Almost two hours had passed and the courtroom was once again full. Silver Spoon sat there, feeling like things were only going to get worse as the day progressed. She felt like everypony, even the judge was out to get her and she knew that if one specific pony was to get called to the stand, that she would be able to lie easily and manipulate the jury into believing her.
A couple minutes later the bailiff announced, "All rise, court shall resume. Overseeing the proceedings is the Honorable Balanced Scales."
Balanced Scales took his seat and said, "You may be seated."
The Questioning of Chief Silver Shield
He then turned to Moonstone and asked, "Who does the defense wish to call to the stand?"
Moonstone replied, "The defense would like to question Chief Silver Shield."
Silver Shield headed up to the stand where he was asked, "Do you, Silver Shield, swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth under penalty of perjury?"
Silver Shield replied, "I do your Honor."
Moonstone began, "Silver Shield, according to prior testimony you were met at the police station by two of Silver Dime's security guards and Princess Twilight Sparkle, is that correct?"
"Yes, that is correct."
"From prior testimony, it has been stated that you accompanied Twilight and the guards to the crime scene. When you saw the bodies, what was your reaction?"
"Well I was shocked that such a crime would happen in Ponyville."
"After discovering the bodies, what did you do next?"
"Well I headed to the station to get the proper materials to store the evidence in while Twilight Sparkle and the guards remained at the scene."
"Do you think that Princess Twilight may have done something such as use her magic to create the mane that was discovered in Mr. Dime's fists?"
"No, I do not. The mane was already there when Twilight and I both arrived at the crime scene."
"What about Locked Vault? He is a unicorn and he could have created the mane using his magic to try and frame Silver Spoon."
"I honestly don't think Locked Vault would do such a thing and I doubt his magic is strong enough to do so to start with."
"Alright, after gathering evidence from the crime scene, what happened next?"
"The guards headed off on their own while Twilight and I headed to the home of the defendant to do a search."
"And what did this search turn up?"
"The search turned up the bloodied brass knuckles that are believed to be the murder weapon."
"From what the defense understands, after taking the defendant's children to a family friend, you and Twilight took Silver Spoon and Shadow Blast in for questioning, correct?"
"Yes that is correct."
"From what the defendant had said in earlier testimony, you were attempting to get the defendant to confess to crimes that she did not commit, correct?"
"No. The questioning that I did was standard protocol that all officers do in situations like this. Neither myself nor Twilight tried to do anything to get the defendant to incriminate herself."
"I do have a question, were you happy to arrest Silver Spoon? Were you as happy as Princess Twilight was?"
"I'm going to admit, I don't enjoy arresting other ponies. I had to arrest her because she assaulted a police officer along with a princess and these assaults were caught on the station's security cameras."
"After that, you then transported the defendant to the jail up in Canterlot, correct?"
"Yes, I transported her to the jail after that."
"Very well. Your Honor, I am through questioning this witness."
Balanced Scales turned to Legal Eagle and asked, "Does the prosecution wish to cross examine?"
"We do your honor."
Legal Eagle then approached the stand and became a bit nervous. Cross-examining had never been his strong point but knew it had to be done. "Officer, during the search of the crime scene and the defendant's home, did you ever once think that perhaps the evidence was planted or created using magic?"
Silver Shield replied, "Such things do not cross my mind. I treated this like I would any other crime scene investigation and home search. I went in, I collected the evidence and then I transported it to the crime lab. Long story short, I followed protocol."
"From what I understand the defendant and her wife were asking you to not file the report regarding the defendant assaulting a police officer. What was your reaction to that?"
"I handled it calmly. I told them that since it was captured on camera, that I had to report it and that it would be up to Princess Twilight to grant the defendant a pardon."
"One thing some may wonder is how well do you get along with the defendant. Was this arrest in any way related to your personal opinion of her?"
"To be honest, I had never even met the defendant prior to this. I had heard about her past but when it comes to my opinion of her, I was indifferent. It is kind of hard to make an opinion of somepony you have never met."
"Very well. Your Honor, I am finished questioning this witness."
