Chapter 3: Reunion
Courtroom scene based on the episode "Tabula Rasa" from the show, Law & Order.
Nick and Judy stepped out onto the second floor of the apartment building as Nick escorted his date home. Judy could hardly believe the events that had transpired that night. Her lips still tingled from the intensity of the kiss she had shared with the fox that stood in front of her. Her heart fluttered as she looked up and met his emerald green eyes. She couldn't have imagined a more amazing night than this one, and she didn't want it to end. Not now, not back by the oceanside of Sahara Square. That explosion of passion that she felt when her lips met Nick's for the first time was overwhelming. And it wasn't just the euphoria that she reveled in. It was the sense of pure bliss and joy that flowed through her as she and Nick embraced and melted together. It was the way tears welled up in her eyes as she felt his warmth. It was the way she felt now as she smiled at him.
Nick couldn't have felt more incredible than he did now. He knew he had feelings for Judy, but the passion that resulted in the fruition of his efforts was something that he had never expected. And he loved it. He loved every minute of his time with her. Every second. And when they had finally kissed, the elation that filled him was unbelievable. He felt as if the rest of the world had simply fallen away, leaving only him and Judy. What he felt in that kiss made him realize how he truly felt for this little bunny. This was no simple infatuation. This was something much, much stronger. He felt it as he gently stroked her ears as they held each other close. He felt it as his heart soared and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He felt it now, as her amethyst eyes glistened as he stared into them, completely lost in their beauty.
The two of them stood there as Judy fiddled with her keys, a warm smile on her face.
"Nick," she said softly, a small lump forming in her throat, "thank you…for everything…You made this an incredible night." Judy then glanced at the manila folder that was protruding out of her purse. "And especially for this," she said, small tears building in the corners of her eyes. "I…I don't even have the words."
Nick wrapped both his paws around hers and brought them up to his lips. He cast a warm, caring smile upon his beautiful bunny and said, "You're more than welcome, Carrots. I'm happy you had a good time."
A tear escaped Judy's eye and trickled down her cheek, prompting Nick to gently bring his paw up and wipe it away. He lingered for a while, tenderly cupping her cheek before leaning forward and guiding her toward him, their lips coming together in a soft, warm kiss. Nick stroked Judy's cheek with his thumb slowly and rhythmically as she dropped her keys and allowed her arms to slowly snake up his torso and wrap around his neck. To two held the kiss for several minutes, neither of them wanting it to end. When they finally broke apart, they returned to gazing into each other's eyes.
"Well," Nick said almost regretfully as he bent down and picked up Judy's keys "I better let you get some sleep." He placed the keys back into her paws. "You've got an exciting day tomorrow."
"Yeah," Judy quietly replied. "Okay."
"Sleep tight, Carrots," Nick said, kissing her cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."
He then turned and began to walk back toward the stairs. Judy began to fumble with her keys, not finding, or maybe not wanting to find the one to her door.
"Nick," she called down the hall to her vulpine friend. He spun back around at her call and she looked away, blushing lightly. "…Could you maybe…come inside for a little while?"
Nick was a little surprised at Judy's invitation, but he couldn't imagine that there'd be anything wrong with it. "Sure thing, Carrots," he said warmly. "Anything you want."
Judy smiled and thumbed through her keys to find the one to her door, granting entry to her and Nick. The two entered silently and Judy went to her bedroom to drop off her purse. She pulled out the manila folder and opened it to look at the letter Scott had written her. She still couldn't believe what Nick had done for her, that he had gone out of his way to make sure she could see her kithood brother figure again. Any other friend, even a best friend, could sit there and tell her how much he understood her and felt for her, but it took a big heart to do something like this. Closing the folder, she walked back out into the living room to find Nick still standing.
Judy giggled and said, "You know, Nick, you can sit down if you want to."
"I know it might be a little hard to believe," Nick said with his sly smile, "but my mom did teach me a few manners, like never sit down unless the lady of the house tells you."
Judy laughed quietly and shook her head. "You've really taken on the gentleman role lately, haven't you?"
"I still blame you for it," Nick replied.
"Then I'd say I did a pretty good job." Judy walked up and pulled Nick into a tight hug, resting her head on his chest. "I really like seeing this side of you."
Nick held her close and began slowly rocking her back and forth. "So do I, Carrots."
They separated and Judy guided him down onto the sofa. She leaned into him as they sat, and he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her even closer.
While she had put up a serene façade, inwardly Judy's heart was racing and a swarm of butterflies filled her stomach. She knew that if she really wanted…this, if she wanted to keep it, she would have to tell Nick. But again, she felt that emotional wall that she felt on the shore of Sahara Square, and again she silently cursed herself. She and Nick had already kissed three times tonight, but now she couldn't tell him that she wanted to keep this going? "Ugh, why does this have to be so hard!?" she shouted in her mind. "Come one Judy. Just one word and the rest will just come out," she thought. "Just his name. That's all you have to say."
Taking in a long, deep breath, she glanced up at him. "…Nick?"
Nick looked down into Judy's eyes. "Yeah?" he said.
"…Can I…I need to talk to you about something," Judy said, struggling to make herself audible with the lump in her throat.
"Anything you want," Nick replied, smiling tenderly at her.
Judy took another calming breath before proceeding. "Nick, I know that…going out with you over the last few months…well, I've had a really great time and it's been so great getting to spend time with you. You're a really great guy…but…"
Judy went silent for a moment, causing Nick to start thinking of the worst case scenarios again. From Judy's seemingly somber attitude, he began to ask what he had done wrong. Was it the kiss? Had he been too forward? "Well, she kissed me," he thought. Was it maybe that their relationship had to stay professional? Finally, his mind moved to what he thought was the most likely case: their species. What if Judy didn't want an interspecies relationship, or at the very least didn't think it would work?
