New York State Supreme Court Building

"Here in this courtroom the judgment is yours and yours alone."

The New York State Supreme Court Building, originally known as the New York County Courthouse, houses the Civil and Appellate Terms of the New York State Supreme Court for the state's First Judicial District as well as the offices of the New York County Clerk.

History[]

New York State v. John Healy[]

Opening Statement[]

During the first day of the trial against John Healy, Foggy Nelson explained to the jury that, according to the laws of the state of New York, it was not required that Healy proved he was not justified in killing Prohaszka in self-defense as he claimed, instead, the prosecution must prove, beyond reasonable doubt, that Healy was not justified in defending his life.

Nelson was sure that the prosecution would not be able to do it, so he told the jury that the only verdict that can be achieved would be "not guilty." Matt Murdock congratulated Nelson for his speech, and the judge began to speak to the jury about the importance of the case.

Matt Murdock listens to someone's heartbeat

Murdock heard the heartbeat of one of the members of the jury, as it was unusually fast, as if she was nervous, and then she heard James Wesley entering the room, hearing the wristwatch he was also wearing when Wesley visited their office.^[1]

Closing Argument[]

During the second day of the trial, the judge granted a motion to excuse the female juror that had been coerced during the trial, alleging personal reasons, and she was replaced by an alternate juror. The judge then prompted the defense attorneys to make a closing argument, so Matt Murdock stepped and stood right in front of the jury.

Murdock remained silent for a while, listening to the jurors' heartbeats, and making John Healy to ask what was he doing. Foggy Nelson made a gesture to indicate that all was fine, but the judge prompted Murdock to begin.

Murdock began reflecting about morality and what was right or wrong. He did not deny the question that Healy killed a man, as he began to state facts that do not have moral judgment, as they were not there to judge Healy's intentions or if he was a good man or not.

Matt Murdock stands in front of the jury

The facts that Murdock began to explain were that Healy claimed he killed Prohaszka in self-defense, that Prohaszka's associates refused to make any statement about what happened, that the only witness that was not involved was a young woman who was frightened, who did not see the incident until after it had started, and that said that Healy had been pleasant and friendly before that.

Murdock reminded the jury that based on those facts, the prosecution had failed to prove that Healy acted in self-defense beyond reasonable doubt, as it was required to charge Healy according to the laws of the state of New York. Murdock finished his argument saying that according to the law, Healy must be acquitted of every charge, but that he maybe face another kind of judgment beyond the walls of the court building.^[1]

Verdict[]

The trial was resumed, and while everyone in the room proceeded to seat as the judge, Matt Murdock listened to the members of the jury, realizing another one of them had an unusually fast heart rate, meaning nervousness. Murdock correctly guessed the jury were hung and had not reach a verdict.

The judge examined a note, and then she addressed the jury to ask if she had correctly understood the note and they had not reach a verdict. The foreperson, the old woman whose heartbeat Murdock heard, ratified that they had not.

Foggy Nelson explained to John Healy what would happen next, as the judge would send the jury again to deliberate, and if they do not reach a verdict that second time, the District Attorney would retry the case. Murdock knew something was wrong, and the trial would not be fair, so he wondered if they would not reach it.

Healy, not realizing what Murdock tried to insinuate, congratulated him for his speech, so Murdock began to think what he should do next as the judge began to speak.^[1]

New York State v. Frank Castle[]

Preparing for the Case[]

Over four hundred potential members of the jury each were asked their pre-existing thoughts on Frank Castle, with them each giving answers that ranged from a hero, to an animal. Judge Batzer asked for the twelve jurors to be decided, to which Matthew Murdock and Foggy Nelson replied that this was one of the most divisive and public trials this year, and everyone had some sort of pre-existing opinion. Batzer replied that in New York City, everyone has an opinion on everything. Batzer then asked if both sides are okay with the selected jury, which they were. Meanwhile, Frank Castle was shackled in handcuffs, and escorted from his prison cell onto the courtroom floor, before he promptly was put back in his cell.^[2]

Opening Remarks[]

On the first day of the trial, Foggy Nelson and Karen Page waited for Matt Murdock, who had yet to arrive when the indictment began. Frank Castle commented to Nelson and Page that Murdock were missing, who continued worrying for their friend, when Judge Cynthia Batzer began to speak. The prosecutor Samantha Reyes gave her opening remarks when requested by Batzer, and began to paint Castle in a negative light, calling him a serial killer. When Batzer called on the defense for an opening statement, Nelson expressed concern at having to fill in for Murdock in giving the opening statement, but relented and gave in. Nelson struggled to form his words, before he began to speak about Castle being a veteran who had returned from war and saw his family being murdered and their deaths having been covered up. During the opening statement, Murdock walked in, and once Nelson was finished, Murdock began to apologize. The prosecution was told they were to present their first witness the next day before Murdock, Nelson, and Page stepped out into the hallway and discussed their next course of action. Nelson left to prepare at the Nelson and Murdock Law Office, while Page and Murdock left for Matt Murdock's Apartment.^[2]

First Testimony[]

