Exit Fate: Meiko's Interviews

Beau

Meiko: Today I'm speaking with Beau, the attorney who defended Mr. Vinyard during his trial. First of all, a few questions about the Zelmony justice system. Military and civil cases are treated in the same way, right?

Beau: Yes, that is correct. However, the sentence may be different, as in the former case there is the possibility of demotion or discharge, but this is up to the judge.

Meiko: Have you had earlier experience with corruption within the Zelmony justice system?

Beau: Well, that's a difficult question for me to answer. Of course there have been cases where I had my doubts about some of the evidence produced by the prosecution, but of course that is not proof of corruption by itself. I simply don't have enough information.

Meiko: That means the case against Mr. Vinyard must've stood out from the rest.

Beau: Yes, indeed. I believe there must've been a certain level of desperation within the prosecution, or rather, those who wished to influence the trial. As such, they felt it necessary to go to extreme lengths. Once a person has enemies within the justice system itself, it will be very hard to get an unbiased trial.

Meiko: Yes, I understand. Would you have any suggestions on how to improve the system?

Beau: Well, there are two approaches: from the bottom up, or from the top down. Lawyers such as me could do their part by doing their work properly and reporting incidents of corruption. In this situation, however, I believe a thorough investigation from the top is necessary to probe those who would stay out of reach otherwise. This is no light matter, and would take a very dedicated commission with a clear mandate. It's probably impossible in the current political climate, but still, I have good hopes for the future.