"Finally, after a month they are going to trail. I hope the jury
finds them guilty."
"Don't worry Love, they will be going away for a while. Nothing will come between us I promise." Ethan said as he wrapped his arms around Theresa. "Now let's go in."
"We want to plead innocent by reason of insanity Sir." Gwen's lawyer said.
"Your honor, we have already had a physiatrist examine Ms. Hotchkiss. And as shown in peoples exhibit A, they found her competent to stand trial."
"I see. She stands trial counselor. Now, what are the charges again?"
"Your Honor, Ms. Hotchkiss is charged with attempted murder on a minor, hit and run, conspiracy to kidnap Miss. Lopez-Fitzgerald, and stalking."
"My that is a list. Okay, we will begin opening statements." The judge said looking at Gwen's attorney.
"The prosecutors will try to make you believe that she committed the crimes of hit and run, attempting to murder a young boy, conspiracy to kidnap the boys mother, and stalking his father. But there is no real hard evidence of this. There is no reason my client would do this. We ask that you find my client, Ms. Gwen Hotchkiss, not guilty." He said with a flourish.
"The defense said that there is no evidence, but there is. She tried to kill a defenseless little boy to get what she wants. She helped a man take that little boy's mother. And she stalked a man like an animal would stalk it prey. She did all of this in cold blood ladies and gentlemen. We are going to prove this without a shadow of doubt."
"Would you say that doing these kinds of things is in character for the defendant Mr. Winthrop?" The Distract Attorney asked Ethan, who was sitting on the stand.
"Yes. I just recently found out about a lot of calculus things she has done."
"And what kind of things would that be?"
"Objection your Honor! What does this have to do with this case?" Gwen's attorney said.
"I am trying to establish that this kind of behavior is nothing knew for the defendant, that she can act in a vicious manner."
"Objection overruled. Please answer the question Mr. Winthrop." The judge said.
"She sent a letter to the tabloids and blamed someone else to try to get me back. She also faked a pregnancy for the same reason." Ethan replied.
"That is all your honor."
"Ms. Lopez-Fitzgerald, you know Ms. Hotchkiss, yes?"
"Yes I do. I was to plan her wedding."
"And what happened?"
"The groom and I fell in love. He broke off their engagement the night before the wedding."
"And how did the defendant react?"
"She came after me with a baseball bat." Theresa said.
"No further questions. The prosecution rests."
"Oh god Ethan. Gwen truly is a vindictive person. I can't believe that she would do these things just to get you. I mean, yes, I did my share of rotten things, but nothing compared to her."
"I know Sweetheart. And don't worry; there is too much evidence for her not to be found guilty." Ethan said as he wrapped his arms around Theresa.
"Has the jury reached a verdict?" The judge asked, looking at the jury.
"Yes we have your honor. We the jury, find the defendant, Gwen Hotchkiss, guilty an all counts."
"And this was unanimous?"
"Yes your Honor."
"Ms. Hotchkiss, I can't not believe anyone could be so callous and calculating. But you have proved me wrong. I hereby sentence you to 20 years in state prison, in to of which you must serve at least 15 of those years. You are ordered to have no contact in the future with the people you have committed crimes against. In fact, you must stay at least 100 yards from them. Court is adjourned." And the judge brought down his gavel.
"I can't believe it is finally over. She can't come anywhere near us. Now we just have to get through Fox's trial and we can focus on our son and the wedding."
"Well, one trial to go. There is no way that Fox will be found not guilty I am sure. I mean you, Sam, and Luis all saw that he had me and what is was going to do. I am just not looking forward to getting on the stand and reliving it." Theresa said looking at Ethan.
"It is okay. I am here for you Honey. It is time to go in though. Are you ready?"
"As ready as I will ever be." She said as she grabbed Ethan's hand and they walked into the courtroom together.
"When he took of the blindfold I saw that is was Fox, I mean Mr. Crane. And then he said that I would be his." "Did anything else occur while Mr. Crane held you captive Ms. Lopez- Fitzgerald?" "He, do I have to say it?" Theresa asked, embarrassed. "Unfortunately, yes. The court needs to hear exactly what happened." "He, he said he would make me his and then started ripping off my clothes. If Mr. Winthrop, Mr. Bennett, and my brother wouldn't have shown up when they did, he would have raped me." Theresa said as she broke out in tears. "That is all your honor."
"And what did you seen when you entered the cabin Mr. Bennett?" "Mr. Crane was over Ms. Lopez-Fitzgerald. Her clothes were torn and she was crying, yelling for help." "And that is how you located her correct?" "Well, Mr. Winthrop said he thought that she might be there and as we drew nearer we heard her screaming." "I have no further questions your honor."
Mr. Crane, I am at a loss for words. What you did was truly evil and selfish. To take a mother from her child and to attempt to violate her, it is despicable. I hereby sentence you to 10 years in prison. And when you get out you are not allowed with in 100 yards of Ms. Lopez-Fitzgerald. Court is adjourned." And the judge hits his gavel to the block of wood.
As Fox is led away in handcuffs, he turned around to look over where Ethan and Theresa were standing and yelled, "This isn't over, not by a long shot."