"Nick, shut up!" he shouted to himself. "She hasn't said anything like that! You're getting yourself worked up over nothing…again!"
Pushing these thoughts aside as best he could, he focused his attention back to Judy. And, just like that day in the office, what she said next banished all his doubts.
"…but…tonight was something really special…and everything you've done…" Judy beamed a bright smile at him. "You have such a sweet heart, Nick…and you're a pretty good kisser." Judy broke her eye contact with Nick, blushing profusely at what she just said and an embarrassed smile forcing its way across her face. "Anyway, what I'm trying to say here is that you're my best friend…but I think I want it to be more than just that."
Nick's eyes widened in stunned surprise and a tense silence filled the apartment. Finally he took Judy's paw and said, "So in other words, do I want you to be my girlfriend? Yes…yes I do."
Judy brought her eyes back up to Nick to see him casting a tender, caring gaze upon her. Tears began to well up in her eyes as she replied, "And do I want you to be my boyfriend?...Absolutely."
The next day, Judy was up and awake at the crack of dawn, adrenaline coursing through her as she quickly got ready for the big day. She had hardly gotten a wink of sleep that night. At least that gave her some time to look over the case file. From what she read this wouldn't be a boring trial. A first degree kidnapping case, a custody battle, an overly controlling father. It wasn't something like the Night Howler Case, but it still offered enough suspense to keep her interested. And, of course, there was the chance to see Scott Collier in action. If nothing else, that was enough to get her to attend the trial.
Judy took a quick shower then ran to put together her dress uniform, a bark blue long-sleeve shirt with a patch on each shoulder tucked into a pair of dark blue pants, a black tie, a utility belt, and finished off by a polished brass badge on the left breast. Once Judy had finished putting her uniform together, she hopped in front of the mirror to do a brief once-over, quickly polishing her badge and taking a glance at the chevrons on her right sleeve. Proud of her appearance and eager for Scott to see it, she bounded out of her room and started making her way out of her apartment to go pick up Nick. But as she headed for the door, she stopped when heard a knock. She stood still for a few seconds with her ears perked before opening the door to see a red fox in a police dress uniform standing in the doorway, a sly grin on his face and two green eyes staring down at her.
"Morning, Carrots," Nick said. "Good to see you're all ready to go." He handed her a cup of StarBuck's coffee before taking a sip of his own.
"Who are you and what have you done with Nick Wilde?" Judy said with a scrutinizing look.
"Well, well, aren't we quick to accuse?" Nick said, his expression unfazed. "So, do all bunnies just handcuff suspects on the spot or is it just you?"
"Well, the Nick Wilde I know normally sleeps through his 9:00 alarm," Judy said more teasingly, "so whoever you are, you're putting on a pretty unconvincing performance by showing up at 6:30."
Nick shrugged and said, "I just assumed that with all the little surprises I've been pulling, one more wouldn't be much of a shock."
Judy rolled her eyes and pulled Nick into a kiss. "Hmm," she said as they separated, "caramel macchiato. I wouldn't have guessed that."
"Yep, contrary to popular belief, I do enjoy more than just black coffee."
Judy giggled and kissed Nick on the cheek. "Glad to know you like to spice things up a little, slick."
"Keeps life interesting. Anyway, we better head to the courthouse. I'd hate for us to miss out on a good seat."
"Well then, let's go!" Judy said as she bounded down the hallway toward the stairs, dragging Nick with her.
They arrived at the courthouse at close to 7:15. The air outside was still crisp and the sounds of the city began to pick up: a police siren, a taxi honking, a tire screech, all reverberating off of the skyscrapers. Nick pulled up in his police cruiser while Judy stared in wonder at the Zootopia Supreme Court Building. The courthouse was a massive structure with a façade modeled in the fashion of the Greek Parthenon, giving the courthouse the appearance of a temple. Perched atop the building was a statue of a slender lioness representing Iustitia, the Roman goddess of justice. She stood tall and stern, a blindfold over her eyes to represent impartiality, a scale in her left paw to represent the weighing of evidence, and a sword in her right to represent punishment. The rest of the building was more modern, but there was still something about the architecture that gave it an ancient Roman feel. The courthouse was a large hexagon that rose at least ten stories, built of grey-faced granite, with a large marble rotunda in the center. Truly a sight to behold.*
"You nervous at all?" Nick asked.
Judy turned around and looked at him and gave him a half smile. "I guess a little," she said. "I'm still excited though."
Nick reached over and rubbed the back of her paw. "I'm glad I was able to do this for you, Carrots."
Judy smiled wider at Nick who responded in kind. The two exited the cruiser together and Judy stood and continued to take in the might of the courthouse. "You ready to go, Fluff?" Nick asked.
"Let's go," Judy responded. The two made their way up the stairs to the stone pillars that marked the entrance. The officers were completely dwarfed by the courthouse, and they weren't the only ones. It seemed that every animal that walked inside or walked past was a mere speck in comparison. As they walked in, they entered a tall hallway of polished granite lined with doors of mahogany with bright brass trimming. Nick and Judy's footsteps echoed off of the high walls as they walked, giving the interior a feeling of authority and power.
"So, where are we supposed to be going here?" Judy asked.
