Fingers swiftly dance across the keyboard, generating text on the computer screen before him. Words string together to form sentences. Paragraphs soon follow. Alexander Knox has written well over a thousand pieces for the Gotham City Times over the years. Although he has penned many significant articles during his career, his greatest acclaim will always be the Batman story. He was the first to report in print the existence of the caped crusader. As such, he is regarded as the city's unofficial authority on Bat-related news. Alex no longer covers the day-to-day activities of Gotham's masked crime fighters, but he is always on hand for the major developments.
Ironically, Knox has had very little interaction with the costumed individuals upon whom he has built his reputation. This is not through a lack of trying. The Batman steadfastly refuses to talk with the media and he makes every effort to avoid photographers and TV cameramen. The original Robin had a very quick wit and the reporter was occasionally able to coax a good quote from him. The second Robin is intentionally sheltered from the press by his mentor, thus Knox hasn't any contact with him.
As for Batgirl, she has long been a mystery to Knox. The super heroine avoids the public spotlight with a similar obsessiveness as the Batman. It took nearly a year and a half for the reporter to catch his first glimpse of the fabled female member of the Bat family. Alex wondered if he'd ever even see Batgirl up close, much less get the opportunity to speak with her.
This changed when Knox met her under the most dire of circumstances. The reporter had made the mistake of getting too close while investigating a suspected drug trafficking ring in Gotham City. He was abducted and tortured by the criminals, who demanded to learn how much he knew and to whom he had communicated this information. Alex was certain he was about to die when Batgirl miraculously intervened. Five armed men assaulted the lone, unarmed woman. Sixty seconds later, she had decked all five.
Alex Knox was still conscious when she reached his side. Batgirl used her cape as a tourniquet to dress a severe leg wound. With the police and the paramedics both on their way, the heroine remained with Knox. She engaged him in conversation to keep him awake and alert. Batgirl willingly answered all of his questions, with two understandable exceptions. She did not reveal her real name or her telephone number.
This encounter did not lead to the friendly rapport Knox had hoped for, but it was enough of an ice breaker to allow him to get an occasional tidbit of information. Her elusiveness disappoints him, but the reporter fully respects her strong desire for privacy. Until testifying at this trial, Alex had never revealed the full details of Batgirl's exploits in saving him. "When they (police) ask, tell them I had help." she had insisted.
*****
The following is the column submitted by Alexander Knox. An edited version will appear on page one of tomorrow's Gotham City Times, provided the jury does not reach a verdict in their first two hours of deliberation. ...
Now we wait. The seven day trial of the costumed heroine Batgirl concluded with the closing arguments from defense council James Dover and prosecutor Milton Price. The two talented litigators reemphasized the strongest points of their respective cases. The defense reiterated its argument that the heroine merits the benefit of the doubt due to a purely circumstantial case against her. The state urged the jury to ignore the heroine's status as a public icon and convict on the strength of the evidence. Batgirl's fate is now in the hands of the jury.
A fundamental responsibility of a journalist is to maintain objectivity. That has never really been a problem for this writer until now. As a result of my testimony, it is public knowledge that Batgirl once risked her own life to save me from imminent death. How does one set aside this history so as to offer an unbiased report on his savior's criminal trial? To be frank, he doesn't. Or at least in my case, I can't. The reader deserves to know this up front. I believe in this woman and trust her explanation of events. I personally agonize over her predicament and pray that the jury will render a verdict of 'not guilty'.
That said, Mr. Price's case against Batgirl is very compelling. A confrontation did indeed take place on the rooftop of the Metro Shipping office building in the early evening of May 11th. The combatants were the heroine Batgirl and career hoodlum Billy "Spike" Denton. Scuffling perilously close to the edge, the villain plummeted five stories to the alley below. Although he survived the drop, Denton suffered a multitude of injuries. The most serious was a lower spine trauma which has left him paralyzed from the waist down. Doctors do not expect Denton to ever walk again.
Spike Denton asserts that Batgirl zealously chased him onto that rooftop, where she deliberately shoved him over the ledge. His astonishing claim is amply supported. An anniversary gathering was being held atop a 4-story apartment building adjacent Metro Shipping. Seventeen party-goers witnessed the incident; each saw Batgirl as the aggressor pushing Denton. Amateur camcorder footage from the same vantage point would seem to confirm this conclusion.
