having been empowered by the Imperial Great Seal to dispense the Emperor's Justice, and having been formally requested to rule by Commissioners of the Imperial Prosecutor's Office, on the matter of Imperial Prosecutor Extraordinaire Paulus Robinax et alii vs. Lando Ambrogio, Augustus Barrington, Maximillian de Barrington, Marco Brookfield, Dominic Dalfarra, Glennis Mayfair, and Peter Zan. Charges as brought before the Court are listed in the Order sheet.
"Before calling the learned Paul Robinax, a note from the Court to all those watching, listening, or reading: these proceedings are likely to inflame strong opinions, even societal tensions, in a great many of you. Nevertheless, the Empire of Inimicus has always been renowned for its dispensation of proper, rule-of-law justice. This case, perhaps more so than others, has been in the media's ire for over a year. We cannot, however, and must not, allow what we read and hear in the press to influence our judgements of the prosecutors, of the defendants and their representatives, and of the Court. Should any of the defendants be found not guilty, they cannot be treated as guilty by society. There is no court of appeal from here on out: not guilty means not guilty, and in the same way, a guilty verdict implies personal guilt beyond any reasonable doubt, at the highest level. Remember this. So, without further ado, I call the learned Paul Robinax for his opening statement."
IPE Robinax: "Your Imperial Majesty, Learned Justices, Vice President, thank you. Today is history. Today, the Imperial State brings those criminals the whole nation has been waiting to see in the dock to Court. Today, the attempted killers of His Imperial Majesty, the killers of a dozen others, conspirators, those who plotted behind our officials' backs to destabilise our state, will finally be brought to justice. Today is history. Learned Justices, over the coming weeks, you will hear of how a major scheme emerged in the brains of Maximillian de Barrington and his brother Augustus Barrington, who enlisted their aide Glennis Mayfair, to rid themselves of the Emperor. For years they conspired together, devising timings, using their positions to direct taxpayers' money away from the coffers of the state and into their own hands.
"These three conspirators, however, realised that any attempt on His Imperial Majesty's life would not go unpunished -- someone, somewhere, would need to fall on their swords. This, perhaps, took them the longest to figure out. They considered North Diessenian officials, and even prepared streams of fabricated evidence to air in the moments following their assassination attempt. As you will know, Learned Justices, some of this evidence did indeed make its way on the airwaves, leading to a momentary state of confusion at the Imperial Transportation Safety Agency. North Diessen's attitude to the Empire, however, changed drastically during the years the defendants plotted to assassinate the Emperor. From a watchful, hostile neighbour, North Diessen became one of Inimicus's close allies. A new culprit therefore had to be found.
"The second group of defendants, Lando Ambrogio, Marco Brookfield, and Peter Zan, provided the opportunity for blame-taking to the conspirators on a silver platter. The Social Republican Army, the terrorist group they adhered to, had been in control of the Angleteric Territory of Neo-Venetia for multiple years when the Barrington brothers and Mayfair first approached them. Months of underground contact, evidence for which I shall present to the Court, established a friendly relationship between both groups of defendants, to the point at which records show all seven defendants meeting near the Inimician-Venetian border to revel, drink, and joke.
"We all know what happened that fateful day in July 2020. The glamorous news reports of the first Inimician supersonic jet taking flight. His Imperial Majesty, positive as ever, excited at the prospect of traversing our Empire in mere minutes. Then, the flames, the fire, the smoke. Pictures of burning people running from wreckage. His Imperial Majesty clutching onto life. The nation, indeed, the whole region, was silent, and crowds gathered in every major Inimician city in peace and thought for those affected. Little did they know that His Imperial Majesty had been shot down by a missile fired by Marco Brookfield and Peter Zan, on the orders of Dominic Dalfarra, who knew exactly when and where to fire after having been given all necessary intelligence by Maximillian de Barrington, Augustus Barrington, and Glennis Mayfair.
