Law & Order: Leanbox
Guilt Tripped
by Derald Snyder
Part 3- Plutia On Trial
"Docket #16617635!" called the bailiff. "People v. CPU Plutia, charge is aggravated assault in the first degree."
"Excuse me?!" The judge said incredulously. "A CPU?! What happened to diplomatic immunity?!"
"The defendant has waived her immunity for this charge, Your Honor," Rizzoli Isles explained. "She tortured a man while in HDD form, during which she tends to go too far."
"Ian Huntsman for the defense, Your Honor," the lawyer standing next to Plutia introduced himself. He had slightly curly light brown hair and brown eyes, wearing a plain dark tan business suit with a black tie and black leather shoes. "My client was involved in a police operation that broke up a child trafficking deal and saved several innocent children. The victim was one of the traffickers, Your Honor..."
"But he was a trafficking victim himself!" Plutia suddenly burst out. "Mr. Crisco said so!"
"Order! Order!" The judge banged her gavel thrice. "Everyone calm down! Lady Plutia, just tell me what your plea is, all right?"
"Huh, my... plea?"
"This is the part where you say 'not guilty'," Ian whispered to his client.
"Oh, uh... not guilty, I think?" Plutia said to the judge.
"Miss Isles, I hope you're not going to try and have me set bail for this little girl," the judge snarked.
"...The People are fine with ROR, Your Honor," Rizzoli ceded.
"What's ROR?" Plutia asked Ian.
"Released on your own recognizance," Huntsman replied. "That means you're not going to jail before trial starts."
"Just make sure you show up on your court date, and we won't have any problems, Lady Plutia," the judge added.
"Okay~," Plutia nodded. "I'll just go back and stay with Vert, then..."
"Good for you. Next case!" The judge banged her gavel, Ian promptly escorting Plutia out of the courtroom.
DISTRICT COURT
TRIAL PART 34
MARCH 14, 10:14 AM
"Mr. Gunther," Jared McCoy addressed Terrence at the witness stand, "Please describe in your own words what happened to you on March 10th."
Terrence began, "Well, me an' my colleagues were getting ready to move some kids from one location to another, as part of a deal with another group..."
"Which group was that?"
"OBJECTION! Relevance!" Ian called out.
"Withdrawn. So what happened next, witness?" McCoy asked.
"Well, while I was watchin' the kids, I saw this big light off in the distance... next thing I know, there's this... this... dominatrix standin' in front of me."
"And what did she do?" McCoy asked next.
"She... she said that I was a bad boy for treating kids like trinkets to be sold... and then she brought out a whip of sorts..." He then shuddered. "S-sorry, I can't... it was too much. So much pain..."
"Can you at least tell us what happened after your injury?" McCoy said.
"Yeah... next thing I remember was lyin' on the ground with lady's heel diggin' into my back," Terrence continued. "Then some of the kids started tellin' her to lay off, at which point she got off me, and changed into a smaller young girl."
"And do you see that young girl in the courtroom today?"
"Yeah. Right there," Terrence pointed at the defense's bench.
"Let the record show that Mr. Gunther has indicated the defendant," McCoy stated. "Thank you, witness. Nothing further." He returned to his bench and sat down, prompting Ian Huntsman to stand and approach.
"Sounds like you had quite the harrowing experience," the defense lawyer began. "Tell me... why do you think my client went after you specifically?"
"...Probably because I was closest to the kids," Terrence responded.
"And why were you so close to them?"
"It was my job to look after 'em, make sure none of them tried to run off or somethin'," Terrence explained. "I was the only one the kids actually liked, 'cause I didn't hurt them or yell at 'em like the others..."
"I see," Ian nodded. "So, were you the only one my client targeted?"
"No, there was another guy... one of the guys we were makin' the deal with, handin' the kids over to them," the witness said. "She used her doll and took him down, somehow... dunno what she did, but he was hurtin'."
