A/N -Another new chapter already. Now things are picking up.
Greg sat in the courtroom after having a quick pow wow with his lawyer about what he needed to stick to on the stand. There was no way Greg was going to forget what had happened that night. He kept thinking that his lawyer forgot what he did for a living, that evidence and facts were all he was use to dealing with. Those factors were in this favor, even though the emotional evidence rested more with the James' family. He only hoped this jury was not overly influenced by that emotional factor.
He was up on the stand after the depositions were shown from some of the others. As he was up on the stand he tried avoiding looking in the direction of Aaron James and his mother. Aaron James had already sent him a few deathly glances earlier on. As Greg spoke, he could still feel their eyes on him. He just kept telling himself it was almost over, he just had to finish telling his side of what happened.
After he wrapped up his testimony, the lawyers finished up with their closing statements. They were then adjourned while the jury deliberated. Greg headed to the courthouse cafeteria and grabbed something to eat. His lawyer was with him, but then dismissed himself briefly to take a phone call.
Greg was texting a message on his cell phone to Nick, updating him on the trail when he sensed someone standing near him. Aaron James, dressed in a suit that was obviously only bought for the trail, glared at him with a smirk on his face, but intense anger still in his eyes.
"So Killer, hope you are ready to pay up, although a few million dollars is still not enough to make up for killing my brother." Greg just stared at him sternly, not willing to dignify anything Aaron James said with any kind of response.
Aaron James moved a step closer to him. Greg did not even flinch, keeping his intense brown eyes directly on him. "What's the matter, Killer? Afraid I am right and you are going to get what's coming to you?"
Greg was fighting an inner battle trying not to say anything and hold his position. Aaron made a move towards Greg.
"Hey! You should not be near him." The voice interrupted Aaron James from stepping any closer. Scott Hill, Greg's attorney, came back and had seen his client possibly being threatened by the youngest James.
Aaron James turned around and saw the lawyer. He smirked at him and said, "Just wishing him good luck is all." He made a quick glare at Greg again and was off.
Greg closed his eyes for a moment, taking a few deep breaths. Aaron made him nervous, but more than anything this time around, he made him angry.
Scott Hill took the seat next to Greg. "Hey, are you okay, Kiddo? You look a bit pale?"
"I am fine, damn it! And stop calling me Kiddo," Greg yelled out, shocked by his own reaction. He saw his lawyer's equally shocked expression and immediately regretted the outburst.
"I'm sorry. It's just that…" but his lawyer cut him off before he could finish.
"Greg, I understand, trust me, I do. No need to apologize. Just never seen you get upset before. Anyway, I came back to tell you the jury has already come to a decision. We need to be back in the courtroom in fifteen minutes."
It was Greg's turn to be surprised. "That quick? Is that good or bad?" Greg's nerves were kicking back in again.
"Well, what it means is that they definitely all agreed with one side, just what that side is we will find out soon enough."
Greg took a deep, steadying breath. "Okay, give me a couple minutes here and I will meet you in the courtroom." His lawyer nodded, patting him on the back.
"Okay Greg." Mr. Hill headed off leaving Greg sitting alone again.
Greg looked around, making sure Aaron James was nowhere in sight. He looked back down at his cell phone, which he never finished completing his text message to Nick. He erased what he had previously typed, then decided to not send anything at all. He turned his phone off again for court and got up, ready to head to the courtroom where life would either deal him a break or a blow.
The jury was brought back into the courtroom, none of them making eye contact with Greg or the James' family. They took their seats and kept their eyes on the Judge, waiting for their instruction.
Greg watched intensely as the Foreman of the jury stood up, ready to give the verdict up. The Foreman gave the verdict to the bailiff to give to the judge to read. The judge looked over the paperwork and then proceeded to read the verdict.
"The Jury has found Greg Sanders, in the wrongful death of Demetrius James, not guilty." Greg felt a wave of relief wash over him but it lasted only a couple seconds. Aaron James and his mother both stood up and started ranting and raving about the outcome.
"He killed my brother and he gets away with it? How could you let him do that? We deserve something for our pain." Aaron James was raving at the jury and the judge. Mrs. James screamed out, "He ran my son down with no thought. Have you no hearts?"
Greg felt the pressure of what was going on around him and just wanted to run out of the courtroom, but no one could tell how he felt. He kept his expression straight, his eyes on the judge, waiting for him to do something.
"Order, order in this court!" He pounded his gavel. "I will not have an outburst like this. I am sorry to the James' family, but the jury has made its' decision and it is final. Please sit down."
Mrs. James pulled her son back down to his seat as she took hers also. Judge Cartwright dismissed the jury and waited until they were gone before dismissing the case all together.
The James' continued to brood while the Judge gave his final comments. Greg could tell without even looking to the side that the family was all staring at him. He waited for the judge to leave the courtroom before turning to his attorney and thanking him.
"Mr. Hill, thanks for getting me through this. I really thought it was going to go against me."
"Nonsense, Greg. You defended yourself in the line of duty and anyone could clearly see that. It is not like you did not suffer any. You were still beaten up and ended up in the hospital yourself. The jury saw that and that is why you won. Just be glad it is over." Greg smiled at him, but suddenly felt like it was never really going to be over as he glanced over at the James' family departing the courtroom. Aaron James had turned around just as Greg looked in their direction. Aaron James gave him a look that gave Greg a chill down his spine.
Greg turned his attention back to his lawyer to avoid any further eye contact with them.
"You ready to go and celebrate," his lawyer asked him. Greg forced a smile for him. "Yeah I plan on doing that, but first going to change out of his suit, then stop by the lab to tell everyone the good news."
"Well congratulations, Greg. You deserve this win. You're a good kid, I can tell. Take care." They shook hands and his lawyer left him alone in the courtroom. Greg wanted to wait a little while, hoping the press might disappear before he came out. He really did not want to talk to them about it, even though he came out fine in the deal. He knew that right now the James' were probably trashing him and saying he was getting away with murder.
Instead he decided to send a text message to Eve, as he promised her the night before he would let her know the minute he could. He would have called Nick or the other CSI's but figured it might still be too early for them. They might still be sleeping before the shift for the night. He would just call Nick later on and then stop by as he promised.
He finally got up and walked out into the courthouse lobby area. There were still a few lingering people in the lobby but no one paid any attention to him. He looked out and saw most of the press was still busy interviewing others outside. He decided to take the back way out after all and avoid them altogether. He was happy he won, but still not up to talking about it to complete strangers in front of TV cameras. Plus he did not want any confrontation with Aaron James, who he could still see out front, almost like he was waiting for him. Greg felt that chill run down his spine again as he made his way out the back door to his car to head home. Maybe it was not over as he had hoped it would be today.
Is he right, is it not really over yet? to be continued...