"Uh, one sec," Nick said, pulling a slip of paper out of his breast pocket. "Scott said the trial would be taking place in Part 42, room 733 on the seventh floor. So, I guess we better find an elevator."
"Like that one right there?" Judy said, pointing her thumb at a pair of elevator doors right to the left of them.
"That oughta work," Nick said. The two smiled at each other and entered the elevator, making their way to the seventh floor. They stepped out into a hallway almost identical to the one they were just in and began making their way around the perimeter, looking for Room 733. They found it relatively quickly, a walnut door with a marble plaque on the wall next to it: Supreme Court Part 42, Room 733.
"You think it's open yet?" Judy asked.
"We can always check," Nick replied. Judy stepped forward to see if the door was unlocked, but before she could lay her paw on it, she heard a voice stop her.
"Judy!" the voice called. Her ears perked. She knew that voice. She'd heard it almost a year ago over the phone while laying in her bunk at the Police Academy. She turned to face the source standing just a few feet away, a black-and-white border collie, about Nick's height with light blue eyes and a friendly smile that she had known since she was eight years old. "Judy Hopps," he said.
"Scott?" Judy said, her voice wavering slightly.
"In the flesh," Scott replied.
Judy couldn't find any words and instead ran to Scott and threw her arms around his waist, causing him to take a few steps back to keep from falling over. He laughed as he set his briefcase down and returned the hug, happy to see his "little sister" again. Nick stood back and watched the two, quietly admitting that it was a nice sight to see. They did bear a strong resemblance to two siblings finally reuniting after years of separation. They broke apart and Judy wiped a tear from her eye.
"It's so good to see you again!" she declared.
"It's good to see you too," Scott replied. He brought his head up and acknowledged Judy's partner standing off a few feet from them. "Nick," Scott said happily, extending his paw out to him, "glad you to see you could make it."
"Wouldn't miss it," Nick said shaking his paw.
"Well," Scott said, taking a step back and refocusing on Judy, "just look at you. That uniform definitely suits you, Officer Hopps."
"Actually, that's Sergeant Hopps," Nick boasted. Judy playfully swatted his arm while Scott looked over at her right sleeve to see the chevrons adorning her uniform.
"Well, so it is," he said. "Very impressive! You've really been making a name for yourself, haven't you?"
"Well, it looks like I'm not the only one whose been making a name for himself, Mr. Head Prosecutor," Judy remarked. "I'd say you're looking pretty classy yourself."
Scott smiled and said, "I'm glad to hear that you approve," as he tousled the fur on Judy's head.
"Ah, Scott!" Judy laughed as she batted his paw away and proceeded to fix her fur.
"Hey, I'm still five years older than you, so I still reserve the right to do that," Scott said.
"So, do I reserve the right to do that too?" Nick asked mischievously.
"You're still gonna have to earn that one, slick," Judy teased.
"You mean it doesn't come with being your boyfriend?" Nick said in mock hurt. "You do me such an injustice."
"Oh, shush," Judy said, swatting him again.
"Hold on a second," Scott said. "Did I just hear you say 'boyfriend'?"
Judy's eyes widened and heat rushed to her cheeks, the realization hitting her that Scott wasn't aware of what had happened that night.
"Oh…um, yeah," Judy said. "He said 'boyfriend'."
A sly grin plastered itself onto Scott's face. "Well, glad to hear last night went off nicely then," he said, winking at Nick who wrapped his arm around Judy.
"We're glad it did too," Nick replied, looking down at Judy. She smiled up at him and pressed herself a little more into his side.
"Well then, unless someone already beat me to it, let me the first to say congratulations!" Scott said enthusiastically.
"Thanks," Judy said. "That means a lot."
"My pleasure. Well, if you want we can head into the courtroom. I need to meet with the judge for a few minutes, but it shouldn't be too long. You guys can pick out a seat wherever you want."
"Sounds pretty good to me," Nick said.
"Me too," Judy added.
"Alright, let's head on in!" Scott grabbed his briefcase and entered first, holding the door open for the couple as they made their way to the front of the empty courtroom and took a seat in the front row on the right side. Scott walked past them and set his briefcase down on the table right in front of the wooden guard that separated Nick and Judy from the main floor. He fiddled with the dials on the combination lock for a few seconds before the case popped open and he lifted the lid, taking out a few documents and setting the case aside.
"Ok, so like I said, I just need to duck into the judge's chambers real quick," Scott said. "Make yourselves comfortable, and I ought to be out in few minutes…hopefully."
Scott walked past the stand and into a door to the side of the courtroom, leaving the two officers in still silence. Once the two were alone, Judy pushed herself up toward Nick and kissed him on the cheek.
"Thanks again for doing this, Nick," she said. "It really means a lot to me."
"No problem, Carrots," Nick said. "You deserve it." He chuckled as he looked at Judy seeing some of her fur still sticking up. "I think you might wanna fix your fur there, Carrots."
"Hmm?" Judy said as she felt the strands on her head. "Oh, geez." She rolled her eyes and licked the palms of her paws, hoping that would be enough to keep her fur from sticking up as she groomed her head.
"So, I still have to earn the privilege of being able to mess up your fur every once in a while, huh?"
"And don't expect to earn it very soon, Wilde," Judy teased.
"Oh, I don't intend to. Where's the fun in earning it if it's too easy?"
Judy shook her head before nuzzling up next to her fox. "Oh, cheese and crackers, what have I gotten myself into?" she said softly.
Nick didn't respond, but instead wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer. The two sat in silence for a while, Judy looking around the still empty courtroom at all the paintings and murals that decorated the walls.
