A fresh start chapter 17 Stay Strong
The trial started at the beginning of the week. They set up the hanger bay to hold the hearing. It was a packed room. Marcus didn't like it. "You're making this into a circus," he argued with Jaha. "This isn't right," he said when he first saw the people filling in.
They had taken Bellamy back to lock up the night before. Miller stayed close to make sure he wasn't hurt again by the Albatross guards. And he argued when they shackled Bellamy. It was extreme and only made him look scarier. He had a steel collar around his neck, with chains from it to his wrists and then to his ankles. He was led into the room with a hood covering his head.
The crowd whispered and gasped when he was brought in.
"Marcus hit the roof when he saw it. "What's wrong with you people, you're trying to make him look like some horrible monster," he whispered to Rollins with infuriated tones. He looked around to see if he was heard. He went to Jaha. "This isn't right, you know the impression they're giving…You have to put a stop to this," Marcus argued.
"I don't like it either Marcus, I'll speak to Rollins about it," Jaha said
Marcus watched as one of the guards shoved Bellamy into a chair in front of the entire room. He was flanked by four armed guards, Miller was one of them. He grunted and pressed his arm protectively in the pain that the roughness caused his ribs. The guard violently yanked his hood off.
There were gasps in the room, as they finally got a glimpse of the killer. Whispers could be heard, some disappointed, hoping to see a grotesque monster they had envisioned by the stories they heard, only to see a frightened young man.
Octavia rose to her feet, ready to attack the crowd, but Raven and Clarke pulled her down and quieted her. "You'll only make it worse," Clarke warned "They'll lock you up and won't let any of us stay," Clarke said.
Octavia's eyes began to water, and anger fumed inside her gut. She felt utterly helpless.
Bellamy shook his head and he tried to raise his hands so he could shield his eyes from the brightness of the room, but the chains refused to let his hands reach his face. He squinted and tried to turn his head to the side, as his eyes got accustomed to the light.
"Marcus what are they doing?' Abby whispered to him "You need to stop this"
"Their doing their best to make him look dangerous," Marcus said shaking his head.
Bellamy was scared; Octavia and Clarke could see it in his eyes.
His friends all sat as close as they could, but they were still not close enough, and it tore Clarke up inside. Octavia struggled to control herself. She wanted to kill every Albatross crew member for this.
Marcus had held a meeting with Bellamy's friends earlier that morning and warned them all to use their heads. He told them, not to act out or it would get them kicked out and locked up, but he didn't realize the extremes that Rollins would go to for a conviction.
Marcus turned to Clarke and the others all seated behind him. He could tell they were ready to fight. He held his hand out signaling them to stay calm. He stood and walked over to Bellamy. Bellamy looked up at him and Marcus saw a mixture of fear and remorse. Bellamy had stopped fighting, the bunker had taken its toll and this was him finally giving up. "Hey," Marcus said. "It's going to be okay. Don't you give up," he said and he put a comforting hand on Bellamy's shoulder.
Bellamy nodded, but couldn't look him in the eye.
Marcus went back to Jaha and demanded to speak with him and Rollins outside the room.
Once outside Marcus hit the roof.
"Those chains need to come off," Marcus demanded "You want a fair trial, fine you got it, but nothing is fair about that in there," he said pointing towards the room.
"He is a killer;" Rollins argued "He's dangerous,"
"He's also innocent until proven guilty, and are you telling me in a room full of your guards, you worried about a young man, that they've already injured? You don't have faith in your own guards?" Marcus argued "Look he's not going anywhere. Chains like that…you're making a statement without giving him a chance."
Marcus looked at Jaha. "You know what I'm saying is right Thelonious. You're prejudging him, without hearing the case."
Jaha nodded. "Marcus is right Rollins. You've made your point," he said "Let's do this the fair way. No chains in the courtroom."
The men re-entered the room and Rollins told the guard to remove Bellamy's chains. Miller immediately stepped in and snatched the key from the guard. "I've got it," he said as he carefully removed the neck collar from Bellamy. Bellamy just closed his eyes. It was all he could do to keep from breaking down.
"Stay strong, don't you give up," Miller whispered to him and then he unchained his wrists and his ankles. The shackles and chain hit the floor with a loud clang. Miller gathered them up and carried them out of the way.
Bellamy was shaking. He couldn't help it, and it made him feel worse. He still had pain and cuts that were clearly visible on his face. The bruises were now yellow except for the new ones that were splashed in purple. The swelling on his eye was back to normal, and Marcus wished it wasn't, because it had looked so bad at first, no one would question his motive of self-defense.
Jaha stepped to the front of the room. "Attention everyone, Normally a trial would be held behind closed doors between just council members, but because of the severity of the crime in question, and the concerns of the people of Arkadia, we've decided on a public trial," he said to the room. "but I have to warn you, that any disturbance, will result in a clearing of the room." He said
"Bellamy Blake has been charged with first degree murder of Mr. Jeff Carter, Mr. Morton Lang, Mr. Joseph Nixon and Billy 'Red' Jones.
Mr. Rollins you may call your first witness.