Frank Sahwit

> ***"Dammit! Why me? I can't get caught...Not like this! I-I've gotta find someone to pin this on...Someone like...him! I'll make it look like HE did it!"*** *- Frank Sahwit's first words in The First Turnabout, immediately following the murder of Cindy Stone.*
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**Frank Sahwit**, also referred to as **Mr. Frank Sahwit** or as **Mr. Sahwit** and jokingly referred to as **Mr. Did It**, is a major antagonist in the *Ace Attorney* franchise, appearing as the main antagonist in *The First Turnabout*, the first debut episode in *Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney*.

He is a common burglar, breaking into various people's houses to thieve and rob them of their belongings and valuables. He would use the cover occupation of a newspaper salesman to check and see when people were in and out of the house. He is responsible for the murder of Larry Butz's girlfriend, Cindy Stone. He is the first enemy to be defeated in court by Phoenix Wright, therefore making him his very first enemy.

Since *Ace Attorney* is a visual novel, all dialogue is portrayed through text instead of through voice.

## Story

### **Background**

Frank Sahwit was born at an unknown date in the year 1980.

For an unknown period of time, Sahwit was a common thief/burglar who would pose as a newspaper salesman to check and see when people were in and out of the house. If they were out of the house, he would break in and rob them for their valuables and belongings. He was highly successful in his criminal acts, avoiding legal trouble for his actions. However, his trail of luck wouldn't last long.

On July 31st, 2016, Sahwit goes to nearby apartment complexes, searching for potential victims to rob. Soon, he witnessed a man leave an apartment room, leaving the door half open behind him. Thinking that the owner of the room left, Sahwit goes inside and robs the apartment as usual. Unfortunately, he's caught in the act when Cindy Stone, the real owner of the apartment, returns exposing him. Flustered and overwhelmed, Sahwit grabs the nearest blunt object he can find and strikes Stone once on the head, killing her instantly.

Following his first murder, he expresses his shock and fear at the scene but regains his composure upon realising that he can frame the murder on the man he saw leave the apartment earlier. Sahwit spots a maniacal smile, pleased at the fact of getting away with murder. He leaves the apartment to a nearby park where he uses a public phone to report the crime. The authorities arrive at the scene, taking Sahwit into custody as the official witness to the crime while Larry Butz, the boyfriend of the victim, is wrongfully convicted for her murder.

### **Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney**

#### **Episode One: The First Turnabout**

Three days later, on August 3rd, 2016, Sahwit was brought to the witness stand by prosecutor, Winston Payne to testify to the court about the events he "witnessed" while the defence, Phoenix Wright, was assigned to cross examine him.

Despite initially seeming confident in his testimony definitively proving Butz to be the culprit, Wright discovers several contradictions in his testimonies, including subsequent ones resulting in suspicion being aroused with Sahwit's involvement in the murder. After being exposed for his lies, he quickly loses his composure, nervously sweating and awkwardly shuffling from side to side repeatedly.

#### **Breakdown & Defeat**

Eventually, Wright reveals the truth to the court, publicly exposing Sahwit for his lies. Sahwit, unable to provide any answers to the defence's questions breaks down, flashing back to the day of the murder when he murdered Stone. Ultimately, he completely breaks down, throwing his wig at Wright out of pure spite and anger. Showing his true colours, Sahwit curses Wright and Butz, causing a murmur among the crowd.

Later, Wright finally proves Sahwit as the true culprit behind the murder of Cindy Stone with Stone's passport, mockingly referring to him as Mr. Did It as he calls him out. Devasted and defeated, Sahwit rapidly froths at the mouth before collapsing onto the ground, unconscious.

Sahwit is subsequently arrested and incarcerated at an unnamed prison for his crimes while Butz is officially given the not guilty verdict, successfully being proven innocent by his childhood friend, Wright. The trial ends and the case is closed as Sahwit is forced to spend the rest of his time in prison, serving punishment for his various crimes.

