The Trial of Roose Bolton

[Damsel in Distress]

This is not a game, but it will require you to put on your thinking caps.  The time period is the near future.  Westeros is back under Targaryen control.  Empress Daenerys Targaryen, the first of her name, has taken back the seven kingdoms from the Lannisters.  The white walkers have been defeated and the wildlings sent back to the other side of the wall.   Roose Bolton is on trial for killing Robb Stark.  The North and the Stark children would like to execute him but many in the south have argued for his release.  A jury that is as unbiased as possible under the circumstances has been called to hear both sides.

The trial is being held at Highgarden.  Her Majesty will not be present at the trial.  The honorable Doran Martell will be the presiding judge.  Roose's guilt or innocence is to be decided by a jury of seven lords from Dorne and the Reach.  You have been chosen to defend Roose Bolton.  Apply the known laws of Westeros to defend your client, if you can.  The jury have taken an oath to act without bias and to apply the *current laws to reach their decision.

There will be court observers from across the Narrow Sea.  The honorable Skahaz Mo Kandaq, the Tattered Prince, and Brown Ben Plumm.  Do keep in mind that laws exists in Westeros but these laws are under review.  Is it possible to defend Roose?

*The outcome of this case could set a precedent for coded law that will affect both sides of the new Empire.  

[Kandrax]

I would tell Doran that Boltonia was peacefull under his rule and that he only wanted good for North.

[Rosetta Stone]

Your Honor, my client was following the orders of King Joffrey.  Then pray my client kept his letters from Tywin Lannister.

Quote

"Jaime Lannister sends his regards"

 

[The Lord of the Crossing]

2 hours ago, Damsel in Distress said:

*The outcome of this case could set a precedent for coded law that will affect both sides of the new Empire.  

This right here will lose the case for the Boltons.  Forgive Roose and the jury will start to worry about their own bannermen.  

Take this out of the equation and Roose can say he was fighting to stop a rebellion.  

[Clegane'sPup]

3 hours ago, Damsel in Distress said:

This is not a game, but it will require you to put on your thinking caps.

It is a game. Make stuff up.

[Bernie Mac]

Why is Roose on trial and not every other soldier who killed someone during the war? Robb was a rebel against Westeros and while Dany might not accept the previous regime as legitimate she is also not going to recognize Robb as a king. 

Roose broke a custom, not a law. 

[House Beaudreau]

6 hours ago, Damsel in Distress said:

This is not a game, but it will require you to put on your thinking caps.  The time period is the near future.  Westeros is back under Targaryen control.  Empress Daenerys Targaryen, the first of her name, has taken back the seven kingdoms from the Lannisters.  The white walkers have been defeated and the wildlings sent back to the other side of the wall.   Roose Bolton is on trial for killing Robb Stark.  The North and the Stark children would like to execute him but many in the south have argued for his release.  A jury that is as unbiased as possible under the circumstances has been called to hear both sides.

The trial is being held at Highgarden.  Her Majesty will not be present at the trial.  The honorable Doran Martell will be the presiding judge.  Roose's guilt or innocence is to be decided by a jury of seven lords from Dorne and the Reach.  You have been chosen to defend Roose Bolton.  Apply the known laws of Westeros to defend your client, if you can.  The jury have taken an oath to act without bias and to apply the *current laws to reach their decision.

There will be court observers from across the Narrow Sea.  The honorable Skahaz Mo Kandaq, the Tattered Prince, and Brown Ben Plumm.  Do keep in mind that laws exists in Westeros but these laws are under review.  Is it possible to defend Roose?

