Letter to a Soldier part 14

By: Hotaru

Notes: Okay, trial time! Heeha! I'm skipping ahead a bit cause it's already 13 chapters long. Hoping to end it at fifteen. Thanks for catching the peanut thing, Spider bear! I completely forgot the whole cookie bit!! You know more about my story than I... T_T

-=-

Billy was dressed formally in a dark, navy blue suit, his hair slicked back, and eyes serious. Rebecca wore a black dress jacket, with a light blue shirt underneath, a black skirt and black pumps. Billy was about to go on the stand. Their attorney seemed confident, which was good. He wasn't getting a penny if they didn't win.

"And the defense would like to call Mr. William Coen to the stand." He said, standing and buttoning his grey jacket. Billy stood, and swore to tell the whole truth and all that, before sitting in the creaky wooden chair. Rebecca gave him an encouraging smile, but she could tell he was pretty nervous being up there. "Would you state your name for the court please?" His attorney, James Marsh, requested.

"Ah, William Coen, sir." Billy answered. It sounded weird him being called something other than Billy.

"Can you please recount, for the courts, the events that occured on July the twenty third, 1998?" Marsh continued.

"Sure. I was being taking by the military police, via car, to Ragathon Base for my execution. I think there was something in the road, and the driver of the vehicle swerved, and the car flipped over."

"Was it a sports utility vehicle?" Marsh interrupted.

"That would explain it flipping over." There were a few light chuckles.

"Continue, Mr. Coen."

Billy cleared his throat. "After the car flipped, I tried to re-orient myself. The two people in front were unconscious, and I saw what seemed like a rabid dogs stalking the car. The protective glass between the front and back seat had shattered, so I got their keys and uncuffed myself. I took one of their guns too, to protect myself."

"Were you planning on leaving them there?" Marsh questioned.

"Not for long. I was going to see where we were, and if I could call anyone to come help them. But those dogs...I don't know if the windows were broken, but they had pulled one of the guys out and started attacking him. From all the blood, I knew he wasn't going to make it, so I just ran while the dogs were distracted. I know it wasn't the most responsible thing for me to do, but these guys were sending me to my death after all."

"So you were planning on escaping, and just hiding out?"

"Basically. I knew that if they found me, they'd kill me, and they had no right to." Billy replied.

"And why is that?"

"Because I'm innocent. Once they found out they killed an innocent man, they would have probably killed themselves 'cause of the guilt."

"So let's skip ahead a bit. You managed to remain hidden from the military's eye for five years. How did you do this?" Marsh asked.

"I kept small jobs, moved around a lot. Never stayed one place too long." Billy replied.

"Explain the days leading up to your recent capture."

"Well, I wanted to see my friend, Rebecca Chambers over there, since we helped each other out and I wanted to see how she was doing. She offered to let me stay at her friend's place for awhile. The day we planned on leaving, a bunch of Marine thugs broke into her house, and kidnapped us."

"Kidnapped? Why do you use that term?"

"I never heard my rights, neither did she. They drugged her to keep her from fighting, and they, for lack of a better term, beat the shit out of me."

"Are you an innocent man, Mr. Coen? What happened that day in the jungle?"

Billy sighed and took a gulp of water. "We went to intervene in a civil war and to raid a guerilla hideout, but there was just a villiage. No soldiers, just innocent people. My commanding officer ordered me to kill them. And when I didn't, he pistol-whipped me, and ordered me again to kill them."

"And did you?" Marsh questioned. The room was silent, awaiting his answer.

"No. I passed out after that, and all I remember is the sound of gun shots and people screaming."

"Thank you."

Marsh sat down, and let the other side go to rip Billy open. "Well, well, Mr. Coen. How do you feel today?" The lawyer questioned. He was a stiff looking man, with greying hair, a beard, and one of those big belt buckles Texans wear.

"Considering the circumstances, I'm a bit nervous, but okay overall." Billy replied cooly.

"Why nervous, if you're innocent?"