"This is actually pretty cool. Can't wait to see what the trial's gonna be like," she said.
"Mmhmm," Nick responded. "Hope I don't get too confused."
"Well, you read the case file didn't you?"
"Mmm…"
Judy smiled wryly up at him. "Seriously, Nick?"
"I did skim over it last night, and in my defense Scott gave me a pretty detailed rundown in his office yesterday."
"What about all the time we had in the office after lunch yesterday?"
"And risk spoiling the big surprise for your birthday?"
Judy had to admit Nick had a point there, but she wasn't about to let him off without some sort of comeback. "Well how about this?" Judy said. "If you'd shown me the file then, you would've gotten your kiss sooner."
Nick returned with a roguish smile. "Touché, Carrots. Touché."
Judy giggled and gave him a quick kiss before leaning back against his side.
"Your honor," said the stout Welsh corgi that stood next to Scott, "with all due respect, this interpretation of the kidnapping statute is completely out of line with the accusation against my client. To be quite frank, I'm surprised that Mr. Collier has been allowed to continue this trial for as long as he has!"
"It's only the second day of testimony, Mr. Pembroke. And in exactly what way are the charges out of line with your client's actions?" Scott asked incredulously.
"My client, if anything, is only guilt of kidnapping in the second degree, and the statute of limitations on kidnapping two ran out years ago."
"The grand jury ruled that there was sufficient evidence to sustain charges of violation of a custody agreement and first degree kidnapping, an A-1 felony, which doesn't have a statute of limitations."
"And exactly what grounds do you have for charging my client with first degree kidnapping?"
"I cite Penal Law Section 135.25, your honor," Scott said, addressing the judge. "A person is guilty of first degree kidnapping 'when he abducts another person and when he restrains the person abducted for a period of more than twelve hours with intent to terrorize them or a third person.'"
"First of all," the corgi said, "there's no evidence that my client intended to terrorize his children, and second of all, you're omitting a crucial factor. Section 135.30: 'In any prosecution for kidnapping, it is an affirmative defense that the defendant was a relative of the person abducted, and his sole purpose was to assume control of such person.' My client fits both criteria for positive defense of kidnapping, your honor."
"I'm afraid Mr. Pembroke is omitting a crucial factor of his own. I cite U.S. Code, Title 18, Chapter 55, Section 1201, Subsection h. While the defendant may be his children's biological father, '…the term "parent" does not include a person whose parental rights…have been terminated by a final court order.' If you recall, Mr. Pembroke, I mentioned less than two minutes ago that your client violated a court order granting custody of his children to his ex-wife."
"Alright, alright," the judge, an elderly coyote, said raising his paw to the two attorneys, "that's enough from both of you." He leaned forward onto his desk to address them further. "Mr. Pembroke, while you do indeed have an affirmative defense, Mr. Collier is correct that you still have insufficient cause to warrant a dismissal of the charges against your client. Your defense will stand that the defendant did not intend to terrorize his children."
Pembroke straightened himself, clearly defeated, but intent on keeping a sense of dignity.
"As for you, Mr. Collier," the judge said, "…we've allowed the people to present their case and will allow you to continue this morning, but from what I can see on the surface, you're still standing on some very small shoulders. This had better be worth the court's time."
Nick and Judy sat in peaceful silence for a few minutes before the door to the judge's chambers opened as Scott exited, followed by a short, stout Welsh corgi that the couple assumed was the defense attorney. They allowed a bit of space between them to keep a professional appearance.
"I'm still not entirely convinced that your case is worth the court's time," the corgi said.
"Listen, just because your case has a built-in defense doesn't make it infallible," Scott replied.
"It makes it more probable."
"I'll take my chances."
"Mr. Collier, my client is willing to sit down and discuss terms here. If we drop the charges, we can come to a reasonable settlement on the custody arrangement. It's far more worth our time than arguing over this ludicrous interpretation of the kidnapping statute."
"Let me put to you it this way: your client's lucky that he's not facing the murder charge. Now, I intend to put up a good fight. If you want to have any hope of winning this, you better do the same. I don't care how well 'built-in' you think your defense is."
There was a brief pause as the defense attorney looked Scott in the eye. "Well then, I guess I'll see you in an hour and a half then," he said.
"I look forward to it," Scott replied dryly. The defense attorney turned and made his way toward the door. As he passed the rows of wooden benches, he glanced at Nick and Judy, greeting them with a quick nod and a curt, "Officers," as he left the courtroom. Scott sighed and shook his head at his opponent's stubbornness, not that he could say anything about it. He would only be a hypocrite.
"Well," Scott said to the couple in the front row, "if nothing else makes this trial interesting, sparring with the defense should be entertaining enough."
The trio all laughed softly together as Scott pulled out the chair at his table and spun it around enough for him to face Nick and Judy.
"So what was that all about?" Judy asked.
"Just Mr. Pembroke's latest attempt to get an acquittal for his client," Scott replied. "He's been trying to make the argument that this trial is a misinterpretation of the kidnapping statute."
"Which is?" Nick asked.
"That a person is guilty of kidnapping when he abducts another person with intent to terrorize, to abbreviate it."
"So you have to find some way to prove that he terrorized the kids?" Nick asked.
"Yep," Scott replied.
