Case NOT Closed

“It’s evident that the defendant had a motive for murder!” Ryuuji eagerly proclaimed, not waiting for the command to be fully demonstrated.

From a folder he had prepared in advance on his desk, he presented a stack of documents to everyone.

“These are documents related to the defendant’s son, Masato Sakaguchi, eight years ago, including photos, school records, and school relationships. Because Masato Sakaguchi had been a victim of bullying in school, and the perpetrator of this bullying was none other than the victim of this case! Therefore, this court has ample reason to suspect that the defendant used dog-training commands to deliberately commit murder…”

Ryuuji spoke rapidly, his expression growing more and more excited.

Watching this, Reiko on the observers’ bench could only shake her head.

He’s too impatient. This is the difference between Ryuuji and Kensuke.

This case was already difficult to win, but shouldn’t he at least wait for this indirect evidence to be solidified before presenting the theory of a murder motive? Otherwise, once the evidence isn’t substantiated, won’t he fall into his opponent’s trap?

“Objection!”

As expected, Kensuke raised his hand on the opposing side.

“Is the prosecution just good at baseless suspicions? When did our country’s justice system become like this? Has it been taken over by incompetent tax thieves?”

Kensuke started attacking with his usual biting sarcasm.

“Accusing a good person without solid evidence, where is the justice, where is the fairness? The court should be based on evidence. If the prosecution insists that my client is guilty, then please provide convincing evidence! At the very least, you should be able to justify the taxes our citizens pay. Don’t let people think you’re just a bunch of freeloaders who only eat and do nothing!”

The judge and the jury members nodded in agreement after hearing his words.

The judge tapped his gavel. “Objection sustained! The prosecution, please present your evidence promptly!”

…

This harsh criticism left Ryuuji’s face blackened, and he was breathless.

Being in the same year as Kensuke, he was quite familiar with him. This guy almost never used profanity when he criticized others and always employed various subtle tactics.

The crucial point was that he was usually on the right side of the argument, which made people hate and admire him at the same time.

“Fine, you want evidence? You’ll have it right now!”

Ryuuji gritted his teeth and, with a fierce expression, grabbed Masayoshi’s mobile phone. He pressed the answer button and simultaneously activated the playback button on the tape recorder, making it emit the “ding dong ding” sound.

After these two preliminary commands, the German Shepherd in the cage arched its body even more, baring its teeth. It looked ready to pounce at any moment.

“Now, immediately say your command!” Ryuuji shouted at Masayoshi.

Masayoshi hesitated for a moment.

Finally, it came down to the last step.

He took a deep breath and said to the German Shepherd in the cage, “John, how are you (元気か), how are you (元気か), John!”

Next, he awaited the German Shepherd’s reaction, preparing for the changing looks of those around him.

However, something astonishing happened.

“Bark, woof, woof!”

The German Shepherd inside the cage, which had seemed ready to attack just moments ago, suddenly changed its demeanor. It placed both front paws on the iron bars of the cage, wagged its tail in the back, and made friendly sounds from its mouth, almost like it wanted to play with its owner.

There was no sign of aggression or an intent to attack.

“How is this possible!”

Seeing this scene, Ryuuji exclaimed in disbelief.

When the police handed over the evidence dog to the prosecution, he had repeatedly tested it, and it was exactly as Kogoro Mouri had deduced.

How has it turned out like this now?

(It’s impossible! My deduction was absolutely correct!)

On the observers’ bench, Conan couldn’t help but stand up.

He suddenly realized something and looked towards Kensuke. The confusion in his eyes vanished in an instant, as if he had understood everything.

“This confirms it. The prosecution’s claims are baseless!”

The sound of Kensuke’s smile came from the defendant’s side.

“Now, all of the prosecution’s evidence is invalid. Do we even need to say more about this case? Please withdraw your charges, and let our defendant go free!”

“No, this can’t be!”

Ryuuji muttered to himself, looking lost, as if he were still immersed in his recent failure.

This had been his final piece of evidence, and he had believed it was a surefire win. Yet, the unexpected turn of events had completely caught him off guard.

Suddenly, he stood up, staring intensely at Kensuke’s face.

“If you claim this is a wrongful conviction, then tell us, how did Takeshi Maehara really die?”

“Are you sure you want to know?”

Kensuke raised the corner of his mouth and surveyed all the people in the room.

“The defendant’s representative is free to express your opinion.”

The judge tapped his gavel.

The jurors beside him looked on with curiosity.

“Alright, finding out the real culprit should have been the police’s job, and since this is not within the scope of this prosecution, the following statement is purely my personal conjecture.”

With a smile, Kensuke strolled casually in the courtroom and began to speak slowly.

“Sakaguchi-san indeed made a phone call that night, asking Mr. Takeshi to come to the second floor and have a chat with his beloved dog, John. John was excited to hear from his owner and, perhaps, due to the excitement of the news, he joyfully wanted to play with Mr. Takeshi. However, due to his inability to control his strength, he accidentally knocked him down the stairs…”

After a pause, Kensuke concluded.

“Therefore, this was purely an accident!”

Listening to Kensuke’s words, the judges, as well as the audience in the courtroom, suddenly seemed to have an epiphany.

If it were indeed an accident, then everything made sense.

“I don’t believe it!” Ryuuji exclaimed stubbornly, “What evidence do you have to prove that this was an accident? You have none!”

“So, as I said, this is just a personal conjecture!”

Kensuke maintained his smile.

“Though I do admit I have no evidence, there is one fact that matches this conjecture, didn’t I mention it before?”

Kensuke’s smile slowly changed, and the curve of his eyes took on a cunning appearance.

“What is it?”

“It’s the photo of the victim’s body that the prosecution presented earlier. I did mention it, didn’t I?”

Kensuke’s smile continued to change, and the corner of his eyes seemed to twist into a smirk.

“The victim did not die from being ‘bitten’ by this dog, merely ‘knocked down’ the stairs. The prosecution should remember this fact.”

“Think about it, if Sakaguchi-san really wanted to use the dog to commit murder, there should have been bite marks on the body. Because a dog’s attack alone would not likely cause Mr. Takeshi’s death. In general, a person who falls down the stairs from the second floor would have a good chance of surviving, wouldn’t they?”

Ryuuji slumped back into his chair with a thud.

He realized that Kensuke had set a trap from the very beginning, continually luring him into it.

In the end, he had completely lost this trial.