*The outcome of this case could set a precedent for coded law that will affect both sides of the new Empire.  

if i am defending Roose i would take a few different angles. But ill lay out what I think would be the best defense for him.  I would try to argue that he so at least be restored to lord of Dreadfort. Not all of my reasons are factual but I think these points could be argued and possibly sway Reach and Dornish lords

1. Tell the Jury that Roose learned of the Plot late, and by the time he reached the Twins Robb and the Northmen had already gained guest right and he didn't think Walder Frey would ever break guest right. 
2. During the Red Wedding, Roose realized that it was too late for the Northern cause and was offered a chance of changing his allegiance, as long as he killed Robb Stark himself. He was offered this chance because of his recent marriage to Fat Walda 
3. Roose Bolton had recently married into the Frey's and was just as betrayed by Robb Stark for marrying Jeyne Westerling.
4. Roose hands were somewhat tied because of Vargo Hoat's decision to cut off Jamie's hand, this is why he freed Jamie, just incase the Lannister prevail he didn't want an automatic death sentence from Tywin. He also may Jamie swear to return the Stark girls to Lady Catlyn.  
5. Lastly, He must come clean about Ramsey's action's at Winterfell and what he did to Lady Hornwood. Tell the Jury that he felt Robb would blame him for his bastard son's actions and had the Northern Cause succeeded Roose may have still had his lands and titles stripped and executed or sent to the Wall. Wanting to prevent this from happening the choice to betray was hard for him but ultimate he made it for his house and the North.  

I think all of this would at least save Roose's life if not have him restored to Lord of the Dreadfort. The Reach Lords could probably at least understand these arguments see how they all changed sides multiple times during the War of the Five Kings, not to mention probably alining with Dany at the End.  

[Dorian Martell's son]

This should be in the forum games section 

[Ralphis Baratheon]

Do what Jared Frey has been doing since the Red Wedding. Tell everyone that Robb Stark and his men turned into a Werewolfs and started attacking people during the wedding. With dragons and ice zombies around, is it really that hard to believe Robb and his men turned into Werewolfs? Then if you can you find Rickon's or Bran's Direwolf and claim that the wolf is in fact Rickon or Bran.

i'd also be sending large sacks of golds and marriage offers for Roose and Walda's children to the judges. You get one judge and he or she can sway the others.

[teej6]

4 hours ago, Clegane'sPup said:

It is a game. Make stuff up.

GRRM really needs to publish tWoW. This is getting really painful and tiresome. 

[The Commentator]

19 hours ago, Bernie Mac said:

Why is Roose on trial and not every other soldier who killed someone during the war? Robb was a rebel against Westeros and while Dany might not accept the previous regime as legitimate she is also not going to recognize Robb as a king. 

Roose broke a custom, not a law. 

Damn, this is good.  It's all for nothing though.  Roose is never gonna get a fair trial if the Starks ever rise to power again.  If I were Roose, I would take my Walda's weight in silver and take an extended vacation in Pentos.  

[Nowy Tends]

20 hours ago, Bernie Mac said:

Roose broke a custom, not a law. 

Oh, so killing his liege Lord isn't punishable by law? Seriously?

[Nowy Tends]

Anyway if I were choosen to defend him, I would have the pleasure to kill him myself

[The Sunland Lord]

I'd take real big money from him if he wants me to defend him. Real big.

"Your Honor, my client here attended that infamous wedding. He admits it. This doesn't mean he is guilty of the crime he is accused of. Is going to a wedding a crime? No. He was knocked out an hour before the slaughter began. He didn't even witness anything of the carnage. The real perpetrators did this to him. But why, I ask? Because they were afraid. Afraid that he would stand to defend his King till the end and stop them in their vile plan."

"Instead, they knock him out and he wakes up in a dungeon in the middle of the night. So they sent him a man with an offer. An offer one could not refuse. Suffer the fate of his beloved king - or accept the role of the Warden of the North and play the mummer's farce along with the previous evil regime."

[Universal Sword Donor]

Possible to defend? Yes

Possible to be successful? No

Ergo I burn everything down and move to Lys

[UnFit Finlay]

If I'm Roose's lawyer then I'd do what lawyers do: Present the facts in a way that suits my agenda:

Roose was a loyal vassal to Ned Stark and, when Ned was taken by the Lannisters, he rushed to support Robb. First to rescue Ned and later to avenge his murder.