## Appearance

Frank Sahwit possesses a medium, slim build of an Asian adult male. He has white skin, dark brown hair and brown eyes. He spots a dot in the middle of his forehead, symbolising his religion and background. When his eyes are shut, they appear slanted and making him appear more friendly and appealing. While wearing his wig, his hair is styled in a neat combover to the right of his head, neatly brushed and cared for. When he loses his wig, showing his real hair, the top of his head appears bald while the sides of his head are covered in his brown hair. Several hair strands can be seen on his bald spot where his wig once was.

Primarily throughout the events of *The First Turnabout*, he wears his iconic magenta, dark pink suit, consisting of a buttoned suit jacket, a white crisp dress shirt neatly buttoned, a bright red tie, accompanying trousers and black dress shoes. Sahwit primarily wears his suit for his newspaper salesman cover.

Upon being cornered and exposed several times by Wright, he quickly loses his composure until eventually he completely breaks, unleashing all his anger on Wright. When in this angered and furious state, his suit appears more messy and disorganised. The top buttons of his shirt have been undone, exposing his neck while his tie has been messily shifted to the left side of his torso as it becomes more loose and loose.

## Relationships

### Enemies

* **Larry Butz** *(Alive)* **-** Archnemesis & Attempted Victim
* **Phoenix Wright** *(Alive)* **-** Wright's First Nemesis
* **Cindy Stone** *(Deceased)* **-** Victim

## Appearances

- Indirectly mentioned by Wright in court a month after his arrest during April May's cross examination in *Turnabout Sisters*.

## Quotes

### **Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney**

#### **The First Turnabout**

> - ***"Oh, oh yes! Newspapers, yes!"*** *- Frank Sahwit's first words during the trial, expressing an outgoing and friendly attitude.*
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> - ***"I was going door-to-door, selling subscriptions when I saw a man fleeing an apartment. I thought he must be in a hurry because he left the door half-open behind him. Thinking it strange, I looked inside the apartment. Then I saw her lying there...A woman...Not moving...Dead! I quailed in fright and found myself unable to go inside. I thought to call the police immediately! However, the phone in her apartment wasn't working. I went to a nearby park and found a public phone. I remember the time exactly: It was 1:00 PM. The man who ran was, without a doubt, the defendant sitting right over there."*** *- Frank Sahwit's first testimony, lying and accusing Larry as the perpetrator behind Cindy Stone's murder.*
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> - ***"You see, when I found the body, I heard the time. There was a voice saying the time...It was probably coming from the television. Oh, but it was three hours off, wasn't it? I guess the victim must have been watching a video of a taped program! That's why I thought it was 1:00 PM! Terribly sorry about the misunderstanding..."*** *- Frank Sahwit's second testimony after a contradiction was found in his first testimony.*
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> - ***"Actually, I didn't "hear" the time...I "saw" it! There was a table clock in the apartment, wasn't there?! Yeah, the murder weapon! The killer used it to hit the victim! That must have been what I saw."*** *- Frank Sahwit's third and final testimony, clearly showing his desperation and train of lies catching up to him.*
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> - ***"Whaa- Y-you with your "objections," and your "evidence"...Just who do you think you are?! Hey, I...I saw it there, okay! That's a clock!"*** *- Frank Sahwit becoming defensive upon being exposed for his lies several times by Wright.*
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> - ***"Shutupshutupshutup! I hate you! I-It was him, I tell you! I saw him! H-He killed her and he should burn! Burn! Give him death!"*** *- Frank Sahwit's breakdown as he completely loses his composure, cursing out both Butz and Wright.*
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> - ***"Hah! Tough words! Let's see you pull this one off!"*** *- Frank Sahwit's last words before he's defeated, arrogantly dismissive that Wright can prove that the clock was off on the day of the murder.*
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## Trivia

* Sahwit's full name is a play on the sentence "Frank Saw It", referring to how he is the sole witness to Cindy Stone's murder.
* Frank Sahwit is the very first villain/antagonist in the *Ace Attorney* franchise.