"Don't worry Love, they will be going away for a while. Nothing will come between us I promise." Ethan said as he wrapped his arms around Theresa. "Now let's go in."
"We want to plead innocent by reason of insanity Sir." Gwen's lawyer said.
"Your honor, we have already had a physiatrist examine Ms. Hotchkiss. And as shown in peoples exhibit A, they found her competent to stand trial."
"I see. She stands trial counselor. Now, what are the charges again?"
"Your Honor, Ms. Hotchkiss is charged with attempted murder on a minor, hit and run, conspiracy to kidnap Miss. Lopez-Fitzgerald, and stalking."
"My that is a list. Okay, we will begin opening statements." The judge said looking at Gwen's attorney.
"The prosecutors will try to make you believe that she committed the crimes of hit and run, attempting to murder a young boy, conspiracy to kidnap the boys mother, and stalking his father. But there is no real hard evidence of this. There is no reason my client would do this. We ask that you find my client, Ms. Gwen Hotchkiss, not guilty." He said with a flourish.
"The defense said that there is no evidence, but there is. She tried to kill a defenseless little boy to get what she wants. She helped a man take that little boy's mother. And she stalked a man like an animal would stalk it prey. She did all of this in cold blood ladies and gentlemen. We are going to prove this without a shadow of doubt."
"Would you say that doing these kinds of things is in character for the defendant Mr. Winthrop?" The Distract Attorney asked Ethan, who was sitting on the stand.
"Yes. I just recently found out about a lot of calculus things she has done."
"And what kind of things would that be?"
"Objection your Honor! What does this have to do with this case?" Gwen's attorney said.
"I am trying to establish that this kind of behavior is nothing knew for the defendant, that she can act in a vicious manner."
"Objection overruled. Please answer the question Mr. Winthrop." The judge said.
"She sent a letter to the tabloids and blamed someone else to try to get me back. She also faked a pregnancy for the same reason." Ethan replied.
"That is all your honor."
"Ms. Lopez-Fitzgerald, you know Ms. Hotchkiss, yes?"
"Yes I do. I was to plan her wedding."
"And what happened?"
"The groom and I fell in love. He broke off their engagement the night before the wedding."
"And how did the defendant react?"
"She came after me with a baseball bat." Theresa said.
"No further questions. The prosecution rests."
"Oh god Ethan. Gwen truly is a vindictive person. I can't believe that she would do these things just to get you. I mean, yes, I did my share of rotten things, but nothing compared to her."
"I know Sweetheart. And don't worry; there is too much evidence for her not to be found guilty." Ethan said as he wrapped his arms around Theresa.
"Has the jury reached a verdict?" The judge asked, looking at the jury.
"Yes we have your honor. We the jury, find the defendant, Gwen Hotchkiss, guilty an all counts."
"And this was unanimous?"
"Yes your Honor."
"Ms. Hotchkiss, I can't not believe anyone could be so callous and calculating. But you have proved me wrong. I hereby sentence you to 20 years in state prison, in to of which you must serve at least 15 of those years. You are ordered to have no contact in the future with the people you have committed crimes against. In fact, you must stay at least 100 yards from them. Court is adjourned." And the judge brought down his gavel.
"I can't believe it is finally over. She can't come anywhere near us. Now we just have to get through Fox's trial and we can focus on our son and the wedding."
"Well, one trial to go. There is no way that Fox will be found not guilty I am sure. I mean you, Sam, and Luis all saw that he had me and what is was going to do. I am just not looking forward to getting on the stand and reliving it." Theresa said looking at Ethan.
"It is okay. I am here for you Honey. It is time to go in though. Are you ready?"
"As ready as I will ever be." She said as she grabbed Ethan's hand and they walked into the courtroom together.
"When he took of the blindfold I saw that is was Fox, I mean Mr. Crane. And then he said that I would be his." "Did anything else occur while Mr. Crane held you captive Ms. Lopez- Fitzgerald?" "He, do I have to say it?" Theresa asked, embarrassed. "Unfortunately, yes. The court needs to hear exactly what happened." "He, he said he would make me his and then started ripping off my clothes. If Mr. Winthrop, Mr. Bennett, and my brother wouldn't have shown up when they did, he would have raped me." Theresa said as she broke out in tears. "That is all your honor."
"And what did you seen when you entered the cabin Mr. Bennett?" "Mr. Crane was over Ms. Lopez-Fitzgerald. Her clothes were torn and she was crying, yelling for help." "And that is how you located her correct?" "Well, Mr. Winthrop said he thought that she might be there and as we drew nearer we heard her screaming." "I have no further questions your honor."
Mr. Crane, I am at a loss for words. What you did was truly evil and selfish. To take a mother from her child and to attempt to violate her, it is despicable. I hereby sentence you to 10 years in prison. And when you get out you are not allowed with in 100 yards of Ms. Lopez-Fitzgerald. Court is adjourned." And the judge hits his gavel to the block of wood.
As Fox is led away in handcuffs, he turned around to look over where Ethan and Theresa were standing and yelled, "This isn't over, not by a long shot."
