The Trial
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury," began the prosecutor, Ms. Morrison, "We're here today to prove that Harry and Mary Champ are guilty of keeping people prisoner in their home, and abusing them. Among those gathered here, is a pair of High School Seniors named Bit Cloud and Leena Toros. These two youths were only allowed to leave the mansion if they were going to school or work. And every night they were solicited for sex, and beat upon refusing."
Harry could feel the glare of the people in the courtroom. The spectators weren't the ones he'd bribed with money to look the other way, so he'd just have to bear it. He and Mary had gotten in contact with the jurors and promised reimbursement for finding them innocent, no matter what they thought.
The defense attorney—Mr. Fredricks—stated, "Please, members of the jury, this is a completely bogus case. These people are just trying to get some free money from my clients using the premise of being abused. I beg of you to have mercy on them."
After both statements had been made, the prosecutor got up to call her first witness. "I call Leon Toros to the stand," he said.
Leon got up, and was sworn in. "Mr. Toros," questioned Morrison, "After your sister moved in with Mr. Champ, she suddenly stopped calling you, is that right?"
"Yes," replied Leon.
"And when you finally heard from her, six months later, she seemed to have lost her confident personality, and had replaced it with that of a scared woman?" she continued.
"Yes," answered Leon.
After a few more questions, the prosecution rested. Then, the defense attorney began to ask a few questions about the siblings' close relationship. But his plan for undermining Leon's testimony failed, as he attested to their close relationship before Leena met Harry.
Her next witness was the cousin of Leon's roommate, Julianna Alexis. She spoke of her month long relationship with Harry, and showed pictures of her scars. "I spent a month of fear, before my worried parents came to see me. Then, they took me home where I was happy. That was shortly before the relationship between Harry and Leena began," she claimed, with tears in her eyes.
"Ms. Alexis," commented Fredricks, "Would you say that your situation at home is not the best one? I mean, you don't have much money, and would do anything…"
"Objection, he's scaring the witness," yelled Morrison.
"Mr. Fredricks," threatened the judge, "There will be no questioning of the motives of our witnesses. Do I make myself clear?"
Fredricks grumbled, he had no other questions. Poor Julianna was so upset that she had to leave the courtroom. The next witnesses were—in turn—a pair of sisters named Chris and Kelly Tasker. They were co-workers of Leena's who'd noticed her odd behaviors, and were also working when she had been attacked. Then came a man who had been one of Mary's victims. Next was Jamie Hemeros, who, along with his girlfriend Fara Smith, had been there to witness the attack in the diner. Fara herself backed up Jamie's story next. Bit's aunt and uncle also came up to tell the sorrow of their nephew's relationship.
Then, Morrison said, "I call special agent Jack Sisco to the stand."
After being sworn in, Jack sat in the chair. "Mr. Sisco, you were called in on the evening of September 10th when Marianna Engleson reported her nephew missing after trying to defend his girlfriend from her abusive old boyfriend, is that correct?" she asked.
Jack replied, "Yes."
"And after searching, where did you find him?" continued Morrison.
"At the Champ estate," stated Jack, "Being abused by Mary Champ. She kept saying something about him never getting away from her again. And Harry was continually bugging him to tell where Leena had gone off to."
"What happened next, Mr. Sisco?" she inquired.
Jack answered, "Our men arrested both siblings, and I personally took Bit home to his aunt, uncle, and girlfriend."
Fredricks had nothing to say to this story. But to Harry, he whispered, "Just wait until we get our turn. Then, they'll be sure to listen. Besides, you did pay off the jury, didn't you?"
"Of course, what do you take me for?" asked Harry. Fredricks shut his mouth at this comment.
Then, the prosecution called a few more witnesses who'd been victims of the Champs. None of them were the ones who'd had cases dropped because of them paying off the jury, just the ones who recently'd come forward. Naomi was next—telling what happened the night Leena showed up at her doorstep—followed by her mother. They brought in the pictures of Leena to verify her wounds. With each testimony, Fredricks's confidence shrunk.
