Love Makes You Do Crazy Things
Chapter 2. Disorder In The Court
Author: j_rock873
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Jessie watches as her arch enemy Sarah and another witness each take their turn at the stand, while she prepares for her own.
Disclaimer: I own the victim mentioned in the first chapter. I also introduce another character, the victim's mother. Both will be given names in this chapter.
Reviews: Yes, I would like them.
Jessie's trial – witness stand
"Miss Grasser, do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?"
"I do, your honor."
I then watch as she shoots me an evil look, which is missed by no one.
"Miss Grasser, how long have you known the defendant?"
"I have known her for a little over a year."
"And in that time, have you known her to do anything violent?"
"No, but we have had arguments that could have broken into fights had I not kept my cool," she said with a smirk.
As Sarah and I start a stare down, several shouts of "Oh please!" are heard throughout the room. It's quickly silenced by the judge.
"Quiet in the courtroom."
"Miss Grasser, have you ever had arguments with any other students at Upton Sinclair?"
"Yes, but none like the ones I had with Jessie. I mean the defendant."
Once again, my trial was interrupted by shouts from various people. "That's a lie. Bull. Yeah, right." I couldn't help but smile as Sarah started to become uneasy.
"I said quiet in the courtroom. One more outburst and I'll clear this courtroom."
"No further questions, your honor."
"Your witness, Miss Sammler."
"Thank you. Miss Grasser, are you sure you never got any in arguments with any of your classmates like the ones with my client?"
"Yes, I am."
"I would like to enter into evidence this video taken at a high school party hosted by a fellow classmate and attended by Miss Sammler, Miss Singer, and Miss Grasser."
"I object, your honor."
"On what grounds?"
"The tape has been around long enough to be copied and edited in favor of Miss Sammler."
"My client was not aware of a video being made just as I'm sure your witness wasn't aware either."
"Overruled."
There is tension and anticipation in the courtroom as the video is played for the judge and jury. I began to get nervous of what could possibly be on that tape.
On the video
"Tad, where are Jessie and Katie?"
"Over there, Russell."
Everyone watches as the camera turns to the direction indicated by Tad. I began to get teary eyed as Russell has caught Katie, the only other person I cared about other than relatives, and I in a slightly heated lip lock. It's obvious to everyone that Katie and I are totally unaware of the video being made as loud cheers come from clearly drunk and hormonally charged boys. This is interrupted by Sarah as she roughly pulls me away from Katie, shoves me to the floor, and begins to kiss Katie. Katie shoves her away in disgust and helps me back to my feet.
"What does she have that I don't have?" Sarah screamed at her.
Katie simply responds, "All the love in my heart, and she always will."
Sarah is shocked into silence. While everyone there to offer support begins to smile and smirk into Sarah's direction, I break down into tears. I feel many hands on my shoulders and back, one obviously my mother's.
I turn to look behind me and see my father, my brother, and stepsisters looking at me. Their expressions clearly say the following. We're here for you, Jessie. I then see Lily crying as she hands me a few tissues. I nod thanks and turn to my right to see the jury looking at me. The women look at me with tears in their eyes. From what I can tell they all seem to be thinking the same thing without actually saying it. That poor girl.
"No more questions," I hear my mother speak in a very confident tone.
The D.A. declines any more questions directed toward Sarah. She leaves the stand and the room as she tries to block her face from the camera snapping in front of her. Then the mother of the deceased man is called to testify, and the interrogation begins again.
"Ms. Adams, can you tell me about your son?"
"Sure, I can."
She gives the expected speech. You know the one. "He was a good man." Blah, blah, blah. "He never did anything like what they are saying about him." Blah, blah, blah. "He didn't DESERVE what Miss Sammler did to him."
"No further questions," the D.A. says smugly.
"I have a few questions for Ms. Adams." My mother's confident demeanor is still going strong. "Ms. Adams, how often did you talk to your son on a weekly basis?"
"About two times a week. We even went to church as a family."
"Your honor, I would like to enter the contents of this box into evidence against the late Kevin Adams."
The deputy hands the evidence to the judge. He looks at it then hands it back to the deputy, who hands it to my mother.
"Ms. Adams, can you describe what you see in this box?"
The shock on the face of Ms. Adams and everyone in the jury grows with every item she pulls out of the box. I actually start to feel bad for her as she pulls out proof of two DUI's and many pamphlets of hate propaganda, focusing on homosexuals. She then breaks down into tears.
"Are you saying you knew nothing about any of this?"
"No, I didn't know anything about it. I knew he had a problem with alcohol, but he was getting help. I was never notified of any accidents or arrests."
"No further questions."
Once again, the D.A. declines further questions. Ms. Adams calmly and slowly leaves the stand to sit back down. His case is falling apart right in front of him, but he's not finished yet. A mischievous grin appears as I'm called to the stand.
"Miss Sammler, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?"
"I do, you honor." My confidence is building quickly as I see the looks of my mother and everyone else in the room.
"Miss Sammler, can you describe everything that happened before and up to the confrontation with Kevin Adams?"
"Yes, I can. We were celebrating our one year anniversary with a delicious dinner and wonderful conversation. During which she gave me a promise ring."
"Anything else?"
"Yes, we decided to go someplace place more private to talk."
"Just talk?" the guy asked smugly once again.
"Objection, your honor."
"Overruled. Continue, Miss Sammler."
"Yes, we went to a secluded spot and talked about our future while we gazed up at the stars. That's when Mr. Adams confronted us. We could see the look of hate in his eyes, so we got back in the car and hurried back into town to get away from him."
"Hurried, huh? So then Miss Singer was driving recklessly?"
"Objection, your honor, purely speculative."
"Overruled."
"Well, Miss Sammler?"
"She was driving the recommended speed limit."
"Then how do you explain the serious damage done to both cars not to mention the light pole she hit?"
"He hit Katie from behind three times. Then she went to a spin, and we collided with the light pole."
"Had she been drinking at all that night?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, you can ask anyone at the restaurant. But he had. I could smell it on his breath as soon as I confronted him."
"So, if you can remember that, then you must have been able to know what you were doing before you attacked him. No further questions. I rest my case."
I start feeling sick to my stomach as my mother approaches me while I'm still on the stand.
"Miss Sammler, what was running through your mind between the times you and Miss Singer got back into the car and the confrontation with Mr. Adams at the scene of the accident?"
"That I couldn't believe I had already found the person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, and that person felt the same way."
"Do you remember the last things he said to you before you snapped?"
"Yes, I do. He said with a sinister look on his face that he hoped Katie was ok. That he was just doing his job to rid the world of sick people like me and Katie. Finally, that if it took something like that to be rid of a few more gays, then so be it."
"So that's when you snapped, Miss Sammler?"
"Yes, it is. The next thing I remember is being in the back of a police car in handcuffs."
"No further questions. I rest my case."
My mother smiled with pride as we waited for what was to come next.
"The court will reconvene in one hour where the jury will render a decision."