"Because there have been cases in which innocent men go to prison due to problems between jurors. But I get to let these fine people decide my fate."

"You nervous about that?"

"Objection your honor, he's badgering the defendant." Marsh exclaimed, jumping up from his seat.

"Please move on, Mr. Bridge." The judge said.

Bridge smiled falsely. "Certainly, your honor. So, Mr. Coen. You were still an outlaw when you met up with your friend, here?" He gestured at Rebecca.

"Yes, I guess you could say that." Billy replied, wondering where he was going with this.

"So, if you're convicted, than your pretty little friend can go away for conspiracy and hindering a federal pursuit."

"Objection! Who's on trial, here!?" Marsh exclaimed again.

"Mr. Bridge, if you're going any where with this..." The judge said tiredly.

"Moving on. What do you plan to do, if you get a minimal jail sentance?" Bridge asked, pacing around the room.

"I'll try to get a job, get my life in order I guess." Billy replied.

"Well, that's great. Where will you live?" Bridge continued.

"Since I have nothing permanent right now, I'd assume I would stay with Miss Chambers' friend until I got a steady job and had enough to rent my own apartment."

"You're full of shit, Coen!"

The judge banged his gavel loudly. "Mr. Bridge, I'd strongly suggest you cease and dessist!" He exclaimed, a vein in his head protruding.

"You can plaster on that fake sincerity, but it doesn't fool me, Coen. Not one bit. No further questions." Bridge sat down, his face red.

"You may step down, Mr. Coen. There will be a fifteen minute recess, and we'll move on to closing arguments."

Rebecca stood up and walked over to Billy. "You did good." She complimented.

"Thanks but...I was pretty nervous. That Bridge...he's got something against me. I wouldn't be suprised if he tried to run me over with his car or something." Billy chuckled, loosening his tie a bit.

"You want to go get something from the snack machines?"

"I don't know if I can eat anything."

"Than at least escort me."

She took Billy's arm and walked down the empty hallway. "So what do you think's gonna happen?" Billy asked.

"Well, they don't really have any evidence to support you being guilty, but we don't have much to support your innocence either. I just hope Mr. Marsh has a good speech to deliver." Rebecca replied, looking at the snacks, before choosing a bag of pretzels.

"He seems like a good lawyer. Better than I'd be able to get. I don't think I could do this without you." Rebecca looked up in to his blue eyes and smiled.

"It's a good thing I'm here, then."

"Sure is." Billy put his hands on Rebecca's cheeks, his fingertips feeling her soft hair. "Thank you." He whispered, before kissing her lips gently.

-=-

The two returned to the court room, and Bridge, who was a redneck in every sense of the word turned and sneered in Billy's direction. "You're going down, Coen."

"Bite me." Billy retorted, immaturely.

"Mr. Bridge, if you would be so kind as to give your final statement." The judge requestioned. The Redneck stood, and loosened his tie a bit.

"Ladies, and Gentlemen of the Jury...War is a dreadful time, for both soldier and civilian. Emotions run high, you're in a new enviornment, and around every turn, there's someone looking to kill you. I guess you can say...that mistakes are made, and they're understood. Mr. Coen, and his unit made a mistake. They fired upon innocent people, and after it was all over...I'd imagine they'd feel incredibly guilty. But this cannot be forgiven so easily. You cannot shrug of the deaths of countless innocent people as 'a result of war'! It's manslaughter! That man, Billy Coen, has no soul. He fired his weapon upon women...and children...simply because...well, who knows? Maybe he was angry at the African people, maybe he's a racist. We won't know why he did it, but what we do know, and what we have the power to do...is decide his fate. It's in your hands, Ladies and Gentlemen. Don't let a guilty man walk free." Bridge smiled smugly, before returning to his seat.

