"we were watching TV in there… TV, on a hundred something inch screen and crazy surround sound. Joking, laughing, throwing artisanal popcorn at each other. We walked out to her parents outside of it. That's when they started asking questions we didn't understand, I caught on, when it was such a big deal I was there."
"Had you been there prior?"
"Oh yeah. Violet had parties a lot, we were all invited. I'd even stay after sometimes and help clean."
"Ever talk to her parents at these parties, how'd that go?"
"No long conversations, they seemed a bit hesitant to talk. They liked to talk with Frieda, loved to talk with her ex Shermy."
"Both white?"
"Yeah."
"Objection! The race of who my client talked to is not important, he has spoken to many races," Feldstein explained.
"Noted. Jury; ignore that last question."
"So what were they asking?"
"They asked if it were just me and her, because they only heard us laughing, then started wondering why we were alone, and tried to use colorful language, as not too offend me, but I caught on, explained it to her, and she flipped out on them."
"What about her ex, did he ever spend time alone with her?"
"By her words, they had, and her parents didn't mind. He was actually a friend of mine until I realized what he was doing, and how it actually started hurting her, during the whole cupid thing we all were doing. He would brag about getting money from them, how they would have sex, and never questioned by her parents. I'm gonna say it; Shermy is white, we live in the same neighborhood on the east side of town."
"That's all I have for now, thank you Mr. Johnson."
"I'd like to question the witness, Judge," Feldstein stood, walking over, "don't forget you're still under oath. Now… what convinced you to pursue a relationship with Violet, was it the money?"
"No it wasn't the money. I already explained her friend was trying to set us up. I don't care about her money."
"You live on the east side, surely you could use a few grand?"
"So what if I live on the east side? We may not be as rich as James, or even Frieda's family, but we have money."
"Money from gang banging and selling drugs?"
"No, my parents have high paying jobs."
"Come clean, what criminal activity do you run, that you wanted to get my clients daughter in? Did you want to rob them?"
"What is wrong with you, bruh?!"
"Your honor, he's getting out of line here, this isn't an interrogation against him," Clark blurted.
"Have some decorum Feldstein, he's not on trial here, he's a witness," she glared.
"Okay. So you say you two were just… hanging out at her home, you didn't try to pressure her for sex, or money?"
"No I didn't. I don't care about her money, I care about her."
"Are you certain James and Heather were intentionally racist to you, maybe they were just stressed out- they are busy people running a large business."
No, they were being intentionally racist, thinking I wouldn't catch on."
"About the issue at the gas station, you seem like you can hold your own, why didn't you fight back?"
"Because he's my girlfriends dad, and what would violence do, but reinforce opinion on my people. Plus by the time he grabbed my tire iron out of the back of my Tahoe; I ain't want my head bashed in."
"I don't think I have anymore questions for him."
Franklin stepped down, a few others took the stand, including Peppermint Patty's dad. Finally James himself took the stand.
"James, explain where your mind was, when you saw the news interview," Clark asked.
"I was angry. My families private affairs were not only blasted on social media, but now all over the news."
"And then the school wouldn't release her to you, how did you know where she was?"
"My wife was near the student parking lot, and saw her and her friends running to their cars."
"Okay. Now how did you know she would be with my client, and not any of her other friends? Follow up question; with your money, why doesn't she have a car?"
"I assumed she would be with that… young man, and I saw her get in his car as I drove to the parking lot. She has a car, but I took it from her as punishment for defying our wishes."
"Wait, wait," the judge interrupted, "if Violet got in your car, Franklin, why was she not at the gas station, if you were being chased, did you drop her off somewhere?"
"Uh, no I did not, his car is faster than mine, I wouldn't have had time. She wasn't in my car, she crawled through to my friends car, we were worried about what might happen to her, so she slipped in his car and went to his house, while James chased me."
"That's pretty clever, proceed, Mr. Clark."
"How long did it take you to figure out she wasn't with him?"
"I thought she may had been hiding in it, when I got him out of the car, she wasn't in the backseat, so I thought she was in the trunk."
"Judging by the pictures, he keeps it clean, and it doesn't have tinted windows. Clearly, you had a clear view of the full interior."
"I had to make sure."
"Then why didn't you stop there, why did you assault my client and damage his vehicle?"
"I was still angry from the news, then she ran from us. She had been rebelling from us. I wanted him to leave her alone."
"Why, explain what she did, why shouldn't they date, their teenagers, it might be over in a month."
"She stopped dressing how we prefer, listening to… to… rap music and rock, he's sending her down the wrong path, he's not good enough for her, he's trouble."
"He causes no trouble at school, gets better grades than she does, and he's not good enough? What music is she listening to?"
"He's just not good enough to associate with our kind of people. She really likes listening to the uh… this group of trash performers.. the juggs… always yelling whoop- Honey who is that group?"
"The Joogaloo's, dear."
"That's it, the Joogaloo's, doesn't sound very Christian to me."
"Oh, you mean the Insane Clown Posse? Despite the name, they in their own way actually preach Christianity in their music. How was her relationship with the Shermy boy?"
"Oh, it was off and on, she would break up with him for every little thing, what was it this time… he cheated on her with twins. Petty. That young man could go somewhere, he was kinda dumb, but with my guidance."
"Any other boyfriends?"
"One or two, seemed to be good guys, gave them summer jobs, good stock these boys."
"So what makes Franklin different than Shermy?"
"He just doesn't suit the image I want for my daughter, somebody in poverty."
"Shermy and Franklin live in the same area, could even be around the corner from each other."
"Look, he just isn't what my daughter should be entertaining."
"Okay, okay. But this young man is in the top of his class, zero criminal record, has been nothing but respectful to you, even helped clean after parties, and cares about Violet. I'm just not understanding… everybody likes him. He doesn't even want your money. Has he ever stolen from you?"
"No he hasn't, but he could be playing the long game, praying on my daughter. I can't have that, can't have this boy besmirching what I've built, trying to reproduce with my daughter, you know they don't like condoms!"
"If she did get pregnant, you could afford it, everybody wants grandchildren."
James having enough of these questions, ready to blow, "no! I would not want spawn from them, I've seen those tragic looking millato… things! I'll be damned!"
"Damned about what, James?"
"Damned if my precious daughter mates with that jiggaboo monkey!"
His lawyer just dropped his head on his desk.
"You deserve more than a punch, boy!"