The Questioning of Apple Bloom
The judge turned to Moonstone and asked, "Who does the defense wish to call to the stand next?"
Moonstone replied, "The defense would like to call Apple Bloom to the stand."
Apple Bloom headed to the stand a bit nervous. She knew that this would be her chance to get the jury to see that there was no way her friend could have killed her father yet knew that even one little slip up would be used as ammo by Legal Eagle.
Upon arriving Apple Bloom was asked, "Do you, Apple Bloom, swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth under penalty of perjury?"
Apple Bloom replied, "Ah do your Honor."
Moonstone asked, "Apple Bloom, from what the defense understands you are a very good friend of the defendant. Would you say you know her very well?"
Apple Bloom replied, "Ah would say Ah know her very well. Ah'm probably her best friend."
"How long have you and the defendant been close friends?"
"Ah would probably say six t' seven years."
"What was it that caused you two to be friends anyway?"
"Well in the past Ah didn't particularly care for Silver Spoon but when she apologized to mah family, that is when we became friends."
"I am assuming that over time you have grown to know the defendant very well. Do you think that she has the physical strength to commit the murders that she is accused of?"
"No, Ah have known Silver Spoon long enough t' know that there is no way she would be physically strong enough t' beat three ponies to death and Ah know she could never strangle anypony t' death."
"You probably know a lot about Silver Spoon's personality. Would you say that she would ever consider murdering anypony for any reason?"
"No, Silver Spoon is a kind and carin' mare. She loves her family and she would never harm anypony for any reason."
"From what I understand another friend of yours, a police officer, has a bad history with Silver Spoon. Do you think that friend would try and frame Silver Spoon? Do you think that maybe this other friend felt that the defendant was undeserving of a happy life and decided to frame her for her father's death."
"Ah honestly do. Ah know how mah other friend became once she got into police work. Ah know that she recently became the head of the national police and Ah'm sure she is smart enough to frame somepony like this."
"Apple Bloom, regarding this friend that is a police officer, how well do you get along with her?"
"Well we used t' be great friends but once Ah forgave Silver Spoon, our friendship went downhill cuz she views Silver Spoon as an enemy."
"What happened to cause her to view her as an enemy?"
"In college Silver Spoon cheated on mah other friend and that broke apart their relationship, and caused her t' become consumed with hate."
"Very well. Your Honor, I am through questioning this witness."
Balanced Scales turned to Legal Eagle an asked, "Does the prosecution wish to cross-examine?"
"We do your Honor."
Legal Eagle turned to Apple Bloom and asked, "You said that you and the defendant have probably been friends for six to seven years. Was there ever a time when you and the defendant didn't get along?"
Apple Bloom froze upon hearing the question. She knew that telling the truth would portray Silver Spoon in a very negative light yet she also knew that lying in court was a crime so she had to be honest, "Well no. When we were fillies, she and her friend always bullied mah friends and Ah for not havin' our cutie marks."
"What would she and this friend say to you?"
"Well her and Diamond Tiara always called us blank flanks, they would always laugh at us and one time she turned mah cousin against us."
"During those times, did you ever wish she would just go away? Did you ever think that Ponyville would be better off without her?"
Again Apple Bloom was getting nervous. She could tell that the district attorney was going to do whatever it took to get her to soil Silver Spoon's name yet she also knew she had to be honest, "Well yeah, for quite a long time Ah wish somethin' would just cause her t' leave."
"What about later on in life? Were there any times later in life when you thought it would be best if nopony had to put up with her?"
"Well when she broke Sweetie Belle's heart. Sweetie was nothing but good to her yet she used and manipulated her. At that time, Ah could honestly say Ah hated her."
Sweetie Belle had a smirk on her face as she saw Apple Bloom speaking the truth and revealing things that may not only make Silver look bad in the eyes of the jury but maybe even put their friendship in jeopardy.
Legal Eagle continued, "How did you feel when Silver Spoon went to jail for a year for shoving your friend? Were you happy about it?"
"Well Ah'll admit, Ah was happy about it. Ah was happy that justice was....."
"APPLE BLOOM, HOW COULD YOU? I THOUGHT WE......"