"And I thought our job could get pretty tough." Nick's comment elicited a chuckle from Scott and an eye-roll from Judy. For the next hour and a half, the trio talked about a few different things. Scott was mainly interested about Judy's time on the force, how long she and Nick had been partners, stories from their time together, and so on. As they chatted and the time ticked away, more spectators filled the benches of the courtroom, the spaces filling up rather quickly. As the courtroom filled, Judy looked over to the left side of the courtroom to see the defense attorney, Mr. Pembroke, sitting at the table opposite Scott's. Next to him sat a rather bulky leopard, who Judy assumed to be the defendant. Behind him were three other leopards, all female. Two of them were teenaged cubs.
At around 9:15, Nick and Judy were introduced to the Assistant District Attorney, a Shetland named Abigail MacCallan.
"Ah, glad you could make it on time, Abbie," Scott said shaking her paw.
"Same here," she replied. "Traffic was a nightmare."
Scott smiled before turning back to face the two police officers he invited. "Abbie, I'd like you to meet a couple friends. This is Sergeant Judy Hopps with the ZPD. She and I grew up together back in Bunnyburrow."
"Hi there," Abbie said taking Judy's paw. "It's nice to meet you."
"You too," Judy replied.
"And this is her partner and recent boyfriend, Officer Nick Wilde."
"Nice to meet you as well," Abbie said.
"Likewise," Nick responded.
"So you're Sergeant Hopps' boyfriend, huh? Well, better make sure no one bashes you for dating the boss," Abbie said, winking at them. Nick laughed nervously while Judy giggled and gave Nick a little jab in the side.
"Don't worry, I'll be keeping my boy in line," Judy said. Abbie laughed at the sergeant's quip before seating herself at the table next to Scott. Moments later the bailiff entered the courtroom with the jury.
"All rise," the bailiff called, bringing everyone to their feet, "the court will come to order, the Honorable Maxwell Wiley presiding."
Nick and Judy watched as an aging coyote garbed in a black robe took the bench. Taking a gavel in his hand and bringing it down on the block, he said, "Be seated."
All in attendance returned to their seats as the trial got underway.
"Let the record indicate that this is the second day of witness testimony for the case of the People v. William Leopold," the judge said. "This morning, the prosecution will conclude its case and the defense will be allowed to make its own."
The court reporter concentrated hard on the transcript in front of him as he entered the judge's statement into the record.
"Mr. Collier," the judge said, bringing Scott to his feet, "are the people ready to continue their case?"
"Yes, your honor," Scott replied.
"Very well, you may call your next witness."
"The people call Eleanor McClaw to the stand."
Judy turned around in her seat to see a slender, prim female leopard stand up and walk down the center aisle toward the witness stand. She stopped in front of the bailiff who was holding a Bible. Eleanor McClaw placed her left paw on the Bible and raised her right paw.
"Eleanor McClaw," the bailiff said, "do you solemnly swear that the testimony you are about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth under pains and penalties of perjury?"
"I do," Eleanor replied as she took the witness stand. Scott approached her and began his cross-examination.
"Ms. McClaw," Scott said, "can you please explain to this courtroom your relationship to the defendant, Thomas McClaw, known currently by the alias 'William Leopold'?"
"I'm his ex-wife," Eleanor replied.
"And you are also the biological mother of his children, Susan and Alexis?"
"Yes."
"We've heard testimony that your daughters were the proverbial rope in a tug of war between you and your husband – a custody battle that last over a year. The court ruled that full custody of your daughters be granted to you, isn't that correct?"
"Yes it is."
"Can you explain to us what happened in the wake of the court ruling?"
Eleanor took a deep breath before proceeding. "March 12, 1999. Tom took the girls from school and disappeared. At the time, Susan was 3 and Alexis was 1. I never saw them again until just a few months ago. I tried to take the issue to court, but the judge said the incident was 'custodial interference'; not a serious crime. The private investigators I hired never found a trace of them."
Scott walked back to the table and took a blue document in his paw. "People's 7, your honor," Scott said, holding up the document. "Ms. McClaw, this is the family court justice's ruling granting you full custody of your daughters. Can you please read the highlighted passage?"
Eleanor took the paper from Scott and read aloud, "Thomas McClaw is clearly more concerned about losing control of his family than he is about the welfare of his children." Scott took the paper back from Eleanor and placed it back on the table.
"Ms. McClaw," he asked, "when you were married to the defendant, how did he treat you?"
"Like a slave," Eleanor replied. "Everything had to be done his way. He instructed me how his shirts had to be folded, how the pantry had to be arranged, the 'right way' to fluff pillows, the 'right way' to fold towels."
"What happened if you didn't do it his way?"
"He instructed me again and again until I did it the way he wanted."
"Did he treat your daughters the same way?" Scott asked.
"Yes," Eleanor replied. "He controlled every part of their lives, telling them what to do, what to think, how to feel."
"How did he do this with very small children?"
"He would tell them things like, 'Only bad girls soil their diapers,' 'Only bad girls cry.'"
"From what age?"
"From birth."
Scott glanced curiously at William Leopold, shocked that a father would treat his children in such a way from infancy. "Did he think they could understand him?" he asked.
Eleanor shook her head. "It was a process. He started early and just ground them down. He never let up. If Susan was playing with a toy and didn't put it back exactly where he told her, he would break it in front of her and tell her, 'Good girls always mind daddy.'"
"How did Susan react?" Scott asked.
"After a while, she didn't make any more mistakes." Eleanor's face began to fall slightly, sadness becoming more apparent in her eyes.
"Was Susan afraid of him?" Scott asked softly.
"Of course she was…It broke my heart." A tear escaped Eleanor's eye as she looked at her daughter, the taller of the two leopard cubs. Scott nodded slowly before turning away.
"Your witness," Scott said to the defense attorney.