Batgirl offers a different explanation of this episode. She admits to pursuing the villain onto the rooftop. The heroine explains that she trailed twenty yards behind Denton as he made his way toward a fire escape. She slowed her quarry up with a well-placed Batarang toss. At this point, Denton was not particularly close to the roof's edge. Unfortunately, in his intense haste to evade capture, the villain staggered and stumbled to stay on his feet. His frantic efforts brought him to the precipice of disaster. The super heroine tried to prevent the criminal from falling but he wasn't cognizant of his surroundings. Denton broke free from her grasp and unwittingly plunged to the pavement below.
Defense advocate Dover vehemently challenged the accuracy of the eye-witness testimony against Batgirl. Turning the damaging videotape to his advantage, the attorney argued that the camera angle proves the witnesses watched from a very misleading vantage point. They were looking upward at a 25 degree angle at the brink of twilight. The tape was shot mostly from behind Denton; therefore the depth perception is very deceiving. "Superficially it may appear as if she (Batgirl) shoved him (Denton)," Dover even conceded, "but given the severe limitations from this view, it is just as likely that my client was attempting to save him."
The events leading up to the rooftop scene are not in much dispute. Denton and three others were caught dealing dope by a police sting operation. A violent gunfight ensued. Two thugs, Jasper Riggs, 27, and Joseph H. Gagliano, 24, were fatally wounded while buying Denton and accomplice A.J. Coles time to escape.
The two men reached the Gotham subway system and took the H train across town. Having lost their valuable merchandise, the two fugitives sought the cash needed to skip town before their employers could put the squeeze on them. They spotted Congresswoman Barbara Gordon jogging in Kane Heights, generally a safe neighborhood. The men assaulted Ms. Gordon with a switchblade, inflicting serious colon and liver damage.
Batgirl tracked down Coles and Denton moments thereafter. The heroine gave chase, prompting a brutally selfish action from Denton. The thug unexpectedly executed his partner. Coles had stabbed the congresswoman and still had the weapon in his possession. Police detectives surmise that the plan was for the deceased Coles to take the brunt of the blame for both the botched cocaine transaction and the Gordon attack. Denton didn't figure upon his own inability to elude Batgirl's dogged pursuit.
Doubtless there will be considerable speculation as to the verdict the jury will reach. This columnist will leave such handicapping to others and simply acknowledge that the outcome could easily go either way. Instead, let us shift our attention to the probable ramifications which await Batgirl should she be convicted.
In most any criminal trial, the greatest fear for the defendant is the potential punishment meted out by the judicial system. Curiously, the prospect of a prison term only ranks third on Batgirl's list of concerns. This is due in part to the likelihood that, due to her exemplary record of service to the community, the court will exact a light sentence. Far more troubling is the revelation of her true identity. This would expose herself, family and personal friends to danger from vengeful criminal enemies. In addition, linking her actual name to Batgirl gives Spike Denton and others a specific Gotham City denizen to file civil grievances against.
A great deal of misinformation has circulated throughout this trial as a result of the court's controversial decision to grant the 'Superhero Exemption' for Batgirl. To clarify, the 'Superhero Exemption' was enacted five years ago in 28 sovereign nations, including the United States of America. It applies specifically to members of the Justice League and the Teen Titans, affording them two unique legal privileges. First, the exemption permits a superhero to keep his true identity secret from the court until such time as he is convicted of a felony charge. Secondly, the superhero has inherent immunity from all civil court proceedings unless a criminal court brands him a felon.
The 'Superhero Exemption' safeguards a crime fighter's identity, but its primary purpose is to preclude frivolous lawsuits. Costumed heroes and heroines have etched their indelible mark on our society over the past decade. As their contributions increased, so did the collective animosity of the criminal element. Numerous villains saw the civil courts as a viable means of striking back at their heroic enemies. As such, the United Nations worked with the two prominent heroic entities, the JLA and Teen Titans, to erect fair legislation to counter these tactics.
Batgirl is not a member of either organization, but she has occasionally worked with both groups. The Justice League, reportedly through the Batman's initiative, petitioned the Gotham City court to treat Batgirl as one of their own. Over the staunch objections of the prosecution, Judge Adam Craig elected to bestow the exemption upon the heroine.
The fiery-haired crusader faces one count of first-degree aggravated assault and another of attempted murder in the second degree. Both are felony offenses. In the event that she is convicted of either, Batgirl loses her exemption and effectively becomes a sitting duck in civil proceedings. With a felony conviction already on record for the same offense, a multi-million dollar lawsuit will surely follow. It is highly probable that the heroine would lose such a case, leaving her in financial ruin.
