The following morning, Buffy called forward her last two witnesses, arresting officers Officer Riley Finn and Officer Forrest Gates. Their responses and mannerisms mirrored one another, both during direct examination (1) and cross-examination. In the field, their in sync nature would be an asset; to civilians it was just peculiar.
During direct examination William couldn’t help but snicker to himself ‘these bloody tin soldiers are completely mindless. I wonder if one needs to take a piss, does the other whip it out?’ William needed to cough to cover a small laugh that erupted from his throat.
On both occasions each officer testified with steadfast certainty that Ms. Masters was verbally combative. This behavior was out in full force. When each of the officers tried to discuss the events that lead up to the injuries sustained by the victim, John Doe her behavior escalated when they instructed her to turn around, so they could place her in handcuffs. Both officers insured they followed procedure and read her, her Miranda rights (2). Both testified since the female officer that was normally on shift was ill, two male officers had to arrest her. Each officer testified at one point Ms. Masters flailed her arms and struck Officer Riley Finn on his right cheek.
Once both officers had their turn to testify, Buffy informed the court that the ‘prosecution rest’. At that time, court was in adjourned until 2 p.m.
After court recess, William called forward his first witness, Dr. Margaret Walsh. She was a Biomechanical expert. (3) She testified on direct examination that John Doe had sustained these injuries by a trauma that was caused by a thin, leather-bound object. She testified to the velocity (4) of said object to cause the damages to John Doe’s skin.
“Dr. Walsh based on the principals of velocity, is it possible to someone that is the weight and stature of Ms. Masters cause such damage to John Doe?” William questioned.
“With the weight, stature and general strength that is required to wield such an object to cause those marks, probability states that it is highly unlikely that Ms. Masters caused these injuries.” Dr. Walsh explained.
“Thank you, Dr. Walsh.” William continued to direct examine her further about the time of injury. She testified that the injuries happened within a five-hour window from when John Doe was examined by EMTs at two a.m., to five hours prior, which was approximately nine p.m. Due to the nature of his injuries this is the smallest window that could be given.
“So Dr. Walsh, this means that these injuries could have been sustained hours before he went to Ms. Darla Masters’ penthouse, could they not?”
“Yes. Like I said, there is a five hour window prior to when he was seen by someone. He could have sustained these injuries and then went to Ms. Masters’ home after.”
“Thank you Dr. Walsh. No further questions.” William graciously thanked as he headed back to his seat.
Buffy proceeded to cross-examine Dr. Walsh about her certainty of probability that Ms. Masters could not cause these injuries. Since it was not 100%, this left a window open for the possibility that she could have caused these injuries.
Buffy continued to inquire of Dr. Walsh how was it that the whip that was found in Ms. Masters’ home was the one that cause these injuries to John Doe. Before she could answer, Buffy continued her questioning as it related to the window of time. She asked why such a large window.
“Dr. Walsh isn’t it true that upon the moment that the skin is punctured, platelets begin to start to repair the wound and a clot will form?” Buffy asked
“Yes.” Dr. Walsh answered
“And if I remember from Bio 101, after a clot forms it starts to become a scab not shortly after correct?” Buffy inquired
“Well, how quickly we heal depends on individual healing patterns which vary from one person to the next. This depends on their diet, hygiene, wound care and any pre-existing/concurrent conditions that could impede with the healing process.” Dr. Walsh responded.
“Alright, if the person was a healthy early twenty-year old male with no pre-existing conditions? How long could it take?”
“The skin starts to heal itself within an hour or so after injury. There are no scabs per se, those take approximately two days to form.” Dr. Walsh explained.
“So, since these wounds were still bleeding when John Doe was examined by the EMTs at 2 a.m., and since he was found by John O’Malley the doorman only fifteen minutes earlier. One could say that these wounds were fresh and not from hours prior.” Buffy declared, and before she could retort Buffy stated “Nothing further your honor.”
William chose to utilize his option of redirect examination of Dr. Walsh.
“Due to your earlier statements of probability that Ms. Masters did not cause these injuries, it is possible that John Doe brought this whip to her home. Is it not?”
“There is no evidence whose whip this belongs to. Just because it was in her home doesn’t automatically conclude that it is indeed hers.”
“Thank you Dr. Walsh. Now, could these wounds been disturbed during the time that John Doe was being examined or when he simply moved?”
“Yes, a wound of this nature could bleed with minimal movement by the person himself or by others examining him.” Dr. Walsh explained
“Thank you, nothing further your honor.” After that Dr. Walsh was dismissed. William proceeded to call his second expert witness Warren Mears. He was an expert in reconstruction of accidents utilizing his computer. After a lengthy process of reviewing his qualifications, experiences and the like, he started to explain to the jury the process of how he reconstructs the incident.