"The nation mourned, and answers were in short supply. Maximillian de Barrington's task in the immediate aftermath of the assassination would be to direct attention away from the scene of the crash by engaging in a power struggle with Vicarius Wilfred Cocx. Augustus Barrington ensured he was in Europolis, as far away from the crash as possible. Mayfair was where she always was, in the shadows, unnoticed by anyone. Maximillian's struggle, however, did not entirely succeed -- in a fit of rage, he betrayed key information to Vicarius Wilfred Cocx, who, Learned Justices, I will call as a witness in this trial. The Vicarius's experiences, then, directly led to the start of investigations by the Imperial Guard.
"The Guard, effective as it is, soon discovered signs of the massive conspiracy. At record speed, the crimes of the Barringtons and Mayfair became known to our intelligence services -- as they will soon become known to you -- and a trap was set. De Barrington, who suspected something was amiss, attempted to flee to Neo-Venetia, to the arms of his criminal friends, but was narrowly apprehended by provincial law enforcement in Terra Diutius. Mayfair, lurking in her shadows, was successfully apprehended.
"It was all too late for Augustus Barrington, who was awaited by an Imperial Guard team on his flight back from Telum that fateful day. However, Dominic Dalfarra's connections in the Neo-Venetian regime, whose intelligence services permeate our entire continent, warned Augustus of his impending arrest, leading Imperial law enforcement on a wild goose chase in Leagio, where Augustus Barrington was involved with a notorious underground organisation. It was only through the personal efforts of Imperial Consul Christopher Strathclyde and Imperial Guard Commander Albert Rosenfield that Augustus Barrington was finally brought back to the Empire.
"As for the second group of defendants, they felt safe in Neo-Venetia. Vicarius Cocx, however, ensured their safety was purely temporary. Personally directing military operations, the Vicarius issued warrants for all three coupists' arrests, and saw to it that they were captured and made it back to Inimicus in chains, at great cost to the Imperial Armed Forces. Justice, however, is the ultimate reward.
"Learned Justices, this is the brief summary of the most fateful, most impressive, and at the same time the most horrendous major conspiracy in Inimician history. You will hear from over thirty witnesses, ranging from the top of the Inimician State apparatus to first responders on the scene of the crash. You will see documents, records, phone taps, recorded conversations, making apparent the crimes of all seven defendants. I implore you, Learned Justices: do right by the Inimician People, and do right by its Emperor. Thank you."
Vice President Van Tienhoven: "Thank you, Mr. Robinax. This Court has judged in pre-trial hearings that defendants AMBROGIO, DALFARRA, and ZAN, are to be tried collectively, and defendants BARRINGTON, DE BARRINGTON, and MAYFAIR, are similarly to be collectively represented. Therefore, I now call the learned Roberto Materella for his opening statement in defence of the first group of Defendants."
TBC
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*Roberto Materella, defence lawyer for the Neo-Venetian defendants, makes an opening statement in which their capture is described as extralegal, unfounded, and amounting to war crimes against civilians. The room is silent upon his conclusion.
Vice President Van Tienhoven: "Thank you, Mr Materella. I now call the learned Anita Benfield, representing defendants BARRINGTON, DE BARRINGTON, and MAYFAIR, to make her opening statement."
Benfield: "Vice President, Learned Justices, thank you. Let me start off by saying that what happened in July last year was a tragedy. Worse, it was an act of international terrorism against the Inimician state, the Inimician people, the Inimician Emperor. No one, not even the group of Neo-Venetian defendants in this room, can deny that. This is not what the current court case is about: showing a lack of sympathy is not a criminal offence. And yet, Learned Justices, that is what, in my legal opinion, the case against my defendants comes down to. As political opponents, or sometimes even non-supporters, of the Emperor, they found themselves tied into a web of conspiracy and lies, not of their own making, but of the Imperial Palace's. And, as IPE Robinax eloquently explained, someone had to take the blame for what happened. During this trial, I will present evidence showing that this blame was put on Maximillian de Barrington, Augustus Barrington, and Glennis Mayfair, without their having taken any action contrary to the law and common decency whatsoever.