"The Young Wolf" quickly showed himself to be unstable, arrogant and selfish, however. He quickly exploited the situation, and the love the Northmen had for his father, to crown himself "King In The North". While Roose was desperately trying to win the war - taking Harrenhal and facing Tywin Lannister in the field - Robb was taking unimportant castles like The Crag, simply because he'd heard Lord Westerling's daughter was attractive. This despite him already being promised to another.

He became completely unbalanced - releasing valuable prisoners like Theon Greyjoy and Jamie Lannister on a whim, and generally acted like a tyrant. Greatjon Umber was one of his most loyal supporters, yet he was mutilated when Robb set his Direwolf on him for speaking out of turn. He ordered the execution of Roose's own bastard son, for the simple crime of marrying without permission. Despite this, Ramsay remained loyal to the Starks and rallied the North to drive out the Iron born. Yet Roose knew that Ramsay's life would be forfeit should Robb return to the North. Because "The Young Wolf" couldn't stand to see anyone else share "the glory".

The final straw for Roose, however, was the execution of Rickard Karstark. They went to war against Joffrey because he executed an honourable man on trumped up charges of "treason" and now Robb had done the exact same thing. It became clear that they were fighting to exchange one tyrant for another and that Robb HAD to be stopped, no matter what the cost to Roose's honour. While Joffrey remained a monster, he was a distant one, and there was a reasonable hope that Tywin Lannister might be able to control him. There was no such hope for Robb.

After the deed was done, Tywin offered a pardon which Roose reluctantly accepted, because there had been enough fighting and the North needed to heal.

[Bernie Mac]

7 hours ago, Nowy Tends said:

Oh, so killing his liege Lord isn't punishable by law? Seriously?

During a war? Probably not, not to Queen Dany. 

[cpg2016]

18 hours ago, Bernie Mac said:

During a war? Probably not, not to Queen Dany. 

One of the few characters in a position of power that we see making a true effort to be ethical?  Lol.

Roose is condemned and he knows it.  He says it himself, that the North hates him and blames him for what he's done.  You don't seem to understand the nuance of what a "crime" is, let alone the concept of war crimes.  Roose actively assists in betraying the literal foundational principle of Westerosi law; that of guest right.  Every single person that knows his role in that will call for his head.

[Lord Lannister]

Every trial in ASoIaF has been a farce on some level. Suddenly "Empress" Dany is going to be fair and allow due process?

[Clegane'sPup]

First question. Who is going to put Lord Bolton on trial and what is he charged with?

Tyrion experienced two trials. One was in the Eyrie. Another was in KL. Both times Tyrion chose trial by combat.

For all intent and purpose Tywin rewarded Roose with the wardenship. Now that Tywin is dead all Roose really has is his Dreadfort men and the Freys.

A Dance with Dragons - Davos IV          "Not slain," said Glover. "Captured, and carried back to the Dreadfort. The Bastard has been flaying him {the reference is to Theon}."  Lord Wyman nodded. "The tale you tell is one we all have heard, as full of lies as a pudding's full of raisins. It was the Bastard of Bolton who put Winterfell to the sword … Ramsay Snow, he was called then, before the boy king made him a Bolton. Snow did not kill them all. He spared the women, roped them together, and marched them to the Dreadfort for his sport."/

The above quote shows that the northmen are aware of Ramsay’s dealings. What about the father Roose? What has Roose done that would require a trial?

A Storm of Swords - Catelyn VII        The knife trembled in Catelyn's hand, slippery with sweat. "A son for a son, heh," he {Walder} repeated. "But that's a grandson . . . and he never was much use."       A man in dark armor and a pale pink cloak spotted with blood stepped up to Robb. "Jaime Lannister sends his regards." He thrust his longsword through her son's heart, and twisted./

Lady Cat is dead. Are there any other witnesses who may have shared the tale that Roose killed Robb? Some soon to be released hostages per chance.

Second question. What makes you think there will be a trial? The way I read it since Arya/Jeyne has been removed from WF, the northerners are going to try their bestest to dispose of Roose and Ramsey with swords and arrows.