"I'm sure he was, if what happened to you was any indication," Huntsman smirked. "Tell me something, Mr. Gunther... if you cared for these kids so much, why didn't you let them go?"
"I couldn't do that!" Terrence protested.
"Why not? I thought you cared for them..."
"OBJECTION!" McCoy cried, standing up.
"Goes to the witness' credibility, Your Honor," Huntsman argued.
"...Overruled," the judge stated. "The witness will answer."
"Look," Terrence said, "I knew what these kids were goin' through, 'cause the same thing happened to me when I was a kid..."
"Yes, except you were rescued by the police," Huntsman pointed out. "And now, here you are, years later, doing the same thing that you yourself were a victim of..."
"You don't get it! I ain't gotta choice!" Terrence protested. "The madam who runs the gang is the only one who's willin' to give me a job, put a roof over my head! And I ain't the only one who's like that! You don't know what it's like in the hood!"
"...I see," Ian said after a moment. "So you have no one else to turn to, no family?"
"My dad was a deadbeat, ran out on Mom before I was born," Terrence responded. "And my Mom was a junkie who sold me out to get high! So no, I ain't got no place else to go!"
"OBJECTION! Your Honor, we're getting off-topic here," McCoy asserted.
"It's all right. I'm done with this witness," Huntsman demurred, walking back to his bench.
"Mr. Gunther, you may step down," the judge said, Terrence promptly leaving the stand.
"Your Honor, at this time the defense would like to call a rebuttal witness," Ian requested. "Terrence's mother, Alicia Gunther."
"Your Honor!" McCoy protested.
"Approach," the judge gestured, moving aside his microphone so the three could argue in private.
"Your Honor, this is nothing more than a fishing expedition," Jared argued, keeping his voice down.
"The witness said he had no choice but to work for the madam," Ian countered. "I'm just trying to show that he had a choice, Your Honor."
"It's completely irrelevant, Your Honor," McCoy shot back. "He's trying to mislead the jury..."
"Then I'll make sure he doesn't," the judge spoke up. "I'll allow the witness, but only for the specific point you brought up, Mr. Huntsman. Now step back." The two lawyers returned to their benches as the judge announced aloud, "Mrs. Gunther will take the stand." Alicia promptly walked up to the witness stand, where she was sworn in by the bailiff.
"Mrs. Gunther," Huntsman began. "We just heard from your son that you are, or were, a drug junkie. Is that true?"
"Yes," Alicia admitted, looking down in shame. "I sold my boy to traffickers for money so I could get high. Biggest mistake I eva made."
"But he was rescued by the police, wasn't he?" Huntsman pointed out. "You didn't take him back?"
"I couldn't. I was in jail for doin' heroin."
"So when did you finally get clean, Mrs. Gunther?" Ian asked next.
"About a year ago," Alicia replied.
"And did you try to contact your son?"
"I did... I looked up his number, but he wouldn't answer. I tried to go to his address, but there were these big guys there... I told I wanted to see Terrence, but they said he wasn't seein' nobody. It wasn't until he was arrested that I finally met him face-to-face again..."
"And how did he react upon seeing you?" Huntsman queried.
"Well, surprised," Alicia responded. "Seems he didn't even know that I was tryin' to get a hold of him..."
"I see," Ian nodded. "Why do you suppose that was?"
"I know why! It was that madam that runs the whole damn thing!" Alicia suddenly shouted. "I dunno her name, but she's the one! She won't let my boy go! It's all her fault...!" She dissolved into crying and sobbing, trying to wipe her face with her forearm...
"Your Honor, I think we've heard enough," McCoy spoke up.
"I agree. Time to move on, defense," the judge ordered.
"Yes, Your Honor. Nothing further." Huntsman assented, walking back to his bench.
As for Plutia, tears were rolling down her face as well. "Oh, Mrs. Gunther, I'm so sorry... so, so sorry..."
*To be continued...*