- Sep 22, 2013
- 4,956
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This is a mock trial involving the American comic book superhero Batman (DC Comics), a masked urban vigilante who tackles the criminally insane, and his five arrested nemeses Joker (a clownish terrorist), Two-Face (a disfigured unethical vigilante), Penguin (a creepy crime-master), Scarecrow (a masked maniac wielding fear-toxins), and Poison Ivy (a cunning eco-terrorist).
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BATMAN: Robin and I have arrested the Gotham criminals Joker, Two-Face, Penguin, Scarecrow, and Poison Ivy. They are awaiting to be rehabilitated at Arkham Asylum, but first they must be given a fair trial where we will discuss the legal justifications of what would otherwise be deemed as acts of pure criminal insanity. I will present arguments for each criminal, and each defendant will have the opportunity to present one retort or response. Each defendant must offer up some kind of response for their case. The Honorable Judge Tom Gordon will be presiding, and the jury is selected randomly from Gotham citizenry and are guaranteed protection and safe counsel. So, let's begin!
Joker, you're charged with creating dangerous mayhem in the name of some vague philosophy about jurisprudence frailties. You dress up as a clown as if Gothamites are naturally vulnerable to sin, but you are not above sin or the law, so you must answer why you think terrorism is justified when police are hypothetically corrupt. My assertion is that police corruption does not automatically warrant terrorism, because if it did, anarchy would reign.
Two-Face, you're a radical vigilante who administers extreme punishments at the flip-of-a-coin. You must answer in this courtroom why you think you have the freedom to judge others when you yourself are susceptible to judgment as a human being.
Penguin, your name suits you to many. You behave like an animal, and your criminal underworld gives new meaning to the word 'dark.' You must answer in this trial why you believe you deserve rehabilitation at Arkham Asylum when you seem utterly unwilling to show respect for the authority of anyone besides yourself. You must answer why everyday defenceless Gothamites are terrified of you. Finally, with a touch of irony, you keep a flock of penguins as pets.
Scarecrow, you wield those fear-toxins, which you use to create dangerous hallucinations in the minds of human beings. You wear an unsightly scarecrow mask and outfit and you seem unwilling to listen to the please of mercy. You must answer why you think your 'experiments' with fear are warranted and why you think you deserve the defense of criminal insanity.
Poison Ivy, eco-consciousness is very important, but eco-terrorism is very dangerous. What brought you to your severe grudge against industrialization, and why are you unwilling to pursue peaceful political routes to social change? You must answer why you think eco-terrorism is used by those who are mentally in anguish.
JOKER: Well, what a fine intro, Batman! I have the dubious honor of responding first, so I will. Anarchy is a reality, and if terrorism creates temporary anarchy, then it deserves as much empathy as temporary insanity. I need rehabilitation and demand that Gothamites understand that criminal insanity justifies desperate terrorism. If I am wrong, I hope to be rehabilitated properly by sensitive and caring Arkham doctors.
TWO-FACE: I suppose I go next. I too concede I need rehabilitation in Arkham. You're correct, Batman, I am not above reproach. I administer cruel justice, because I want to put a padlock on criminality itself. However, sometimes I don't know what to do, so I resort to extreme acts of violence. Sometimes I go home at night and break down and weep for those I've punished and wonder if Gotham deserves justice at all. However, my 'quest' for vigilantism logic has led me here, and now I demand mental asylum and corrective rehabilitation, and not even Batman has the right to interrogate me when he himself is something of a vigilante.
PENGUIN: I'm not an animal! I'm a man. My name is Oswald Cobblepot. I am deformed, and I am angry, and I want to be rich and famous. Doesn't everybody? What do you want me to do, Batman, manage a zoo? I resort to crime, as you suggested, since there is no other way for me. Perhaps Arkham can help me, but I refuse to be treated like an animal by those who behave like animals. I may look like an animal, but criminality is more real to human beings than to animals, and if my penguins will be granted proper shelter, then I will concede to the authority of Arkham.
SCARECROW: Fear governs the mind. Terrorism is an extension of conviction. My fear-toxins are medicine, and if you imply, Batman, that I should take the fear-toxins myself, you prove my point that humans are naturally self-serving, and fear is the only tool for humility, so I wield it like a God. If Arkham can help me, then I will be helped, since Batman is obviously too 'agile' to contend with, and if I am deemed 'unfit' for mental rehabilitation, perhaps Gothamites are simply too scared to understand why.
POISON IVY: When arsonists burn down a building to collect insurance money, no one bats an eyelash. However, when natural forest fires destroy countless trees, people weep for the Earth. Then, to my horror, human beings waste paper, refuse to recycle plastics, and spew gases into the sky from their useless and countless cars. You ask me why eco-terrorism is an act of criminal insanity, so I will tell you that eco-pollution is what really drives me crazy. If I'm guilty like the other defendants and require rehabilitation at Arkham, I demand evidence that Arkham is managed with high degrees of energy efficiency.
