Wookieepedia:Featured article queue/February 23, 2011

The trial of Tycho Celchu was a widely publicized trial held in 7 ABY, in which Captain Tycho Celchu of Rogue Squadron was accused of treason against the New Republic and the murder of his Rogue Squadron comrade Corran Horn. He was suspected of being either a brainwashed sleeper agent or a well paid secret operative. The New Republic promoted the trial as a demonstration that it did not discriminate between Humans and other species in its administration of justice.

Three prominent New Republic military leaders&mdash;Admiral Ackbar, General Horton Salm, and General Crix Madine&mdash;were nominated to judge the case. The prosecutor was a well known attorney from Alderaan, Halla Ettyk, who was aided by a former CorSec investigator, Iella Wessiri. Celchu's attorney was another Rogue Squadron pilot, Twi'lek lawyer Nawara Ven. They were helped by the squadron's protocol droid, Emtrey, and Horn's astromech droid, Whistler, who didn't believe Celchu had murdered his former master.

Many witnesses were called to give evidence in court; among them were all the members of Rogue Squadron, including Pash Cracken and Wedge Antilles, the commander of the unit. The defense considered a Duros weapon dealer, Lai Nootka, to be their key witness, but they were unable to locate him. Both sides found out that Celchu was truly innocent when a former Imperial Intelligence agent, Kirtan Loor, tried to defect to the New Republic and volunteered to testify if the New Republic would protect him from the Empire in return. However, Loor never had a chance to give his testimony, because he was killed when he arrived at the courthouse by a brainwashed Imperial agent, Diric Wessiri, who believed him to be Evir Derricote.

The biggest surprise for the members of the court was when Corran Horn, who was believed to be dead, appeared and wanted to testify on Celchu's behalf. Horn had escaped from Ysanne Isard's private prison and, during his escape, found evidence that Celchu had not been brainwashed, and that the true traitor in the squadron had been Erisi Dlarit. After Horn's testimony, all the charges against Celchu were immediately lifted. General Airen Cracken was also able to clear Celchu's tarnished reputation by claiming that he had voluntarily played the role of a victim in an intelligence operation to find the real spy.