Self-Defense

This article contains spoilers on the case.

It is a main case following Deal with the Devil and preceding Fleeing Phoenix.

First act
You start in the Crown Theater, right after entering and finding Johannes van der Berg's dead body. After searching for clues and using the retrocognition, you learn that van der Berg welcomed a visitor. He was shot during their session, and the killer escaped while the visitor called the police.

Upon leaving the crime scene, Reed finds himself accused of the murder and sent to jail. Luckily, either Graham or Brutus Carpenter bails him out. Reed now has to investigate and find out who set him up. You start by going to the Carpenter's manor, to thank either Graham or Brutus and ask for your first clue, which is Milton Pierce. He gave a statement to the police, saying he saw Reed murdering Johannes. As he is running for mayor, you find his address at the Oakmont Chronicle thanks to an interview.

Second act
You pay his apartment a visit and find blood. Milton had came back in his bloody clothes and changed before going to the City Hall to meet with voters. He had ordered his butler to put the stained clothes in the laundry room.

After searching the apartment, you go to the City Hall to meet him. There are several ways to complete this case. You can either do what he asks to change his testimony, meaning poisoning his mother so he can get his inheritance and use it as funding for his campaign, or decide to find the real murderer right away.

If you choose the poisoning option, you have to go to Agatha Pierce's house and either poison her or change your mind and tell her about her son's plans. If you tell her, Milton won't change his statement. If you do, you have to go get a bottle of Chianti in her basement, clearing it of wylebeasts at the same time, and poison the drink.

Third act
You know that the real suspect is a newcomer and got recently married. This helps you located him thanks to the Oakmont City Hall archives, and learn that he goes by the name Glenn Byers.

When meeting him, you can either choose to help his family, as he's been blackmailed to commit the murder, or force him to hand over the murder weapon. Charles also notice they look very much alike. You can choose if either Pierce knew it wasn't you or if he genuinely thought it was, and if Byers deserves mercy for his crime.

Option 1 : Rescuing the family
You explore Byers' apartment to find out what happened when his son and wife were kidnapped. You learn that a gang broke in, and violently forced them out. One of the men got pushed by the son and fell into a hole in the floor, which led to Reed asking Byers to investigate the lower floor. Glenn had locked the kitchen, and you get attacked by wylebeasts when entering, including a Tank coming from the basement.

- to be continued -