JURY/JUDGE: It is the decision of this court that these five Gotham terrorists are incarcerated under maximum security conditions at Arkham Asylum where their rehabilitation progress will be closely monitored. If they fail to comply with the prescribed treatments, they will be given the death penalty (by gas chamber).
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BATMAN: Robin and I have arrested the Gotham criminals Joker, Two-Face, Penguin, Scarecrow, and Poison Ivy. They are awaiting to be rehabilitated at Arkham Asylum, but first they must be given a fair trial where we will discuss the legal justifications of what would otherwise be deemed as acts of pure criminal insanity. I will present arguments for each criminal, and each defendant will have the opportunity to present one retort or response. Each defendant must offer up some kind of response for their case. The Honorable Judge Tom Gordon will be presiding, and the jury is selected randomly from Gotham citizenry and are guaranteed protection and safe counsel. So, let's begin!
Joker, you're charged with creating dangerous mayhem in the name of some vague philosophy about jurisprudence frailties. You dress up as a clown as if Gothamites are naturally vulnerable to sin, but you are not above sin or the law, so you must answer why you think terrorism is justified when police are hypothetically corrupt. My assertion is that police corruption does not automatically warrant terrorism, because if it did, anarchy would reign.
Two-Face, you're a radical vigilante who administers extreme punishments at the flip-of-a-coin. You must answer in this courtroom why you think you have the freedom to judge others when you yourself are susceptible to judgment as a human being.
Penguin, your name suits you to many. You behave like an animal, and your criminal underworld gives new meaning to the word 'dark.' You must answer in this trial why you believe you deserve rehabilitation at Arkham Asylum when you seem utterly unwilling to show respect for the authority of anyone besides yourself. You must answer why everyday defenceless Gothamites are terrified of you. Finally, with a touch of irony, you keep a flock of penguins as pets.
Scarecrow, you wield those fear-toxins, which you use to create dangerous hallucinations in the minds of human beings. You wear an unsightly scarecrow mask and outfit and you seem unwilling to listen to the please of mercy. You must answer why you think your 'experiments' with fear are warranted and why you think you deserve the defense of criminal insanity.
Poison Ivy, eco-consciousness is very important, but eco-terrorism is very dangerous. What brought you to your severe grudge against industrialization, and why are you unwilling to pursue peaceful political routes to social change? You must answer why you think eco-terrorism is used by those who are mentally in anguish.
JOKER: Well, what a fine intro, Batman! I have the dubious honor of responding first, so I will. Anarchy is a reality, and if terrorism creates temporary anarchy, then it deserves as much empathy as temporary insanity. I need rehabilitation and demand that Gothamites understand that criminal insanity justifies desperate terrorism. If I am wrong, I hope to be rehabilitated properly by sensitive and caring Arkham doctors.
TWO-FACE: I suppose I go next. I too concede I need rehabilitation in Arkham. You're correct, Batman, I am not above reproach. I administer cruel justice, because I want to put a padlock on criminality itself. However, sometimes I don't know what to do, so I resort to extreme acts of violence. Sometimes I go home at night and break down and weep for those I've punished and wonder if Gotham deserves justice at all. However, my 'quest' for vigilantism logic has led me here, and now I demand mental asylum and corrective rehabilitation, and not even Batman has the right to interrogate me when he himself is something of a vigilante.
PENGUIN: I'm not an animal! I'm a man. My name is Oswald Cobblepot. I am deformed, and I am angry, and I want to be rich and famous. Doesn't everybody? What do you want me to do, Batman, manage a zoo? I resort to crime, as you suggested, since there is no other way for me. Perhaps Arkham can help me, but I refuse to be treated like an animal by those who behave like animals. I may look like an animal, but criminality is more real to human beings than to animals, and if my penguins will be granted proper shelter, then I will concede to the authority of Arkham.
SCARECROW: Fear governs the mind. Terrorism is an extension of conviction. My fear-toxins are medicine, and if you imply, Batman, that I should take the fear-toxins myself, you prove my point that humans are naturally self-serving, and fear is the only tool for humility, so I wield it like a God. If Arkham can help me, then I will be helped, since Batman is obviously too 'agile' to contend with, and if I am deemed 'unfit' for mental rehabilitation, perhaps Gothamites are simply too scared to understand why.
POISON IVY: When arsonists burn down a building to collect insurance money, no one bats an eyelash. However, when natural forest fires destroy countless trees, people weep for the Earth. Then, to my horror, human beings waste paper, refuse to recycle plastics, and spew gases into the sky from their useless and countless cars. You ask me why eco-terrorism is an act of criminal insanity, so I will tell you that eco-pollution is what really drives me crazy. If I'm guilty like the other defendants and require rehabilitation at Arkham, I demand evidence that Arkham is managed with high degrees of energy efficiency.
JURY/JUDGE: It is the decision of this court that these five Gotham terrorists are incarcerated under maximum security conditions at Arkham Asylum where their rehabilitation progress will be closely monitored. If they fail to comply with the prescribed treatments, they will be given the death penalty (by gas chamber).
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