"Order in the court!" Balanced Scales banged his gavel and said, "Silver Spoon, because of your behavior, I am adding an additional two years onto any sentence you get. Your next outburst will get you five years, understood?"
Silver Spoon meekly replied, "Yes your honor."
Twilight could see Sweetie Belle smirking and gave her a slight nudge, smiling in return. Sweetie Belle felt like everything was falling into place. She felt that it would not take much more for a conviction to be guaranteed.
The judged turned to Legal Eagle and said, "You may continue."
Legal Eagle had a smile on his face as he said, "The prosecution is finished questioning this witness."
The Questioning of Sweetie Belle
The judge turned to to Moonstone and asked, "Who does the defense wish to question next?"
Moonstone looked right at Sweetie Belle and said, "The defense would like to call Sweetie Belle to the stand."
Sweetie Belle headed to the stand with a look of confidence in her eyes. She knew that this could very well be her chance to not only disprove Silver's wild accusations about her being the killer but to bury Silver Spoon entirely and she was confident that she could do it.
Upon arrival Sweetie was asked, "Do you, Sweetie Belle, swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth under penalty of perjury?"
"I do your Honor."
Moonstone questioned, "Sweetie Belle, from what the defense understands you have a long and very bad history with the defendant, is that correct?"
Sweetie replied, "That is correct. The defendant and I have not been on good terms for well over a decade."
"Are you on bad enough terms that you would want to try and frame her for a murder that she did not commit?"
"No, I would not. I am in the same mindset as Princess Twilight, lives should not be taken unless it is in self-defense."
"Sweetie Belle, while you say you would not take a life I am curious. If you desired to do so, would you be able to pull something like this off?"
Sweetie Belle knew that she had to be honest here and believed that by being honest, she could easily convince others that she had nothing to hide. "Regarding me having the know how to do something like this, I do. However, just because I am on bad terms with the defendant does not mean I would kill a pony, especially one who has never wronged me in any way, shape or form."
"Sweetie Belle, where were you on the night that the murders were committed?"
"I was headed to Omareha roughly three nights prior to the murders taking place and didn't return to this region until over two weeks after the murders. Long story short, I was in Omareha well over a thousand miles away."
"Sweetie Belle, you are a unicorn. Do you know how to teleport?"
"I do but for me to be present here, I would have had to teleport over one thousand miles and outside of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, who are natural born Alicorns, I doubt anypony could teleport that far."
"Is there any way to prove you were in Omareha on the night of the murder?"
"Certainly. Contact the Ramareda there and their records will indicate I was there. Also, feel free to contact ET&T Mobile and check my cell records and it will show that my phone's signal was bouncing off of cell towers there, not here."
Moonstone had a flustered look on her face and this was exactly what Sweetie Belle was hoping for. She was hoping that she could fluster her. She continued to stand there flustered before stating, "Your Honor, the defense rests."
Balanced Scales then turned to Legal Eagle and asked, "Does the prosecution wish to cross-examine this witness?"
Legal Eagle replied, "No, we're good."
Balanced Scales said, "Very well then. All evidence and testimony will now be turned over to the jury. Court will resume when they have reached a verdict. Court is in recess."
As the courtroom began to empty Twilight gave Sweetie a smile, "Wow, you put that defense attorney in her place. I'm betting she wasn't expecting you to suggest they check your records!"
Sweetie replied, "Well I have nothing to hide so why would I be nervous about them checking my records?"
As Silver Spoon was being led back to jail, those closest to her had a very sick feeling in their stomachs. Shadow Blast was less than thrilled with Apple Bloom, "Apple Bloom, why did you say what you did? You made my wife look bad in front of a jury."
"Shadow Blast, Ah had t' be honest. Ah can't go lyin' in court cuz that would be perjury and Ah'd wind up in jail too."
The rest of their friends were quiet. They weren't sure what to expect but knew that even if Silver Spoon was acquitted that she would still have an entire decade in prison. The most they could do at that point was hope that Twilight would either have a change of heart or Princess Celestia and Princess Luna would intervene.