WWYCD: I, The Jury

[McCoy]

Re: WWYCD: I, The Jury

 

Interesting discussion of both moralities and motivations, everyone. Admittedly, that wasn't what I was looking to start by initializing the thread, but I was curious if my characters were the only ones in the world who wouldn't check out the crime scene -- and it seems that no, they aren't the only ones.

 

Does anyone have an idea how I could "drop the hint" of checking out the crime scene without being too obvious about it?

 

Matt "Perplexus-Maximus" Frisbee

(1) PC with criminology, deduction, or the highest INT picks up folder from a desk while waiting for someone in the police station. Idlely looks at the crime scene photos therein. Notices that something changes between the first and last photo, something at the scene changed while the techs were there, and the report does not mention it.

 

(2) Judge demands to see the crime scene report. Not offically a suspect, and a sitting judge, the police reluctantly let him see it. He reads a couple of pages, throws the folder at the highest ranking officer, and says "May I suggest assigning this case to someone who actually wants to solve it? That report reads like it was written by someone who was never at the crime scene!" The PC's witness this.

 

(3) The Lawyer tells the PC's that he suspects corrupt cops, and ask how hands on the PC's have been on this case. He tells them to double check everything the cops have told them. "Even if the cops are honest, you might see something they would miss. That's why they brought you in on this, you're the metahuman experts. 'Set a thief to catch a thief,' as they say."

 

(4) If any character has an NPC mentor, he shows up and ask what they found at the crime scene. When they say they haven't checked the crime scene, he ask "why not?"

 

(5) If either victim, or any of the potential victims, are Mentalist, the PC with the lowest ECV suddenly starts hearing a voice. "Luke, Luke, check the crime scene Luke!"

[Matt Frisbee]

Re: WWYCD: I, The Jury

 

(1) PC with criminology, deduction, or the highest INT picks up folder from a desk while waiting for someone in the police station. Idlely looks at the crime scene photos therein. Notices that something changes between the first and last photo, something at the scene changed while the techs were there, and the report does not mention it.

 

(2) Judge demands to see the crime scene report. Not offically a suspect, and a sitting judge, the police reluctantly let him see it. He reads a couple of pages, throws the folder at the highest ranking officer, and says "May I suggest assigning this case to someone who actually wants to solve it? That report reads like it was written by someone who was never at the crime scene!" The PC's witness this.

 

(3) The Lawyer tells the PC's that he suspects corrupt cops, and ask how hands on the PC's have been on this case. He tells them to double check everything the cops have told them. "Even if the cops are honest, you might see something they would miss. That's why they brought you in on this, you're the metahuman experts. 'Set a thief to catch a thief,' as they say."

 

(4) If any character has an NPC mentor, he shows up and ask what they found at the crime scene. When they say they haven't checked the crime scene, he ask "why not?"

 

(5) If either victim, or any of the potential victims, are Mentalist, the PC with the lowest ECV suddenly starts hearing a voice. "Luke, Luke, check the crime scene Luke!"

 

Thanks for the suggestions! If I could rep you again, I would, especially for the last one!

 

Matt "No-longer-scratchin'-his-head" Frisbee

[Guest HeroPink!]

Re: WWYCD: I, The Jury

 

For those of you who were looking for a street-level thread of this ongoing series, I offer the following:

 

This presumes your character (or the group he or she is part of) is based in a North American city and actually has to deal with court cases in his or her heroic identity.

 

BACKGROUND:

Over the past year, a number of high-profile court cases involving actions by your character (or his or her team members) against certain supervillains who have notorious reputations have been for naught. Technicalities, legal bungling by the District Attorney, evidence problems, witness credibility and other legal maneuvers have turned some genuinely bad pennies back out onto the streets. The odd thing is, most of them seem to have dropped out of sight rather than resume their criminal ways.

 

SITUATION:

A two weeks ago, one of these bad eggs turned up dead, having obviously been taken down by a metahuman, but not one that any database or long memory can recall. Nobody shed any tears, there were no witnesses and it was in a bad part of town. The police (aided by any superhero who could spare the time) stepped up patrols of the area, but nothing out of the ordinary turned up.