"There is no doubt, Learned Justices, that defendants Lando Ambrogio, Marco Brookfield, and Peter Zan, are guilty. They launched a surface-to-air missile from the locations and in the ways which IPE Robinax will no doubt explain to you in great detail over the course of the next few weeks. The question that I will address is the following: did they have help from inside? And if so, did the Barrington brothers and Glennis Mayfair form that help? The answer, I think you will find, is a resounding 'no'. And yet, I hear you think after reviewing the evidence presented in pre-trial hearings, how come there are so many convincing documents explicitly and unconvincingly showing the guilt of the defendants I represent? How come that their names and functions are plastered all over this evidence? This is the case, Learned Justices, because the Barringtons and Mayfair have been the subject of a backstage manhunt by the Emperor and His followers, for no other reason than that they stood up to Him.
"Let us start with the apparent power struggle that ensued after the Needletail One crash. Maximillian de Barrington, as was his duty as the only Imperial Consul in the country at that time, announced he would be exercising the Imperial Prerogative until such a time as the National Imperial Council could indicate otherwise. Moments later, Wilfred Cocx, who held no formal function placing him above De Barrington except experience and political fox-like-ness, attempted the usurpation of Imperial power. And succeeded. Only weeks later, Cocx arranged a formal extra-constitutional position for himself, Vicarius, or deputy to the Emperor. De Barrington was sidelined, just as Cocx and his ally the Emperor wanted.
"Former Imperial Defence Officer Jacob Churchill, who sadly perished in the Needletail One disaster, was then replaced by another key Artabanos ally who apparently came from nowhere: Boris Mancov. Why is this relevant, I hear you ask. It is relevant because Mancov's career was made, and is still being made, in the Imperial Guard Anti-Terror Command, or IGATC. Mancov joined IGATC in 2012 following the founding of the Empire as Special Agent, swiftly rising up the ranks through his close friendship with Artabanos to Defence Office liaison. In this capacity, he was in daily contact with the National Imperial Council, the Imperial Defence Officer, and the Emperor. He also ardently opposed any reforms attempted by Maximillian de Barrington."
IPE Robinax: "Objection. Ms Benfield is speculating on someone's personal, not professional, opinions."
Vice President Van Tienhoven: "Objection sustained. You will refrain from engaging in hearsay, Learned Ms Benfield."
Benfield: "Very well, Learned Vice President. Where was I? Yes, the political lives of Augustus and Maximillian Barrington, and their trustee Glennis Mayfair, was more and more complicated by pressure eminating from the Imperial Palace. What they had done to deserve this? They had refused to go along with the Constitutional and legal reforms proposed by the Emperor. Constitutional Amendments proposed by Artabanos in early 2020 removed the automatic right to free speech from Article I, granted Him the right to enact Constitutional Amendments by a token vote in the National Imperial Council, and allowed for the appointment of Executive Officers with no preliminary checks or balances. To the Barringtons and their allies, this was disgraceful. To me, this is disgraceful. The--"
IPE Robinax: "Objection. His Imperial Majesty is not on trial."
VP Van Tienhoven: "Sustained. Ms Benfield..."
TBC
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31st August 2021
Vicarius Wilfred Cocx, close ally of His Imperial Majesty, has been on the witness stand for the last several days. His examination by the Imperial Prosecutor Extraordinaire is about to come to a conclusion.
IPE Paul Robinax: "Vicarius Cocx, the Imperial Prosecutor's office thanks you for your extensive, thorough testimony in this groundbreaking trial. The Inimician People owe you a debt of gratitude, as do I personally. Before I conclude my examination, is there a final comment you wish to make?"
Defence attorney Anita Benfield interjects: "Objection, Mr Vice President. What is the relevance of this?"
Robinax: "Vicarius Cocx is the keynote witness for the prosecution, Learned Vice President. His views are crucial to our case."
VP Van Tienhoven: "One moment." Van Tienhoven can be seen consulting with the other Judges on the panel and with His Imperial Majesty, sat above the Judges' bench.
"Given the seniority and detailed testimony of Vicarius Cocx, I will allow him to make a brief concluding statement."