When Buffy looked upon several jurors, she could tell that he had lost them in their own minds, forty minutes ago. ‘Bonus for me.’ She thought. Finally after his lengthy explanation, the bailiff brought forward a large screen television, which had Mr. Mears laptop connected to it. He proceeded to type in several entries, and then the screen was filled with a computer generation of Ms. Masters. This three dimensional ‘person’ resembled Ms. Masters. From her hair and eye color, down to an outfit that was similar to the one that she had on today.
After a few more taps of the keyboard, another three-dimensional ‘person’ appeared in the center of the screen, more specifically his unclothed back. Mr. Mears stated that this ‘person’ was the exact measurements; height, weight and body type that of John Doe. Buffy was impressed, despite the hair color and length it did look like John Doe from behind.
During Mr. Mears’ explanation, he put the ‘people’ into motion on the screen. The first frame showed the computer generated Ms. Masters, as she stood behind John Doe, with a six-foot whip that again impressively looked like the one in the evidence bag. ‘She’ proceeded to ‘whip’ or attempt to ‘whip’ John Doe.
Mr. Mears showed many angles and scenarios, which all alleged that Ms. Masters could not have placed those welts upon John Doe’s back. Mr. Mears concluded that based on the multitude of variables that pointed towards that Ms. Masters could not have caused these marks, and based on his experience, she did not. After William’s direct examination, Buffy followed with cross-examination.
She proceeded to ask what are the ‘multitude of variables’ is he referred to during direct examination. Mr. Mears explained that a person’s weight does fluctuate, the precise height of John Doe when he was ‘whipped’, and the strength and speed that was placed behind the whip when it was wielded, were to name of few.
Buffy proceeded to hit each point that he brought up. Each time she brought certain amount of doubt and some ‘I don’t knows’ from Mr. Mears. Once she was through, William did again utilize redirect examination. Buffy hoped that the doubt that she caused swayed the jury. Once Mr. Mears was dismissed from the stand, court was adjourned to 9 a.m. tomorrow morning.
The following morning, Buffy entered the court with a slight bounce in her step. Since she and Spike had parted ways, she hadn’t been able to sleep. Last night, after Anya had slipped a little Nyquil in Buffy’s dinner, she had slept for almost eight hours. What Anya had done was a very tricky thing to do she knew, but she was grateful all the same. Now her body and mind felt renewed. That was exactly what her spent body needed.
As she walked towards the courtroom, she spied William out of the corner of her eye. His usually emotional-filled face was eerily detached, especially his eyes. The normally bright cerulean gaze was replaced by a hardened steely-gray hue. Buffy kept her eyes forward until William roughly placed his hand on her elbow as he growled
“I need to talk to you….now.” With that he released his hold and walked towards the conference room. Buffy’s stomach dropped at the thought of entering that room again. It seems that an outwardly mundane room was in actuality a portal to her emotional hell. Each time she had passed over the threshold of said room, she’s had to face feelings that she tried to keep in check. Jealousy. Sadness. Trepidation. Confusion and guilt.
Buffy followed him anyway. She owed him at least that much. Once she entered, he gestured for her to sit. He had chosen to stand. After several beats he spoke.
“May I ask pray tell….what or I guess who, was that bastard that you put on the stand the other day?” Spike snarled.
“Who are you referring to Spike?” Buffy asked innocently.
“You bloody well know who I’m referring to. Don’t play coy, it’s not flattering.” Spike seethed.
“Fine….are you referring to Angelus?” Buffy asked back with bite.
“Oh course I am! Bloody arse…..prancing around looking like some pimp from the Red Light district!” Spike growled.
“Spike, you can’t be jealous, can you?” Buffy asked with a snicker
“Hardly.” Spike chucked with a deep-menacing sound that clenched her insides. “No….not jealous. The green-eyed monster only strikes when you fancy someone that are being courted by another. At this moment, fancying you is the last thought I have in my mind.” Spike stated coldly.
This statement drained all the color from Buffy’s cheeks. She felt a deep overwhelming feeling of sorrow settle into her bones. She wanted to cry out. Apologize for her behavior and how much pain she caused him, but her pride and sheer spite stood in the way. An impassive gaze filled her emerald eyes.
“Then why am I here?” Buffy asked in slightly perturbed tone. Spike’s form remained rigid as he stood before her with only the table to separate them.