Finally, the prosecution was ready for their star witnesses—Bit and Leena. Leena gave him a kiss, and stood up. She was sworn up, and took the stand.
"Ms. Toros, can you describe your first meeting with Mr. Champ?" requested Morrison.
"It was at the diner," replied Leena, "He asked me why such a beautiful creature such as myself was waiting tables. I told him that I needed the money since my dad spent most of his earnings on model kits, and I liked this. So he offered to take me to his place to live, in the life of luxury."
"What happened next?" she asked.
Leena continued, "He took me to his home alright, but tried to rape me over dinner. Then, when I refused to have sex with him that night, he took out a whip and club and beat me. In order to prevent my escape, I was handcuffed to the bed. The same thing followed every night after that for six months."
"How did you ever leave, if you were chained?" wondered Morrison.
"The key," stated Leena, "It was left within my reach."
After a few more questions, Morrison rested. Fredricks then began to ask pestering questions. Morrison—in response—objected to most of them. The judge let every single objection stand, he was wondering how Fredricks ever won his cases in the first place.
Bit's turn was next. Like with Leena, he was asked about how he first met Mary, and about their relationship. "It was pure torture, she even had me locked up in a dungeon. Finally, about the time Leena escaped, Mary began leaving me unattended. Then I worked my hardest every day to find the escape rout. Finally, I was free, and I met Leena that very night," he stated.
After Fredricks's violent cross-examination, the prosecution rested. Due to the time that had elapsed, the court had to break for the day. Everyone knew that the next day—when the defense began—would see many more violent comments from Harry's moron attorney.
- - - -
Like my idiot for a defense attorney? Had to come up with one who was as annoying as Harry. Actually, I just couldn't figure out how to cross- examine. Maybe I'll do better with my defense cross-examination Well, I'll get to the defense team (or moron team, whichever you prefer) tomorrow.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury," began the prosecutor, Ms. Morrison, "We're here today to prove that Harry and Mary Champ are guilty of keeping people prisoner in their home, and abusing them. Among those gathered here, is a pair of High School Seniors named Bit Cloud and Leena Toros. These two youths were only allowed to leave the mansion if they were going to school or work. And every night they were solicited for sex, and beat upon refusing."
Harry could feel the glare of the people in the courtroom. The spectators weren't the ones he'd bribed with money to look the other way, so he'd just have to bear it. He and Mary had gotten in contact with the jurors and promised reimbursement for finding them innocent, no matter what they thought.
The defense attorney—Mr. Fredricks—stated, "Please, members of the jury, this is a completely bogus case. These people are just trying to get some free money from my clients using the premise of being abused. I beg of you to have mercy on them."
After both statements had been made, the prosecutor got up to call her first witness. "I call Leon Toros to the stand," he said.
Leon got up, and was sworn in. "Mr. Toros," questioned Morrison, "After your sister moved in with Mr. Champ, she suddenly stopped calling you, is that right?"
"Yes," replied Leon.
"And when you finally heard from her, six months later, she seemed to have lost her confident personality, and had replaced it with that of a scared woman?" she continued.
"Yes," answered Leon.
After a few more questions, the prosecution rested. Then, the defense attorney began to ask a few questions about the siblings' close relationship. But his plan for undermining Leon's testimony failed, as he attested to their close relationship before Leena met Harry.
Her next witness was the cousin of Leon's roommate, Julianna Alexis. She spoke of her month long relationship with Harry, and showed pictures of her scars. "I spent a month of fear, before my worried parents came to see me. Then, they took me home where I was happy. That was shortly before the relationship between Harry and Leena began," she claimed, with tears in her eyes.
"Ms. Alexis," commented Fredricks, "Would you say that your situation at home is not the best one? I mean, you don't have much money, and would do anything…"
"Objection, he's scaring the witness," yelled Morrison.