A week ago, another one turned up dead by the same M.O. Once again, no tears were shed, no witnesses came forward and it was the same bad part of town. Now the police (or whatever law enforcement your city normally has) has formally (if possible, otherwise clandestinely) asked your character to assist in catching the metahuman vigilante.

 

EVIDENCE:

1) Both murders happened at about the same time (10:00 PM) on the same night of the week (Wednesday). This leaves you about 12 hours until it's time for a third victim to die, presuming the killer is continuing the pattern.

2) Both murders have occured in the order that they were tried in the courts. The next potential victim is known, but has a habit of being very hard to find, and probably won't turn up, regardless of the techniques you might use to bring him out of hiding.

3) Both victims and the next potential victim had the same legal firm representing them in court. This is not unusual, though, since the legal firm in question is well-known for defending supercriminals. The odd thing is, the villains who have been absent have all been represented by them, while the few who went back to causing trouble, were not.

4) Everyone even remotely connected with the criminal cases of the victims has been grilled about their whereabouts on Wednesday nights (including you and any applicable teammates). Everyone has been able to provide an verifiable alibi, though three exceptions have come to light: the judge (who lives alone), the lead defending attorney from the law firm (who also lives alone) and the court recorder (who, yes, lives alone). All three have only their word of what they were doing at the times of the murders.

5) Both victims were not wearing their costumes when their bodies were found, but were dressed in modestly fashionable clothes (somewhat the worse for wear with the abuses their wearers were subjected to).

 

That's all you know until you can do some leg work on the case. You've got 12 hours to potentially prevent a murder. WHAT WOULD YOUR CHARACTER DO?

 

I do love a murder mystery -- don't you?

 

Matt

 

Glarg: Help his teammates best he can; not too good since this one involves thinking--not Glarg's strong point

 

Panweesio: There must be 50+ people who are "ven remotely connected with the criminal cases of the victims" and only THREE have no alibi for two different nights?!!? How damned odd! Obviously, one of the alibis is bogus; concentrating on the three w/o is time waster. Panweesio would probably not get into it; if did, would use AoE Clairvision to watch the area. Once murder 3 goes down, think re. if will involve self further.

 

Thena: Offer to help cops by apporting them around, to better cover the area. Or, TP herself around, hoping to run into crime or likely victim.

 

Lana van Hoom: Use $$$/contacts to look into the law firm: odd they been so successful, odd the crooks faded away. Find out what the firms connections are, etc. If at 10PM her 'other' has useful skills, may switch to, unless her own investigation is going good.

 

RE: going to the crime scene. (A) No-one but Panweesio has any useful skills/abilities (and P's aren't that good). ( If I were in a street-level campaign and the GM kept making the police useless as Keystone Kops, my disbelief would not be suspended but hung by it's poor little neck.

[i3ullseye]

Re: WWYCD: I, The Jury

 

Well, all discussions of the crime scene aside, I tend to be the outside-the-box type, and often i think more can be found other ways in many of these cases. We we make the standard assumptions (that A- in many games my character might just BE the killer and B- I will forego my usual mental powers archetype) there are a few things I noticed and would try.

 

1) they were all dressed fashionably, and killed at the same time. This leads me to believe they have an appointment. Perhaps a date or an invite to a party. Have those killed been male? If they are male, then the only female listed as without a tight alibi is the Court Recorder, and she is who i woudl tail first.

 

2) If there is no reasonable choice of action by one hour before the appointed kill time, I go confront the next potential victim. I make something up... anything. If i can't find out their plans (since no one has been killed at home) I start an altercation to get both of us detained by the police till after the 'dead'line.

 

3) if I can't find them, I will cut my losses, and strategically detain each of the 3 potential killers on various nights. This will not be a gurantee that they are guilty, but if by detaining only one the killings stop, then we know where to target our investigation further.

 

But really, the nicer clothes and timing seem to point to a date, and the broad did it!