"We the Jury"
by Lord Chancellor
Prologue
Court TV with Geraldo Riviera
"Diane, what do you see about this case?" Geraldo said, looking straight into the camera.
"Well, Geraldo, this had been an intriguing case from Day 1. That, of course, was the day the prosecution team, presented by Tracey Hookline, accused Miss Patterson of pre-meditated murder. Her extremely accurate timeline was a strong point. However, the very next day, the defense team, presented by Julian Cho, who had earlier defended O. J. Simpson as he was put on trial for the third time, gave a stunning display of charts and various multimedia material." Diane grinned at the camera, the wind not moving a strand of her auburn hair.
"I agree. What do you think made the most impact on the jury, from both sides?"
"There were a lot of different testimonies, but I feel the prosecution really hit home with the inclusion of Ben Affleck as a surprise witness. Once he broke down on the stand, I saw two of the jurors openly crying and all the rest had tears in their eyes. However, Kristen Patterson's appearance on the stand made most people look twice at her and her delusional beliefs." Diane nodded thoughtfully
"Yes. Even one of the prosecution lawyers admitted it was a pretty tough case."
"I believe that was John Ray."
"Yes, Diane, it was." Ooh. What a good research team.
"But now all that anyone can do is wait for the jurors to decide."
*****
12 people sat in the small room. Coffee bubbled helpfully in a pot, next to rows and rows of sugar and sugar substitute. A mini fridge sat underneath a table, filled with milk, non-dairy creamer, Quik, soup, and sandwiches.
"So," Angela Thomas, the foreman, said. "Let's everybody state our views." She held a pen poised over a fresh sheet of paper.
"I think the girl was crazy," Mark Yuriyev volunteered. "She claimed Derek Jeter was and has been her steady boyfriend. Personally, I think that's a tad absurd."
"I think it was pre-meditated," Anna Turin said, pouring herself coffee. "That journal Leonardo DiCaprio kept was the outline of what was going to happen."
"I agree," Arnold Martin's thick Bronx voice rang, causing three native Floridians and one from Delaware to cringe. "The girl said she had learned how to use a Colt .45 for this and only this. And could we get a move-on? I'm missing a Jets game for this."
"Hey, the man's right," Tom DeVie said, checking the status of his bleached hair and "Deftones" shirt in a mirror. "The people I live with tried to teach me to shoot one of those, and it's impossible."
Jeanette Carlton stood for some coffee, and Katie Eng leaned back for creamer.
"Pre-meditated," Katie stated with an air of certainty. "Kristen looked like she had rehearsed those statements when she said them- about her great big plan, I mean."
"A sign of mania," Jeanette replied. "Insanity."
"I'm a shrink," Luke DiAugusti said. "Typical signs of insanity."
"She looks like she was very mentally unstable," Danielle Sanchez said. "Insanity."
Emma Fremont and Lucinda Carrey said at the exact same time, "Insanity."
Maureen Taylor, a shy girl, said "Premeditated."
"And I say premeditated." Angela looked at her page in disbelief. "Exactly split in half."
PART 1
Ben seemed to always be tired, slumped over, eyes shadowed by the lack of sleep. Matt, being a loyal friend, always sat with him and took him around the legal system's complex buildings. It was ten minutes after the courtroom had emptied out, but Ben had been too tired to move. So Matt looked around the quiet, empty courtroom.
In his mind's eye, he could see the room brimming with friends and reporters. At the defense table sat Kristen herself, a whiz kid straight out of law school named Thomas Claremont, Julian Cho, who just happened to be the brilliant lawyer who had successfully defended O. J. Simpson against the family of Maria Antonio, and their paralegal Marianne Woodrow. The prosecution table was manned by Derek Jeter, Natalia, Haley Windsor, a powerful attorney just 28, Tracey Hookline (nicknamed 'Hook' by her colleagues), and John Ray, known as 'Sting' because of his first case which won him $50 million.
Over the last month, many people had gone to take the stand. Tom Claremont, and occasionally Julian Cho cross-examined, while Haley, Hook, and Sting took turns questioning the witnesses. Derek Jeter, Natalia, Charisma Carpenter, Nicholas Brendon, Felicia Walker, Ben, and Matt himself had gone up, not to mention many Norwegian fishermen and a boat salesman. The defense had only two expert witnesses, psychologists. However, the jury hadn't been that interested in their testimony.
Ben rose to go. Matt followed, tired himself.
*****
Haley put the phone back in its cradle and forcefully pulled Sting away from the computer Solitaire and took Hook's trashy romance novel from her.
