c

The infamous case that occurred 15 years ago in the district courthouse itself.
(Contributed in part by Maarten)c

Date: December 28th, 2001c

Defense Attorney: Robert Hammond
Prosecutor: Unknown
Defendant: Yanni Yogi
Victim: Gregory Edgeworth
COD: Shot in the chest
MW: Yanni's pistol.
Guilty: Manfred von Karma

On December 28th, 2001, Miles Edgeworth went with his father, Gregory Edgeworth,
to the courthouse. Gregory Edgeworth had a trial against Manfred von Karma, a
veteran prosecutor who hadn't lost a case in his long career. During the course of the
trial Gregory managed to prove that Karma had tampered with evidence, giving him
his first penalty in court. It nearly cost him the case, but Karma still won and Gregory's
client was found guilty.

After the proceedings, Gregory, Miles, and a court bailiff named Yanni Yogi left court
and entered an elevator. Almost immediately afterwards there was an earthquake and
the building lost power. The three remained trapped in the elevator for several hours
with little oxygen. Yanni began to panic, and an argument broke out between him and
Gregory. During the struggle that ensued Yanni's pistol came loose from his belt.
Desperate to stop their fighting, young Miles took the gun and threw it at the pair. It
fired once, and all three in the elevator finally lost consciousness.c

Meanwhile, Karma had been standing just outside the door, and was (amazingly!)
struck by the errant bullet in his right shoulder. He gave an incredible scream, which
would haunt Miles Edgeworth for years later.c
The power then came on, and the elevator doors finally opened. Inside, Gregory, Miles,
and Yanni were all unconscious, and lying next to them was Yanni's pistol. Already
furious with Gregory for his failed reputation and under the shock of having just been
shot, Karma snatched up the gun and shot Gregory in the heart, killing him instantly.
He then left the scene.c

Karma would spend the next six months "on vacation." In order to hide his crime he
refused to have the bullet removed from his shoulder, in fear that any doctor could later
become a witness against him.c

During that time, the police investigated the murder, without finding any trace of the
first bullet fired from Yanni's gun. But the second was a perfect match to Yanni's
weapon, and he was charged with the murder. Even that, however, wasn't enough to
convict him, and so the police turned to spiritualist Misty Fey (mother to Mia and Maya
Fey). She summoned the ghost of Gregory Edgeworth to testify as to the events.c

Whether or not Gregory really understood how he had died that afternoon, he was
quick to place the blame on Yanni. Through Misty, he claimed that Yanni shot him
during their struggle. Miles testified to the same. But Yanni's lawyer, Robert
Hammond (employed by the Grossberg & Co. Law Offices at the time) coerced his
client into pleading temporary insanity. By placing the blame on panic and oxygen
deprivation Yanni was able to earn an acquittal and was set free.c

The verdict benefited no one. Having admitted to being "insane" Yanni's life was
ruined, and during the course of the trial and afterwards his fiancé, Polly, grew
intensely depressed and eventually committed suicide. Heartbroken and bitter, Yanni
disappeared from the public eye and was not seen for many years.c

At the same time, Grossberg was quickly put under pressure by renowned "information
gatherer" Redd White of Bluecorp. In exchange for a hefty reward, Grossberg was
convinced to divulge the details of the case his employee had tried. Redd than
immediately sold the information to the press. The news that the police had used a
spirit medium in their investigation and still lost became spectacular gossip, and the
police searched desperately for whoever had released it. Redd returned to Grossberg,
insisting that if Grossberg didn't pay him, he would disclose to the police just where the
leak in information occurred. Grossberg had no choice but to submit to the blackmail.c

Misty Fey's reputation as a spiritualist was ruined. Because the testimony she had
"summoned" from Gregory Edgeworth failed to hold up in court, she was considered a
fraud and a fake. She left Kurain village in shame and has not been seen since.c

Karma returned from his "vacation" half a year after the incident, still unsatisfied with
his revenge against the Edgeworth family. He took in the now orphaned Miles,
choosing to raise him as a prosecutor, so that he would one day be able to bestow even
greater vengeance on him.c