"Mr. Fredricks," threatened the judge, "There will be no questioning of the motives of our witnesses. Do I make myself clear?"
Fredricks grumbled, he had no other questions. Poor Julianna was so upset that she had to leave the courtroom. The next witnesses were—in turn—a pair of sisters named Chris and Kelly Tasker. They were co-workers of Leena's who'd noticed her odd behaviors, and were also working when she had been attacked. Then came a man who had been one of Mary's victims. Next was Jamie Hemeros, who, along with his girlfriend Fara Smith, had been there to witness the attack in the diner. Fara herself backed up Jamie's story next. Bit's aunt and uncle also came up to tell the sorrow of their nephew's relationship.
Then, Morrison said, "I call special agent Jack Sisco to the stand."
After being sworn in, Jack sat in the chair. "Mr. Sisco, you were called in on the evening of September 10th when Marianna Engleson reported her nephew missing after trying to defend his girlfriend from her abusive old boyfriend, is that correct?" she asked.
Jack replied, "Yes."
"And after searching, where did you find him?" continued Morrison.
"At the Champ estate," stated Jack, "Being abused by Mary Champ. She kept saying something about him never getting away from her again. And Harry was continually bugging him to tell where Leena had gone off to."
"What happened next, Mr. Sisco?" she inquired.
Jack answered, "Our men arrested both siblings, and I personally took Bit home to his aunt, uncle, and girlfriend."
Fredricks had nothing to say to this story. But to Harry, he whispered, "Just wait until we get our turn. Then, they'll be sure to listen. Besides, you did pay off the jury, didn't you?"
"Of course, what do you take me for?" asked Harry. Fredricks shut his mouth at this comment.
Then, the prosecution called a few more witnesses who'd been victims of the Champs. None of them were the ones who'd had cases dropped because of them paying off the jury, just the ones who recently'd come forward. Naomi was next—telling what happened the night Leena showed up at her doorstep—followed by her mother. They brought in the pictures of Leena to verify her wounds. With each testimony, Fredricks's confidence shrunk.
Finally, the prosecution was ready for their star witnesses—Bit and Leena. Leena gave him a kiss, and stood up. She was sworn up, and took the stand.
"Ms. Toros, can you describe your first meeting with Mr. Champ?" requested Morrison.
"It was at the diner," replied Leena, "He asked me why such a beautiful creature such as myself was waiting tables. I told him that I needed the money since my dad spent most of his earnings on model kits, and I liked this. So he offered to take me to his place to live, in the life of luxury."
"What happened next?" she asked.
Leena continued, "He took me to his home alright, but tried to rape me over dinner. Then, when I refused to have sex with him that night, he took out a whip and club and beat me. In order to prevent my escape, I was handcuffed to the bed. The same thing followed every night after that for six months."
"How did you ever leave, if you were chained?" wondered Morrison.
"The key," stated Leena, "It was left within my reach."
After a few more questions, Morrison rested. Fredricks then began to ask pestering questions. Morrison—in response—objected to most of them. The judge let every single objection stand, he was wondering how Fredricks ever won his cases in the first place.
Bit's turn was next. Like with Leena, he was asked about how he first met Mary, and about their relationship. "It was pure torture, she even had me locked up in a dungeon. Finally, about the time Leena escaped, Mary began leaving me unattended. Then I worked my hardest every day to find the escape rout. Finally, I was free, and I met Leena that very night," he stated.
After Fredricks's violent cross-examination, the prosecution rested. Due to the time that had elapsed, the court had to break for the day. Everyone knew that the next day—when the defense began—would see many more violent comments from Harry's moron attorney.
- - - -
Like my idiot for a defense attorney? Had to come up with one who was as annoying as Harry. Actually, I just couldn't figure out how to cross- examine. Maybe I'll do better with my defense cross-examination Well, I'll get to the defense team (or moron team, whichever you prefer) tomorrow.