"Guys," Haley said. "We need to be ready. I hear that the jury's split 50/50 on this."
"Do you think Ben Affleck's testimony did any good?" Sting asked, fiddling with a bright red Duncan yo-yo. Sting was an intelligent, witty, good-looking guy who always wondered why he was a lawyer. Haley nodded an affirmative.
"I saw tears in every jurors' eyes," Haley claimed.
"He almost made me cry myself," Hook added, checking Sting out from behind. He did tricks with his yo-yo. Around the world. Walk the dog.
"Hale, should we issue a statement?" Sting asked. "I got a porn movie I can go to." Haley sighed and shook her head no. Sting stood up to go, and Haley gave him some legal briefs to work on.
"Don't do anyone you don't know," Hook advised. As Sting walked out, Haley sighed in relief.
"He can be such a handful," Haley said.
"A nice one," Hook commented. She brought out a brush and ran it through her chin-length brown hair.
"Jesus," Haley said, rolling her eyes. "I would never have thought. Hook and Sting. You do know Sting's got a girl, right?"
"Yeah, but there's always wishful thinking," Hook replied.
"You know Bronx was checking you out?" Haley asked, shuffling papers.
"Not Bronx Juror #1," Hook said, shocked. "Bronx Jets Yanks."
"You'd better believe it," Haley said. "Married man, too. Watch yer back, Hook. Things could get real ugly 'round here."
*****
Sting looked at himself in the mirror, exhausted. He washed his face with cold water, ran some of it through his closely cropped blond hair, and wiped his green eyes out with some. He was exhausted. Not only had he lost his girlfriend to some hotshot doctor- a point he had tastefully neglected to mention for fear that Hook would start coming on to him again- but he was in the middle of his most important case of all time. He was also the one who knew the most about the case. It was a wonder that he had not himself been a witness. As Nicholas Brendon's good friend, he'd attended the party as well, but had been clear across the house.
"Man," Sting said to his reflection, "what are we going to do with you?" He reclined on his bed and turned on the television. His girlfriend, Delilah Marconi, was a Broadway actress- she was a Cat in Cats, so unimportant she had no name. But the hotshot doctor was Tony Smith, the rich and famous doctor who had done President Clinton's neutering, and had more appeal than the relatively unknown John Ray. So she had dumped him two days before the case was put before him.
His answering machine clicked on. "Hey, this is John, um, I'm sort of busy now, or something, and I'm too lazy to get to the phone, so just, um, leave your name and number and I'll get back to you." The loud tone followed and the shrill voice of Delilah came through.
"Hi, Jack," Delilah said. "Will you give me a call? I know that we can work this out- I want to see you again." Gold digger. As she hung up, Sting immediately deleted the message. Delilah was the only one to call him Jack, and he hated it.
The phone ringed again. The message again played, almost tediously. The tone came once again.
"Johnny, this is your mother," Mrs. Ray's voice spoke. "Darling, I saw your case on CNN and I just want to say how proud I am of you. You were so good. I hope you're not seeing that harlot Delilah anymore, because you shouldn't with all the good you're doing. Good luck, and call me tomorrow." Sting smiled. His mother was always there for him.
Sting switched to an image of Haley and Hook leaving the courthouse on Court TV. Haley was professional looking, as ever, and Hook looked hurried. The voice of Geraldo Riviera was extremely penetrating as it voiced-over the event.
"Now we see the remaining prosecution lawyers," he said. "Haley Windsor and Tracey Hookline. I believe they are headed for their offices at this hour, but no one can be sure. They returned to this courthouse just one hour ago, carrying important information not yet revealed. Of course, this case of Kristen Patterson is similar to the case that happened just years ago involving the same woman. She killed Mariah Carey and had been sentenced to life, but got out because the decision was reversed." What important information not yet revealed? Grabbing his phone, he dialed Haley's cell phone number as she got into the waiting car.
"Sting, I can explain," Haley said on picking up.
"You'd better," Sting replied.
"I asked Miss Patterson the other day if I could visit her house," Haley replied. "I asked the same of Mr. Jeter. You know, standard procedure. Well, I got the detectives to search the area, and they found an outline, in Miss Patterson's handwriting, describing the murder. Using a Colt .45, she would kill Miss DeMateo from as far away as she could manage, at that time, a tree, and then she would go back and visit him with flowers that contained chloroform. The handwriting analysts I sent it to assured me that the writer had been completely sane when writing this. Mr. Jeter and Miss DeMateo say that they had met sometime in April, though neither could give a corresponding date, but Mr. Jeter does say that it was before the first Yankee home game. I checked my records and that was April 24. Therefore, this plan had been in existence from before April 23."