Cocx: "Learned Justices, thank you. Mr Robinax, it has been my pleasure and duty to stand up for the Inimician People and the safety of our state. My three-day long examination for the prosecution has been tiring, yet I felt invigorated with energy every time I glanced at the defendants' box. Those people, those criminals, disgust me to the utmost. They attacked the heart of our democracy, the core of our traditions, the man whom we all aspire to stand up for. I am, perhaps, most disgusted by the second group of defendants, those whom I would formerly have trusted and called my friends and allies. Their treachery, as made completely and painfully evident by your excellent exposition of their crimes, Mr Robinax, as well as by the testimony I gave, is worse than a plain foreign assassination attempt. I would further --"
VP Van Tienhoven: "Thank you, Vicarius Cocx, that will be all. Now, I call -- " Van Tienhoven is interrupted by a tap on the shoulder from the Emperor, who whispers something inaudible. "Er, apologies, Vicarius Cocx. Please, continue."
Cocx: "Thank you, Learned Vice President. I shan't be much longer. The guilt of the foreign terrorists in the first defendant group is, I would submit, clear as day. Not even Ms Benfield denies that fact. Those three deserve to be locked up in a special penetentiary for the rest of their miserable lives, reminded daily by the fact that there is no getting away from the Emperor's Justice. However, personal treachery against the Emperor, against the Imperial State, and against the Inimician People, is, I think, much, much worse. Although it is not up to me to dispense punishment in this Court, I cannot think of a penalty high enough for such scoundrel. It pains me, angers me, to the core, to see the faces of the Barringtons and their allies in this courtroom. Thank you."
VP Van Tienhoven: "Very well, thank you, Vicarius Cocx, and thank you, Learned Robinax. I now call the Learned Ms Benfield for her cross-examination."
Benfield: "Mr Cocx. Your service to this nation is indubitable. Your dedication to the Empire is nigh unmatched. Your willingness to sit in the witness box for days on end is a feat not many of your peers, indeed, not many in general, could accomplish. We thank you for your comprehensive testimony. Nevertheless, Mr Cocx, there are parts of your testimony on which I would seek further clarification. But before I address those points, I would point out certain other facts about your conduct during, before, and after the incidents of last year, which cast doubt on the credibility of your testimony.
"Mr Cocx, why did you not accompany His Imperial Majesty on the test flight of Needletail One, despite your being responsible for the funding and running of the whole project?"
Cocx: "Given that a large amount of high level politicians took part in the test flight, I deemed it appropriate for me to continue running the day to day affairs of government."
Benfield: "Why, then, did you board a motorcade travelling to Portus Inimici, where the Emperor was hospitalised, almost an hour before the first reports of the Needletail One crash even emerged?"
Cocx: "I have no idea what you're referring to, but I -- "
Benfield: "Excuse me, Mr Cocx, but I am confident you do. Learned Justices, I draw your attention to Defence Exhibit 42. Mr Cocx, am I not correct in thinking that is your personal vehicle?"
Defence Exhibit 42Cocx: "You are."
Benfield: "Am I not correct in thinking the place that photograph was taken is on the outskirts of Telum, near Hugh Square?"
Cocx: "That would seem to be the case."
Benfield: "Note the timestamp in the bottom left of the image, Mr Cocx. 1401hrs. The first news of the Needletail One disaster broke at 2:48pm; the Imperial Transportation Safety Agency report on the missile strike concludes that the surface-to-air missile involved in the assassination attempt was launched at 2:34pm, exploding near Needletail One at 2:38pm. Why, Mr Cocx, were you on your way to Portus Inimici well over half an hour before anything was awry, and over 40 minutes before anyone knew about what had happened?"
Cocx: "Ms Benfield, the business of running an Empire is a complex one. Often, one has to run back and forth between departments, agencies, representatives. Often, I feel as though I've run a marathon after a day in the Imperial Palace. I think it is painfully obvious to anyone following these procedures that I was clearly on my way to a different engagement, before news of His Imperial Majesty's fateful disaster broke, and I immediately sped to Portus Inimici."
Benfield: "How convenient, then, that this undefined 'different engagement' was apparently located exactly on the fastest government-used route from Telum to Portus Inimici, was it not?"