Mr. Marsh stood, cooly and buttoned his dress jacket. "Well. Here we are. Twelve men and women, who are no doubt tired, and want to return to their families. I will try to be as brief as possible, for their sakes." He began. A few of the jurors smiled at his charm and charisma. "In 1982, an award-winning Philadelphia writer was wrongfully sentanced for the shooting of a police officer. He was a black man, who exposed police violence against minority communities. He carried a .38 callibur gun, for protection since he was a night-time taxi driver. The gun that was used to kill that police officer was a .44 callibur gun. This man has been on death row for nearly twenty-two years, and it seems plain as day that he's innocent. Then again, that's just my opinion. Just how it's Mr. Bridge's opinion that Mr. Coen is a racist murderer, and how it's Mr. Coen's opinion that Mr. Bridge doesn't have any idea what he's talking about."

A few people chuckled. "We can see, that innocent people are sent to prison, and sent to death. The case of Mumia Abu-Jamal, the one I just talked to you about...witnesses were pressured to change their stories by the authorities. We received a letter from a witness, who can claim that Mr. Coen is innocent. And yet, he or she cannot come forward, because of the repercusions they will face as a member of the United States Marine Corps. What ever happened to honor, and upholding truth and justice? What is this country based on, Ladies and Gentlemen? Lies, deceit, cover ups and everything Mr. Bridge just said. If I may, I'd like to quote Mr. Abu-Jamal in the defense of Mr. Coen." Everyone was all ears.

"I remain innocent. A court cannot make an innocent man guilty. Any ruling founded on injustice is not justice. The righteous fight for life, liberty, and for justice can only continue."

"Let's not make another mistake. Do what you know is right. Use your heart as well as your head. Find my client innocent." Marsh concluded, before taking a seat beside Billy.

"Good job." Billy commented.

"There will be a brief intermission, for the jurors to make their decision." The judge said, slamming his gavel down. Billy sighed deeply and rubbed his temples.

"God, my life is on the line. Why do we have to keep waiting?!" He questioned.

"You want to give them some time to decide, don't you?" Rebecca replied.

"Yeah."

"Billy, why don't you go to the bathroom, wash your face and get refreshed before the jurors come back?" Marsh suggested. Billy was looking a bit tired.

"Sure." Billy replied, standing up. Rebecca followed him, but obviously couldn't go into the bathroom with him. Pulling her bag of pretzels from her purse, she tore the bag open and grabbed one. She hadn't eaten breakfast, and it was way past lunch time. She was afraid of getting sick during the trail, because of the nerves.

Billy exited the bathroom, and pulled a dollar from his pocket. "What should I get?" He asked, as they walked to the vending machines.

"I don't know. Whatever you want." Rebecca answered. She was still shaky from that kiss earlier.

"Are you okay? Are you...weirded out or something?"

"What? No! No..."

"Then what's wrong?" He put his dollar into the machine, and a got a bag of plain M&M's.

"Nothing."

"Look, I'm sorry for catching you off guard like that. I just...I'm grateful. I know you're still pining over that Carlos guy, who, might I add, isn't here trying to help you--"

"I told you, I don't like him anymore!"

"Then why so pissed off?" Billy questioned, sitting on a wooden bench.

"Because...twice now, you've kissed me, without any damn warning!" Rebecca blurted.

"Sorry, sweetheart, but it was kind of a spur of the moment, you know?"

"Well, I don't want it that way."

"How do you want it? All romantic-y, with rose petals and shit?"

"No, ass. Just...put my feelings into consideration before you do stuff like that."

"Haven't you ever been kissed before?" Her silence answered him. "No kissing...so I assume you're a virgin too?"

"So what?! I'm not some stupid tramp who goes around, sleeping with people I don't even love." She exclaimed. Thankfully the hallway was clear, or they would have gotten a few stares.

"Ok. Relax. How about this. If I get out of here, you and me can go out. You can have your first kiss and date and all that." Billy offered.

"You're so full of yourself. You're here, on trial for your life and you're trying to hook up with me?!"

"That should say how much I care about you, hm?"

Marsh walked through the empty hallway and motioned for them to follow. "They're ready to read the verdict." He announced.

"So what is it, Bec? You take my offer?"

"...alright."