"That's amazing!" Sting breathed. "But the jury's in the middle of deliberation."
"Oh, you know the judge," Haley said. "He's only too eager to get us to win. So he ordered the jury come out at once, and both Hook and I presented the material. They looked very impressed."
"Dammit, you should have called," Sting said.
"I felt no need," Haley said. "We've just done it."
*****
12:58 A.M., Next Morning
Kristen sat in the darkness of the prison cell, leaning against a wall. Her hair had been cut the first day in prison- "Regulation, ma'am,"- and she now wore her dyed blond chin-length hair in a ponytail. She had made no effort to recapture all the hair that had escaped from the ponytail, nor had she protested to the bright orange jumpsuit that they had made her wear. Her parents were on an expedition in Chile, and had not heard of her most recent crime. She would have no visitors.
Or, so she thought, as a shadow approached the cell. She turned around and saw Derek Jeter walk towards her. She grinned, but he did not grin back.
"Why did you do it?" he hissed at her.
"Well, since you were cheating on me-"
"Dammit, I never went out with you in the first place!" he shouted, making Kristen cringe.
"Oh, Derek, don't say that," Kristen pleaded. "You know I love you."
"Miss Patterson," Derek said formally, "I cannot imagine how you love me. You have taken from my life my dear fiancée Mariah Carey. You wanted to remove my ex-girlfriend Natalia DeMateo as well. You missed and instead took Ben Affleck's fiancée. Natalia and Kay-Lynn were your friends, yet you tried to kill them mercilessly. I would never love you, you who cared not for others, did not place them in your little scheme, but only thought of yourself. You are the most selfish person I have ever met and I do not believe that you ever intended to think of anyone but yourself. Therefore, your love is unrequited, Miss Patterson." He walked away in a huff, leaving Kristen looking after him. Finally, she sat in her little prison, trying to control herself.
Next Day, 9:07 A.M.
"All rise for the honorable William Prescott," the bailiff shouted, and everyone stood as the judge walked in. Sting, Hook, and Haley watched nervously as the judge sat.
"In light of this remarkable new evidence introduced," Judge Prescott said, "I had requested that the jury deliberate once more, in order to give a fair verdict. However, they quickly came back, saying they had reached a verdict." Angela Thomas gave the piece of paper to Judge Prescott. He scanned it, and handed it back.
"All rise for the verdict," the bailiff said, and everyone stood.
"Madam Chairperson, please state your verdict," Judge Prescott said.
"We, the Jury, find Kristen Patterson guilty on the pre-meditated attempted murder of Natalia DeMateo. On the charge of pre-meditated second-degree murder, we find Kristen Patterson guilty." Angela sat back down.
Hook and Haley grinned at each other, while Sting sighed in relief. Tom Claremont and Julian Cho looked utterly puzzled, while Marianne Woodrow looked astonished. Kristen looked defeated.
"Sentencing takes place tomorrow," the judge said, but no one cared. Everyone knew what the sentence would be. Life without parole, and it was a good thing too. Derek Jeter turned to see Ben Affleck laughing next to an overjoyed Matt Damon. Both waved at him, and Derek flashed a thumbs-up sign.
"This court is adjourned," Judge Prescott said, and the courtroom erupted into a noisy gala.
Day After, 10:18 A.M.
Ben and Matt made their way to the prosecution table after the sentencing. They grinned and shook hands with all the lawyers.
"Let's go out for Chinese," Ben said. "Now there's justice."
"The jury has spoken," Sting grinned. "And I couldn't have heard a better verdict after that we the jury thing."
"Let's go," Haley said. "If we leave now, we can beat the crowds at Szechwan Palace."
"So, I guess we've won," Hook said to Sting in the packed limo ride.
"Yeah, we have," Sting said. "Oh, Hook- Arnold Martin called- he said he'd like to talk to you."
"Jesus- you were right, Hale," Hook exclaimed. "I can't believe it."
"Well, Sting, Delilah called," Haley said, grinning. "And I have a feeling she wants to talk to you."
"Okay," Sting said slowly. "I can't wait."
1:45 P.M.
Kristen stood up. It was time to go to the exercise yard. At Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, the guards were no nonsense. She would have to run around or look somewhat occupied before they would leave her alone. And then she could sit outside and write a letter to her beloved.
"Dear Derek," she had already composed, "I'm sorry for what I did, but I still love you…"