Mr. Pembroke promptly rose from his chair and approached Eleanor. "Did your husband hit you or the girls?" he asked. "Did he even threaten you with violence?"
"That wasn't his way of – "
"Yes or no?"
Eleanor stared at the stout corgi for a few moments before saying, "No."
"October 3, 1998," Pembroke said. "Were you arrested on a DUI charge?"
"I wasn't drunk," Eleanor said. "I was on medication."
"And this would be medication for chronic depression?"
"You'd be depressed too if you were married to –"
"Was your daughter Susan in the car with you at the time you were pulled over?"
"…Yes."
"Driving erratically while under the influence, whether of alcohol or prescription medication, with a three-year-old in the car, and you expect the jury to believe that it was your husband who was putting your children in danger by making them pick up their toys?! I…I have nothing further, your honor," Pembroke said, a disgusted look on his face as he glared at Eleanor. Leopold grinned in satisfaction as his attorney returned to the table.
"My dad's pretty strict, but he's fair," Susan Leopold, the eldest daughter, said from the witness stand.
"Does he control you?" Pembroke asked.
"Well, every family has rules," Susan said. "For example, he told my sister and me to always be polite, whether we felt like it or not. I don't think that's a bad thing."
Pembroke nodded at the response. "Did your father terrorize you and your sister?"
"No, sir."
"Are you afraid of him?"
"No, sir," Susan said beaming at her father. "We love him." Leopold smiled back and slowly nodded his head.
"Nothing further, your honor," Pembroke said returning to the table. Scott rose from his seat, a pair of reading lenses over his eyes as he looked over a few pages of notes.
Placing the notes back on his table and removing his glasses, he asked Susan, "In your family, is there really only one way to fold a towel?"
"Chaos in your environment leads to chaos in your mind," Susan responded, almost emotionlessly.
"Did your father tell you that?" Scott asked.
"Yes."
"Have you ever had a friend your father didn't approve of?"
"No," Susan replied.
"Why not?"
"I just haven't."
Scott paused for a moment, considering Susan's robotic answers.
"Have you ever read a book or seen a movie he didn't like?" Scott asked
"No," Susan answered.
"Does your stepmother entertain her friends at your father's house?"
"No."
"Does she have any friends or does your father take up all her time?"
"She takes care of us."
Scott took in the tone of her voice, which was still dry and emotionless. When asked about her father, she spoke of him in a loving voice, beaming at him from the stand, but when asked about her stepmother, she kept her eyes locked on Scott. When stating her role, she didn't speak softly or tenderly, but in the same tone as a voice synthesizer. But what was more was the way Susan seemed to imply that the role of 'caretaker of the family' was the only role that defined her stepmother. Scott's wife took care of their children, but that didn't disqualify her from having friends and a social life.
"Does your stepmother visit her own family?" Scott asked.
"Not that I know of," Susan said.
"Where do they live?"
"In the Rainforest District."
This quite confused Scott. Her family lived in the city and she never took time to go visit them?
"Have you ever met your stepmother's family?" Scott asked.
"No."
Scott furrowed his brow.
"Have you ever been to summer camp?"
"Children who got to camp have parents who just want to get rid of them."
"Have you ever been to slumber parties?"
"No."
Scott slowly walked toward the stand, his arms folded. "Did your father disapprove?" he asked.
"I didn't like being away from my dad," Susan said, starting to show some emotion as her voice wavered. Fear maybe? Of inconveniencing dad?
"When your father is displeased with you…are you afraid?"
"…I don't like to disappoint him," Susan replied a bit shakily.
"Is that because you know he'll keep at you and at you until you understand that his way is the only way and his needs are the only needs and you and your sister only exist for him as long as he can control you?"
"Objection!" Pembroke said, standing up at his table.
"Withdrawn," Scott said. "Nothing further, your honor." He returned to his table. Susan, her face still bearing a look of trepidation, looked at her father. His lips were curved into another satisfied smile as he slowly nodded to his daughter.
"This court will take a ninety minute recess for lunch," the judge said. "When we return, the defense will continue its case."
Nick, Judy, Scott and Abbie all walked out of the courthouse to make what they would of the court recess. Scott had offered to take them to a restaurant for lunch, an Italian trattoria just down the road from the courthouse. Abbie declined, saying she was going to take the chance to go back to the office and make a call. She offered to walk with the group out to the entrance of the building.
"The cub was like a robot," Abbie said.
"I'll say," Nick replied. "I mean, come on. 'Chaos in your environment leads to chaos in your mind'? Sounds less like a family and more like Jonestown without the Kool-Aid."
"No kidding," Judy said. "Also what was up with that whole thing about summer camp? I mean, I went to summer camp when I was a kid. That didn't mean my folks wanted to get rid of me."
"How'd the jury react?" Scott asked Abbie.
"Seven were stone-faced, two of them felt sorry for her, and three of them thought you were being mean," Abbie said.
"Hmm," Scott said succinctly as he looked ahead with a look of solid contemplation. As the four of them exited the building, Scott was tapped on the shoulder. He turned around, the others following in suit, as he was confronted by William Leopold's wife, Sylvia. While not as slender as the other leopard, Eleanor McClaw, nor as tall, she couldn't very well be considered plump. Average would have been the most accurate description.
"How could you do that to Susan?" she said to Scott. "You don't understand! Those girls are his whole life! And he's theirs!"
"Where does that put you?" Abbie asked. Sylvia turned to face her, unsure of how to answer.
"Mrs. Leopold," Scott said, "do you really not see what he's done to his children…and to you?"
