Frank Sahwit

"Frank Sahwit"

- Y-you with your "objections", and your "evidence"... Just who do you think you are!?

Frank Sahwit was the sole witness in the murder of Cindy Stone, the first case of Phoenix Wright. He was a common burglar who pretended to sell newspapers as a front for snooping out new houses from which to steal.

Murder of Stone
During one of his burglaries, Sahwit was caught in the act by the owner of the apartment, Cindy Stone. He picked up the nearest thing he could find, a clock-statue of "The Thinker", and hit her over the head with it. The clock then spoke the time, which Sahwit believed was the real time. She died of blood loss, and Sahwit decided to frame her boyfriend Larry Butz, who had visited her apartment on the day of the murder.

Sahwit was called as the sole witness to the murder. His testimony was full of holes that the new defense attorney, Phoenix Wright, could exploit, even giving testimony that contradicted his earlier statements, and he soon reached a point in which he was accused of the murder. He then switched from his sycophantic persona into his real, rage-filled nature. He flung his toupée at Wright and shouted at him that he had one final question. He said that Wright could not prove that the clock was telling the correct time at the time of the murder, but Wright explained that the victim had gone to France the day before the murder. Sahwit broke down on the stand; he hyperventilated and collapsed.



Imprisonment

 * Main article: The Imprisoned Turnabout

Sahwit was convicted of the murder of Cindy Stone and imprisoned, though got a comparatively light sentence since the murder wasn't premeditated. For three years he lived as a model prisoner, working as the prison barber, cutting the animals' fur, before crossing paths with Wright's rival Miles Edgeworth following a murder in the prison itself. His personality hasn't changed much. He was the first to discover the body and heard a scream before the roll call in prison. During the investigation, Edgeworth confronted him and beat him in Logic Chess. Sahwit cooperated with the director to gain preferential treatment and helped her make a false alibi.

In the end, his prison sentence was extended due to the fact he was an accomplice to Miwa.

Personality
Sahwit was smarmy and sycophantic, but he hid a deep anger problem.

Name

 * His Japanese name, "Yamano Hoshio" (山野星雄), may be a play on the phrase "yama no hoshi", which literally means "star of the mountain". This may be because, during the trial, he says "If there's a mountain, someone will climb it", in reference to him being compelled to "peek" at Stone's crime scene.


 * "Frank Sahwit" literally reads as "frank saw it". Ironically, he is not really a frank person, seeing as he lies a lot, and although he actually committed the crime, he didn't "see it" properly, leading to his hole-filled testimony. Wright made a joke out of the name, calling Sahwit "Mr. Did It" after he had proven that Sahwit had killed Stone.


 * "Frank Khavu" comes from the French phrase "frank qu'a vu", meaning "frank who saw it".

Development

 * The mole on his forehead was apparently added as a mark of guilt.


 * The developers added him to The Imprisoned Turnabout as a way of celebrating the series' 10th anniversary, noting that any long-time player would associate him with the series.


 * He is the only minor "guilty" character to reappear after his verdict, as well as the only one to do so outside of the game in which he appeared. Morgan Fey plays a role in the story of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations, but was only an accomplice to a crime and not a killer herself.


 * His appearance in The Imprisoned Turnabout seems to suggest that not everyone convicted of murder is executed, though Dahlia Hawthorne took five years to be executed.


 * He is the only guilty character to speak in a "Where are they now?" ending sequence, not counting the voice clip of Godot's "Objection!".
 * His mugshot that is shown in The Imprisoned Turnabout is almost the same as the original one. The only difference is that Sahwit is wearing a prison uniform now and his head got a little smaller. However, his profile also states that he is 47 years old. Only three years passed since he was convicted. It is possible that he lied about his age when he was testifying in court.