IPE Robinax: "Objection. Vicarius Cocx is not on trial here, Learned Justices. This is pure conjecture on Ms Benfield's part."
VP Van Tienhoven: "Mr Robinax, I think I have conceded quite enough to you. Objection denied. The Learned Ms Benfield will continue her line of questioning -- " Another tap on the shoulder, another whisper in the ear "-- will continue her questioning after a short intermission. I suspend the Court for fifteen minutes."
TBC
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24th September 2021
11:05amThe Court has deliberated for hours longer than anticipated. Judgement was expected yesterday afternoon, but finally now seems imminent.
Door Steward: "His Imperial Majesty and the Imperial Crown Court, all rise."
Justices, led by Emperor Artabanos, enter the room and are seated at their benches.
Vice President Van Tienhoven: "Please, be seated. The Imperial Crown Court shall now rule on the case of Imperial Prosecutor Extraordinaire Paul Robinax EC and Commissioners vs. Lando Ambrogio, Augustus Barrington, Maximillian de Barrington, Marco Brookfield, Dominic Dalfarra, Glennis Mayfair, and Peter Zan. This Court has judged in pre-trial hearings that defendants AMBROGIO, DALFARRA, and ZAN, are to be tried collectively, and defendants BARRINGTON, DE BARRINGTON, and MAYFAIR, are similarly to be collectively judged.
"In the case of defendants AMBROGIO, DALFARRA, and ZAN, the Court considered the defendants' evidenced roles in the Neo-Venetian revolutionary administration, their reported backgrounds, and the admission from the second group of defendants that the first group was indeed guilty. The Court therefore issues the following judgements:
- The Imperial Crown Court finds, in the case of defendant Lando AMBROGIO, that the charge of intentionally directing military attacks against civilian populations has been proven, and therefore finds the defendant guilty; that the charge of committing outrages upon personal dignity has been proven, and therefore finds the defendant guilty; that the charge of adhering to His Imperial Majesty's enemies has been proven, and therefore finds the defendant guilty; that the charge of intending to encompass the death of His Imperial Majesty has been proven, and therefore finds the defendant guilty."
Marco Brookfield, Peter Zan, and Dominic Dalfarra are similarly found guilty on all charges.
Van Tienhoven: "The Court further suggests that the defendants' offences may range beyond those they were charged with in this case. The Court will not prevent foreign or domestic jurisdictions from charging the defendants with further cases. The Imperial Government shall reserve the right to extradite any of these defendants to the Apostolic Crown of Angleter, following proper administrative procedures. The Court rules the defendants shall not be extradited to any other foreign nation."
"In the case of defendants BARRINGTON, DE BARRINGTON, and MAYFAIR, the Court considered the trust placed by His Imperial Majesty in the defendants and the charges brought subsequently. The Court further considered the unprecedented access to sensitive information held by all three defendants. Finally, the Court weighed the probability of defendant MAYFAIR's involvement with the alleged treasonous plot. The Court therefore issues the following judgements:
- "The Imperial Crown Court, in the case of defendant Augustus BARRINGTON, the charge of High Treason, guilty" ... "the charge of conspiracy, guilty" ... "the charge of adhering to His Imperial Majesty's enemies, guilty" ... "the charge of intending to encompass the death of His Imperial Majesty, guilty";
- "In the case of defendant Maximillian DE BARRINGTON, the charge of unauthorised disclosure of official secrets, guilty" ... "the charge of conspiracy, guilty" ... "the charge of High Treason, guilty" ... "the charge of adhering to His Imperial Majesty's enemies, guilty" ... "the charge of intending to encompass the death of His Imperial Majesty, guilty";
- "In the case of defendant Glennis MAYFAIR, the charge of unauthorised disclosure of official secrets, guilty" ... "the charge of conspiracy, guilty" ... "the charge of High Treason, not guilty".
Murmuring in the courtroom. Mayfair's acquital of High Treason will likely see her escape the harshest punishment of all.
"All defendants are remanded to custody pending sentencing at a later date. Court dismissed."
The Case closes with a bang of the gavel.