Immediately, she turned and briskly walked back into the courthouse.
Nick shook his head at the leopardess's behavior. "That's gotta be the spookiest bunch of animals I've ever seen."
The four of them had returned to the courthouse after lunch. Nick and Judy managed to reclaim their spots in the front row and Judy now sat next to Scott's wife, Gail, whom they met up with at the trattoria during lunch. It was quite an unexpected surprise for Judy and the two shared a gleeful reunion. Of course, Gail was happy to hear about Judy's life, her time at the academy, her new career, her new boyfriend. In similar fashion to Scott, she gave Nick a warning as to what would happen if he ever hurt Judy.
"You better watch yourself, Nick," Scott told him. "You think I'm bad?" He nodded his head toward his wife. "Make her angry and sleeping on the couch is the minimum punishment."
Gail sat to the left of Judy, all of them watching intently as the defendant took the stand.
"I couldn't leave them with Eleanor," William Leopold said. "She was a terrible mother."
"Can you describe how you lived after you took the children?" Pembroke asked.
"I turned down several good paying jobs so that I could work out of the house," Leopold replied. "I didn't want to leave the girls with a stranger after what they'd been through. I was there for them every minute of every day."
"Who took care of your daughters when you began dating your current wife?"
"Well, Sylvia understood that we came as a package, the girls and I. We rarely went out and if we did, we took the girls with us."
"Mr. Leopold," Pembroke said. "did you take your daughters in order to terrorize them?"
Leopold leaned forward and said very intently, "I took them in order to save them."
"Your witness," Pembroke said to Scott, returning to his seat. Scott stood and approached the stand.
"How much time have your daughters spent away from you?" Scott asked.
"Very little," Leopold replied.
"Why is that?"
"Well, it's a dangerous world, Mr. Collier, as I'm sure you know."
Scott nodded, bringing his personal philosophy of choice closer to the front of his mind. "Do you choose their friends for them?" he asked.
"I don't let my daughters run with the wrong crowd," Leopold replied.
"What happens when your daughters disagree with you?"
"I can't remember the last time my daughters and I had a disagreement."
"What happens when your wife disagrees with you?"
"…She never has."
Scott furrowed his brow and turned to face the jury. "Four people, no difference of opinion?" he said. "Is that because they're afraid to contradict you?"
"They respect my decisions," Leopold said firmly. "They know from experience that I'm likely to be right."
"What they know from experience is that you don't care about their opinions, isn't that right?"
"Objection!" Pembroke said.
"You don't care about their feelings, their concerns, their needs," Scott continued.
"That's enough, Mr. Collier," the judge said.
"I'd like to respond to that, your honor," Leopold said. He leaned forward and looked Scott in the eye. "My daughters are intelligent girls who know how to say, 'Yes, sir,' to an adult, how to organize their time wisely, and tidy their living spaces. Susan graduated valedictorian from her high school, has a full ride scholarship to Zootopia University, and Alexis brings home straight A's and is captain of her track team. And you have me on trial for being…a bad father, Mr. Collier?"
"You are on trial for kidnapping, Mr. Leopold, with intent to terrorize," Scott said sternly while Leopold scoffed and shook his head. "You harried your daughters into believing that their mother was evil incarnate, not so you could save them from her, but so that you could control their every thought and action."
Pembroke stood from his seat and said to the judge, "Have we moved on to the closing arguments?"
Scott glanced at Pembroke, then back to Leopold. "I have nothing further for this witness, your honor," he said, returning to his seat.
"Mr. Leopold, you may step down," the judge said. As he returned to his seat, the judge addressed the defense attorney. "Mr. Pembroke, please call your next witness."
"The defense rests, your honor," Pembroke replied, looking over at Scott with a sense of victory.
"Mr. Collier?" the judge said.
Scott stood and said, "The people have a rebuttal witness, your honor: Sylvia Leopold."
"What?!" Pembroke said. Nick and Judy looked at each other in confusion, and many other animals in the room were equally puzzled.
"Counsel, approach the bench," the judge said, prompting both Pembroke and Scott forward.
"Can you hear what they're saying, Carrots?" Nick asked. Judy turned her ears toward the bench and relayed the information back to Nick.
"Your honor, Mrs. Leopold has been in the courtroom throughout the trial," Pembroke said.
"I didn't know I'd be calling her," Scott responded.
The judge pondered for a moment before saying, "Alright, Mr. Collier. Just make sure that your questions don't touch on matters protected by spousal privilege."
Scott nodded before turning away from the bench. "The people call Sylvia Leopold," he said.
Sylvia rose timidly, receiving a glare from her husband as she approached the bench. Stopping in front of the bailiff, she placed her left paw on the Bible and raised her right paw.
"Sylvia Leopold," the bailiff said, "do you solemnly swear that the testimony you are about to give will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth under pains and penalties of perjury?"
"I do," she replied and took the stand. Scott slowly approached as he began his examination.
"Do you work outside the home?" Scott asked.
Sylvia smiled and brightly replied, "I know it's old fashioned, but I believe if there are children, the wife should be home to care for them. Children are a precious gift." Leopold continued his stone faced stare as she spoke.
"In your household, who handles the discipline?"
"Bill does," Sylvia replied cheerfully.
"Who handles the finances? Who deals with the workmammals – the electricians, the plumbers?"
"He does."
"Over the years, who's been responsible for taking the girls to and from school?"
"Bill."
"And who's taken them shopping for clothes and toys?"
"Bill."