“I wanted to ask you, from one lawyer to another, why the bleedin’ hell would you blind side me like that. I’ve been nothing but forthright with you. You never needed to ask for discovering, witness lists or the like more than once. Some not even that! Then that pillock strolls into court. Puts the whole place on its ear and then stroll his holier-than-thou, Mick arse out. You put forward that you are an honest and trust worthy lawyer. Oxymoron I know, but the bloody sod that I am, believed you.” Spike growled as he moved forward. He placed his hands on the table as he leaned menacingly forward. Stone-cold features transformed his handsome face as he hovered several inches away from her ashen one. Then he growled his next statement
“Well until now. You may act all high and mighty, but you’re just like the rest of us. At least I’m man enough to admit it.”
With that, he spun around and turned to leave. After Spike opened the door slightly, he looked over his shoulder and made a statement that placed the final nail in her emotional coffin “And you said I sold MY soul.” Once he finished, he left a dazed and confused Buffy. As the door closed behind him with a distinct ‘click’.
A deafening tidal wave of sound flooded her ears. All she could hear was her heart pounding and shattering inside her chest all at once. Tears rimmed her lower lids as they threatened to fall with the slightest of movements. Only one other time in her life did she ever feel this much pain. ‘When her mom…..No! Don’t think of it. Get yourself together Buffy! You can’t let him get under your skin. Now dry those tears and get your ass back to court!’ Buffy’s mind screamed.
She numbly stood and as on cruise control; walked towards the courtroom. She entered the door, after several steps sat down. Spike talked and laughed with Ms. Masters and her family as the court waited for Judge Snyder to take the bench. As Buffy remained trapped in her mind, the outside sounds mimicked Funhouse laughs and muffled voices that barely seeped into her hazy mind. The announcement from the bailiff, as it declared the presence of the judge, snapped her back into the forefront. Once Judge Snyder sat, he instructed William to call his next witness.
At first William’s list of character witnesses were three pages long. Ms. Masters requested to have at least thirty. After much discussion at pre-trial conference, she was allowed to have four. Buffy believed that was still too many, but in order to come to an agreement, four became the number.
The first witness was Ms. Masters’ priest, Father Caleb, from her family’s congregation. He was a mid-thirties man that was dressed in full priest garb, all black with the basic white clerical collar. Even though he testified that he hadn’t see Darla in ‘many years’ on a regular basis, she was at every Easter and Christmas mass. This remained true, since he had become the priest at her church. He also testified that her family was ‘extremely’ generous with donations that kept the parish afloat. After Father Caleb’s ‘songs of praise’ for Ms. Masters, William ended his direct examination. Next Buffy was called forward for cross-examination.
During the short time that Buffy cross-examined Father Caleb she felt a profound uneasiness. First due to him being a priest. Even though she wasn’t religious, it felt like sacrilege to be questioning a man of the cloth. Secondly, and more so, during his testimony he claimed that Darla wasn’t one of those typical ‘dirty girls’ that society had in their mists. He started to quote scriptures and retell stories of how these ‘dirty girls’ were what brought down Sodom and Gomorrah and kicked Adam out of the Garden of Eden. As quick as she could, she excused him from the stand.
The next character witness was the Dean from her alma mater, Yale University. On direct examination Dr. Robin Wood testified that Ms. Masters was very involved with school, both academically and socially. She belonged to the Aurelian Honor Society (5) and to the Yale Entrepreneurial Society. He generally discussed her grades and how she ‘made her presence known’ at Yale.
Upon cross-examination, Dr. Robin Wood did testify that the Masters family are alumni of Yale and have over the past decades, donated large sums to the school. When Buffy inquired what a ‘large sum’ was, Dr. Wood responded that he didn’t have the figures and was unable to speculate a guess.
Buffy inquired if Ms. Masters was involved in any other clubs or societies. After several ‘I don’t knows and it was only rumored’ he admitted that it was believed that Ms. Masters was part of the Skulls and Bones Society (6). This society has a history of their memberships heavily tilting towards the Power Elite. The society was strictly men until 1992, when woman were ‘tapped’ in as members.
Buffy pointed out that Ms. Masters must have power indeed, to be able to be a member of such an elite society. This type of power could be used against others for her own personal gains. After her sharp-tongued statement, she told the judge that she had ‘no further questions’.
William did ask some questions of Dr. Wood under redirect. These questions were in regards to his knowledge of the Skulls and Bones Society and if he had actual proof that she was a member. Dr. Wood stated that he had limited knowledge of the society and no he didn’t have proof it and it was only rumored to be true, not the actual truth.
After a long morning of direct and cross-examinations, the court broke for an hour recesses. After lunch, William continued with his witnesses.