The jury reconvenes at 9:00 AM today to continue its deliberations.
Ironically, Knox has had very little interaction with the costumed individuals upon whom he has built his reputation. This is not through a lack of trying. The Batman steadfastly refuses to talk with the media and he makes every effort to avoid photographers and TV cameramen. The original Robin had a very quick wit and the reporter was occasionally able to coax a good quote from him. The second Robin is intentionally sheltered from the press by his mentor, thus Knox hasn't any contact with him.
As for Batgirl, she has long been a mystery to Knox. The super heroine avoids the public spotlight with a similar obsessiveness as the Batman. It took nearly a year and a half for the reporter to catch his first glimpse of the fabled female member of the Bat family. Alex wondered if he'd ever even see Batgirl up close, much less get the opportunity to speak with her.
This changed when Knox met her under the most dire of circumstances. The reporter had made the mistake of getting too close while investigating a suspected drug trafficking ring in Gotham City. He was abducted and tortured by the criminals, who demanded to learn how much he knew and to whom he had communicated this information. Alex was certain he was about to die when Batgirl miraculously intervened. Five armed men assaulted the lone, unarmed woman. Sixty seconds later, she had decked all five.
Alex Knox was still conscious when she reached his side. Batgirl used her cape as a tourniquet to dress a severe leg wound. With the police and the paramedics both on their way, the heroine remained with Knox. She engaged him in conversation to keep him awake and alert. Batgirl willingly answered all of his questions, with two understandable exceptions. She did not reveal her real name or her telephone number.
This encounter did not lead to the friendly rapport Knox had hoped for, but it was enough of an ice breaker to allow him to get an occasional tidbit of information. Her elusiveness disappoints him, but the reporter fully respects her strong desire for privacy. Until testifying at this trial, Alex had never revealed the full details of Batgirl's exploits in saving him. "When they (police) ask, tell them I had help." she had insisted.
*****
The following is the column submitted by Alexander Knox. An edited version will appear on page one of tomorrow's Gotham City Times, provided the jury does not reach a verdict in their first two hours of deliberation. ...
Now we wait. The seven day trial of the costumed heroine Batgirl concluded with the closing arguments from defense council James Dover and prosecutor Milton Price. The two talented litigators reemphasized the strongest points of their respective cases. The defense reiterated its argument that the heroine merits the benefit of the doubt due to a purely circumstantial case against her. The state urged the jury to ignore the heroine's status as a public icon and convict on the strength of the evidence. Batgirl's fate is now in the hands of the jury.
A fundamental responsibility of a journalist is to maintain objectivity. That has never really been a problem for this writer until now. As a result of my testimony, it is public knowledge that Batgirl once risked her own life to save me from imminent death. How does one set aside this history so as to offer an unbiased report on his savior's criminal trial? To be frank, he doesn't. Or at least in my case, I can't. The reader deserves to know this up front. I believe in this woman and trust her explanation of events. I personally agonize over her predicament and pray that the jury will render a verdict of 'not guilty'.
That said, Mr. Price's case against Batgirl is very compelling. A confrontation did indeed take place on the rooftop of the Metro Shipping office building in the early evening of May 11th. The combatants were the heroine Batgirl and career hoodlum Billy "Spike" Denton. Scuffling perilously close to the edge, the villain plummeted five stories to the alley below. Although he survived the drop, Denton suffered a multitude of injuries. The most serious was a lower spine trauma which has left him paralyzed from the waist down. Doctors do not expect Denton to ever walk again.
Spike Denton asserts that Batgirl zealously chased him onto that rooftop, where she deliberately shoved him over the ledge. His astonishing claim is amply supported. An anniversary gathering was being held atop a 4-story apartment building adjacent Metro Shipping. Seventeen party-goers witnessed the incident; each saw Batgirl as the aggressor pushing Denton. Amateur camcorder footage from the same vantage point would seem to confirm this conclusion.
Batgirl offers a different explanation of this episode. She admits to pursuing the villain onto the rooftop. The heroine explains that she trailed twenty yards behind Denton as he made his way toward a fire escape. She slowed her quarry up with a well-placed Batarang toss. At this point, Denton was not particularly close to the roof's edge. Unfortunately, in his intense haste to evade capture, the villain staggered and stumbled to stay on his feet. His frantic efforts brought him to the precipice of disaster. The super heroine tried to prevent the criminal from falling but he wasn't cognizant of his surroundings. Denton broke free from her grasp and unwittingly plunged to the pavement below.