Scott took his eyes away from Sylvia as he paced in front of the witness stand. "What exactly is your function in the family, Mrs. Leopold?" he asked. "Is it to fold the towels?"
Sylvia let out a brief sigh and looked toward her husband sitting at the defendant's table. "I – " she began to say before Scott stepped to the side to block her view.
"I'm afraid your husband can't tell you what to say right now," he said. He allowed a moment of silence while Pembroke began to take on a look of anxiety.
"How old was Alexis when you became her stepmother? Was she still in diapers?" Scott asked.
"Yes, she was only two," Sylvia responded, her cheerful veneer gone, replaced by a neutral expression.
"Did you ever hear the defendant tell her, 'Only bad girls soil their diapers'?"
"You don't understand," Sylvia replied, her new façade already beginning to crack. "From the outside it may seem strange, but Bill just worked miracles with the girls."
"In what way?"
"Well…" Sylvia's voice began to waver slightly and she could feel herself beginning to tremble. "When Susan was four, she learned how to tie her shoes in one afternoon.** How many children do that?"
"And how was this miracle accomplished?"
"She sat there for hours, tying and retying until her little claws made it work."
"A four-year-old?" Scott said. "…Why? Did Mr. Leopold tell her that daddy wouldn't love her anymore if she couldn't do it right by sundown?"
Sylvia shook her head, looking more and more desperate. "Both girls were intent on pleasing their father!" she said.
"I'll bet they were," Scott said, nodding his head. "Did the bow have to be exactly on center? Did the loops have to be exactly equal?"
"Your honor," Pembroke said.
"Mr. Collier, let's move it along," the judge said. Scott nodded to the judge and continued.
"Why haven't you and your husband had any children?" Scott asked Sylvia.
"We discussed it and decided against it," she answered, fear now very prevalent in her eyes.
"And this was a mutual decision? You really don't want cubs of your own?"
"Bill thought two was enough!"
"But what did you think?"
Sylvia looked at Scott, on the verge of tears. "In our family, we leave the important decisions to the one best equipped to make them."
"…I see," Scott said softly. As he saw her expression and listened to the tone in her voice as she answered the questions, he felt genuinely sorry for this poor leopardess. "How long has it been since you've seen your parents?" he asked.
"I'm not sure," Sylvia responded in kind. "Quite some time…Bill doesn't like me to be away."
"Do you hear yourself? 'Bill thinks,' 'Bill wants,' 'Bill needs'? Do you think the defendant has ever once asked himself…what you want…what you need?"
Sylvia was struggling to hold her tears back as she answered, "There has to be a final authority, Mr. Collier."
Scott reeled back at her answer, an answer that may as well have been a confession. "Are you saying that the defendant had complete control over his family?" he said. "Did he constantly tell his daughters that they were bad, that they were stupid? Did the defendant continually terrify them with a threat to withhold his love unless they could live up to his insane expectations? Did William Leopold terrorize his daughters day after day, year after year, until they could no longer tell where he left off and they began?"
Sylvia tried her hardest, but she couldn't do it. She couldn't hold back. With tears finally breaking the surface she nodded her head. "Yes!"
"You stupid cow!" Leopold growled, abruptly rising to his feet.
"Mr. Leopold – " the judge said, before being cut off.
"Your honor!" Leopold shouted. "She can't…do this!" He began shaking and sweating profusely in an attempt to restrain himself. "I only married her so that my daughters would have…a mother."
Nick and Judy stared at the leopard in shock. He had practically just confessed. Gail cast her tender gaze on Sylvia, who was now gently sobbing after finally forcing herself to face reality.
"No further questions, your honor," Scott said and he gently guided Sylvia back to her seat. As soon as she was seated, Pembroke looked at Scott in utter defeat. He knew full well the implications of Leopold's outburst. His case had just been lost.
"Mr. Leopold," the judge said, "you have withdrawn your 'not guilty' plea to kidnapping in the first degree and entered a plea of 'guilty'. Is this correct?"
"Yes, your honor," Leopold replied.
The judge looked over the full details of the plea bargain that had been made in the recess that had followed Scott's rebuttal. It was now late afternoon and the courtroom was no longer as populated as it had been two hours ago, though Judy, Nick and Gail remained in the rows.
"In response," the judge said, "the people have agreed to an indeterminate sentence of ten to twenty years in a minimum security detention center?"
"Yes, with the stipulated condition, your honor," Scott said as he rose to his feet.
"In exchange for this sentence, William Leopold will surrender all claims to custody of the children to Eleanor McClaw?"
Leopold took a deep breath, knowing he had been defeated. "Yes, your honor."
"Very well," the judge replied. "This court is adjourned." With the strike of the gavel, the case came to a close. Scott returned to his table and began to pack his briefcase. As he did, he received a light punch on the shoulder and an impressed grin from Nick, as well as a gentle pat on the arm and reassuring smile from both Gail and Judy. Finishing up and closing his briefcase, he was approached by Pembroke.
"Mr. Collier," he said and slowly held out his paw, "that was one hell of a fight."
Scott shook his opponent's paw and replied, "You did a good job yourself. It was good sparring with you."
He nodded his head to Scott and walked out the door, and Scott watched as Leopold was led away in handcuffs.
*The Zootopia Courthouse and Zootopia court structure are based off of the New York City Supreme Court Building and New York court structure respectively. In New York, the Supreme Court is trial-level and the highest court is the Court of Appeals.
** I know shoes are not seen on animals in the movie, but there is still a "Hoof Locker" for some reason. So in this rendition, the younger animals wear shoes until the pads on their feet fully grow in.