The next day, Gregory Tepper, the prosecution's first witness, was called to the stand. Tepper explained how all fifteen victims of the Massacre at the Burren Club had passed away from multiple gunshot wounds from the same caliber bullet. Blake Tower, a member of the prosecution, thanked Tepper, before Judge Cynthia Batzer called the defense for questions. Matt Murdock, having arrived on time this day, began to question Tepper about how long Tepper had been a medical examiner. Samantha Reyes, leader of the prosecution, called for an objection, when Tepper began to say he wanted a confession. Batzer called for a clearing of the gallery, and once they were alone, Tepper confessed he had been coerced into altering the autopsy reports of Frank Castle's family and a John Doe. Tepper revealed he had been visited by a mysterious masked woman the night before who threatened him into admitting his misconduct. Reyes and Nelson began to argue, with each side blaming each other for threatening Tepper. Batzer called for all of Tepper's testimony to be stricken from the record, and called for the trial to continue the next day. In the bathroom, Murdock told Foggy Nelson that the mysterious masked woman was Elektra, his ex-girlfriend from college, and Nelson angrily stormed out, with Murdock trailing behind him. In the hallway, Page stopped both of them as they passed by, asking for answers, and was shut down by both.^[2]

Second Testimony[]

On the second day of the trial, Foggy Nelson expressed worry to Karen Page in the hallway about continuing without Matt Murdock, who was absent. In the courtroom, Colonel Ray Schoonover was called to the witness stand, where he asked by Nelson to recount his history with Frank Castle. Schoonover recounted how he had known Castle for almost a decade, and how during the Ambush in Kandahar, Castle had wanted to abort the mission, when his surperior said no. Schoonover continued and recounted how Castle was correct, and the surperior's blunder had compromised the mission and trapped the team, but Castle had saved his squad by taking command and single handedly took down the enemy combatants, saving his entire squad and earning a Navy Cross. Schoonover called Castle a hero, and told Nelson that the crimes accused of Castle were not capable of the Frank Castle that he knew. Nelson sat down, and Judge Cynthia Batzer called the prosecution for questions. Samantha Reyes thanked Schoonover for his service and recounted how her father had fought in Vietnam and how her father said that that often when the military awards a medal, the only ones who know what truly happened during the incident are those who are there. Schoonover told Reyes that he was the surperior, shocking Reyes, who, after calling for no further questions, sat down and whispered to Blake Tower about how that piece of information was redacted in the report.^[3]

Third Testimony[]

Doctor Andrew Lee, now called to the stand, gave a professional statement on how Frank Castle was shot, which Foggy Nelson clarified to the audience in simpler terms. Lee gave a statement on how in his professional opinion, Castle suffered from sympathetic storming. Lee would then go on to explain that and extreme emotional disturbance meant that Castle undergoes uncontrollable heightened emotions that were internally rationalized and s constantly reliving his trauma. Nelson asked Lee if that because of seeing his family murdered just moments before he was shot, the conditions extreme emotional disturbance were met, and Lee confirmed that he does believe Castle suffers from extreme emotional disturbance. Samantha Reyes had attempted to object to allowing Lee to answer the prior question, however Nelson defended the question, stating it kept relevance due to Lee's medical expertise, and Judge Cynthia Batzer overruled the interruption. Nelson asked Lee if it was possible for an individual with extreme emotional disturbance to premeditate a crime, to which Lee confirmed it was not. Nelson asked Lee if any of his other patients had a similar background to Castle, and Lee said they had not, and when asked to restate it in simpler terms, Lee said that Castle had gone through hell. Suddenly, a young man rose to his feet and screamed at Castle about how Castle had murdered his father, which caused Batzer to order him out and ask the jury to ignore this transgression.^[3]

Frank Castle's Testimony[]

Following a brief talk with Frank Castle, Karen Page met Foggy Nelson outside the steps of the New York State Supreme Court Building, and Nelson agreed to Page's request to allow Castle on the stand, with the caveat that Matt Murdock would do the questioning. Page visited Murdock and got him to agree to question Castle. Murdock, Nelson, and Page, now in the courtroom together, prepared for the questioning, wanting Murdock to get Castle to recount the Massacre at Central Park. Castle was called to the stand, and he walked in, escorted by Roy Olsky and another guard. The crowd, larger this time due to the importance of this testimony, murmured with anticipation. Castle stated his name when asked, and Murdock began to question him. Murdock recounted Castle's charges to him, calling him Frank, which caused Castle to give Murdock a nod. Murdock asked Castle to recount the events of the Massacre at Central Park, and told Castle that he understood it was difficult for him. Castle told Murdock he did not understand anything, so Murdock asked Judge Cynthia Batzer for permission to treat the witness as hostile. Murdock stated the city was sick, in part due to Samantha Reyes's ruthless behavior, and needed Castle's help, and that the city needed heroes. Murdock continued, saying that Castle had broken the law many times but that Castle was a good man who had lost the distinction between right and wrong, and he did not need punishment but rather help. Murdock sat down and Castle asked if he was able to speak, which Batzer agreed. Castle said that he would kill the people he killed again, and that he did not need help since he knew who he was. Castle went on to say that he had done it because he liked it, before correcting himself to say he loved it. Despite protests from Batzer, Castle stood up, and declared his embracement of the name of Punisher, threatening to kill everyone who came to watch him humiliate himself. Castle was then dragged off to Rikers Island by Olsky and his partner. Outside, Nelson berated Murdock for going off script, and Page told Murdock that the city did need heroes yet Murdock was not one of them.^[3]

Million Dollar Settlement[]

After being exposed to Endexoprene in a subway station and losing his ability to walk, Aaron James and his parents sued Berkowitz for 11 million dollars, and went to trial with Matt Murdock as their lawyer. Murdock argued in court that Berkowitz and his company knowingly ignored safety precautions and put people in danger, which settled the case. In the hall outside the courtroom after the trial, Murdock gave a small speech to James to encourage him to take his life back in spite of his injury. Karen Page arrived to take Murdock's statement, and the two went out for coffee.^[4]