Defense advocate Dover vehemently challenged the accuracy of the eye-witness testimony against Batgirl. Turning the damaging videotape to his advantage, the attorney argued that the camera angle proves the witnesses watched from a very misleading vantage point. They were looking upward at a 25 degree angle at the brink of twilight. The tape was shot mostly from behind Denton; therefore the depth perception is very deceiving. "Superficially it may appear as if she (Batgirl) shoved him (Denton)," Dover even conceded, "but given the severe limitations from this view, it is just as likely that my client was attempting to save him."
The events leading up to the rooftop scene are not in much dispute. Denton and three others were caught dealing dope by a police sting operation. A violent gunfight ensued. Two thugs, Jasper Riggs, 27, and Joseph H. Gagliano, 24, were fatally wounded while buying Denton and accomplice A.J. Coles time to escape.
The two men reached the Gotham subway system and took the H train across town. Having lost their valuable merchandise, the two fugitives sought the cash needed to skip town before their employers could put the squeeze on them. They spotted Congresswoman Barbara Gordon jogging in Kane Heights, generally a safe neighborhood. The men assaulted Ms. Gordon with a switchblade, inflicting serious colon and liver damage.
Batgirl tracked down Coles and Denton moments thereafter. The heroine gave chase, prompting a brutally selfish action from Denton. The thug unexpectedly executed his partner. Coles had stabbed the congresswoman and still had the weapon in his possession. Police detectives surmise that the plan was for the deceased Coles to take the brunt of the blame for both the botched cocaine transaction and the Gordon attack. Denton didn't figure upon his own inability to elude Batgirl's dogged pursuit.
Doubtless there will be considerable speculation as to the verdict the jury will reach. This columnist will leave such handicapping to others and simply acknowledge that the outcome could easily go either way. Instead, let us shift our attention to the probable ramifications which await Batgirl should she be convicted.
In most any criminal trial, the greatest fear for the defendant is the potential punishment meted out by the judicial system. Curiously, the prospect of a prison term only ranks third on Batgirl's list of concerns. This is due in part to the likelihood that, due to her exemplary record of service to the community, the court will exact a light sentence. Far more troubling is the revelation of her true identity. This would expose herself, family and personal friends to danger from vengeful criminal enemies. In addition, linking her actual name to Batgirl gives Spike Denton and others a specific Gotham City denizen to file civil grievances against.
A great deal of misinformation has circulated throughout this trial as a result of the court's controversial decision to grant the 'Superhero Exemption' for Batgirl. To clarify, the 'Superhero Exemption' was enacted five years ago in 28 sovereign nations, including the United States of America. It applies specifically to members of the Justice League and the Teen Titans, affording them two unique legal privileges. First, the exemption permits a superhero to keep his true identity secret from the court until such time as he is convicted of a felony charge. Secondly, the superhero has inherent immunity from all civil court proceedings unless a criminal court brands him a felon.
The 'Superhero Exemption' safeguards a crime fighter's identity, but its primary purpose is to preclude frivolous lawsuits. Costumed heroes and heroines have etched their indelible mark on our society over the past decade. As their contributions increased, so did the collective animosity of the criminal element. Numerous villains saw the civil courts as a viable means of striking back at their heroic enemies. As such, the United Nations worked with the two prominent heroic entities, the JLA and Teen Titans, to erect fair legislation to counter these tactics.
Batgirl is not a member of either organization, but she has occasionally worked with both groups. The Justice League, reportedly through the Batman's initiative, petitioned the Gotham City court to treat Batgirl as one of their own. Over the staunch objections of the prosecution, Judge Adam Craig elected to bestow the exemption upon the heroine.
The fiery-haired crusader faces one count of first-degree aggravated assault and another of attempted murder in the second degree. Both are felony offenses. In the event that she is convicted of either, Batgirl loses her exemption and effectively becomes a sitting duck in civil proceedings. With a felony conviction already on record for the same offense, a multi-million dollar lawsuit will surely follow. It is highly probable that the heroine would lose such a case, leaving her in financial ruin.
The jury reconvenes at 9:00 AM today to continue its deliberations.