The next two witnesses, were a pair of painted pigeons that congregate on Newbury Street in Boston. They cooed to William how wonderful and generous Darla was and that they believed John Doe was just looking for money and fame. They both claimed that Darla was part of high society, as they were, and didn’t need to ‘rent men’ out to be with. They also stated that Darla has given unlimited donations to help many causes such as planting trees in the city of Boston and feeding kids in Africa. One claimed that she was a ‘humanitarian’.
On cross-examination, Buffy pointed out that John Doe has not and was not scheduled to testify in this trial. She questioned that due to him not testifying, how did this support their beliefs that John Doe was out for money and fame. As reading off a script, both women mimicked one another’s actions, even though they were not together.
With a ‘pft’ and roll of their heavily painted eyes, each explained in their own shallow way, that just because he wasn’t here today, doesn’t mean that after trial is over that he won’t sell his story. They claimed he would sell these lies to the Enquirer or Lifetime, so they can make his story into a movie.
Buffy’s felt that her attempts to punch holes into their testimonies were beyond easy. Since their stories were already very paper thin and their one-tracked, money-filled minds, couldn’t rap around any concept that wasn’t the consensus of the flock. After several questions, Buffy was merciful to the court, due to their incisive mindless rambles and released them from the stand.
After each Stepford Wife completed their testimonies, the court was adjourned for 9 a.m. the next morning. Both William and Buffy were relieved that this was soon to be over. Tomorrow Ms. Masters was to testify and then closing arguments.
William was relieved to the fullest extent. After tomorrow besides several minutes to hear judgment he wouldn’t have to see Buffy ever again. The band aide that held together his frayed feelings and emotions could be torn off and his could finally get past this, this emotional limbo. He thought to himself as he lay in his bed that night ‘Just one more day mate. One more day and all this pain can be put behind me, and then I can move on.’ To the silent room he snickered before his voice broke through.
“Yeah right. Maybe if I keep telling myself that, then it would be true.” With that he rolled over and hugged a soft down-filled pillow close to his body. As his cheek lay on the cool cotton of the pillow case, his nostrils were filled with a scent that clung to the material, Buffy’s essence. He took a deep intake of breath as his eyes closed. A single once trapped tear, streamed down his cheek staining the fabric.
Across the city, Buffy laid awake as her mind buzzed with thoughts of tomorrow. ‘How quickly the mighty have fallen.’ She thought as her eyes stared blankly at her darkened ceiling. Not too long ago she was on the top of the world. She had a job she loved, friends that were her family, and a man that she completely adored. Now most of it was altered in one way or another.
Well the job she still loved, but her perception of her role in the law had changed. It was no longer black and white. Prosecution good…..defense bad. It took her breaking Spike’s heart to realize that he shouldn’t be roped into that category of defense equals bad. She realized that her perception was completely faulty and their relationship had suffered and eventually ended because of it.
Then today, her world was rocked even further, when the words that he had said to her, rang in her mind as it had scattered her beliefs again. ‘You put forward that you are an honest and trust worthy lawyer…… You may act all high and mighty, but you’re just like the rest of us. At least I’m man enough to admit it.‘ The words rolled around her mind, then the last thing he said, slammed forward, ‘And you said I sold MY soul’.
Buffy shuttered as she determined that she couldn’t close her eyes. If she did, sleep might take her. If the sandman did come, then tomorrow would be there. Tomorrow meant that last day that she would see William. With this realization, tears started to flow freely as her body shook with the sorrow that she felt soul deep.
(1) Miranda Rights: Every U.S. jurisdiction has its own regulations regarding what, precisely, must be said to a person when he or she is arrested or placed in a custodial situation; the typical warning is as follows:
“ You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney present during questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights?
(2)Direct examination is the questioning of a witness by the party who called him or her, in a trial.
(3)Biomechanical experts study forces which cause injury and the mechanisms of injuries. The biomechanical expert is trained in engineering as well as human anatomy. Injuries do not occur in and of themselves. They required a mechanism which includes the force required to damage bones, soft tissue and muscle, etc. an attorney would not need to present a safety engineer or biomechanical engineer to explain how someone may have been broken foot when a heavy object fell on it but an expert would be required if the injury were to occur while operating a vehicle, etc.
(4) In physics, velocity is the rate of change of position.
(5) The Aurelian Honor Society was founded at Yale University in 1910. The award is given "to that member of the graduating class who is outstanding in sterling character, high scholarship, and forceful leadership,"
(6) Skull and Bones is a secret society at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
I didn't plan to have the Trial take four chapters. It just made more sense to break this chapter I was writing in two parts. There is only one chapter left for the trial. Thanks for your continued readage!
Chapter End Notes:
Hope you enjoy. Love reviews! Thank you Sanityfair for being my beta on this chapter!