Hello again everyone. Here it is the big court room drama chapter. Truthfully I am not so sure I did a very good job with this chapter. I will let you all know that I am not a lawyer nor do I know very much about the law other then, you do bad you go to jail. So please do not hate me for this.
I have however added a small gem in here for everyone who is willing to put up with my bad court room scene. Lets see if you can find it ;)
Jake sat in his wooden spinning seat nervous and eager for everything to be over with. He looked over his shoulder for a moment and saw his mom, dad and Chance sitting behind the small barrier. His dad had his arm wrapped around his mom's shoulders holding her close, while Chance had his arms crossed over his chest. When Chance looked at Jake there eyes met and the both smiled slightly to each other. Jake felt his stomach tingle at the amazing features of his friend and he had to fight to stay still in his seat. Sitting next to him was one of the lawyers that the police had provided. He was thankful for that since it meant that the female Kat was both a good lawyer and that his parents didn't have to pay for her. Further past the she Kat sat the jury, which was mixed of kats of both sexes and of many different breeds. None of them really looked like they wanted to be there and Jake understood that, getting jury duty was not something most people wanted.
On Jake's left sat Tank, unlike Jake he wasn't wearing a suit. He was dressed in normal black jeans and a black tank top. His face was set in a firm scowl which added to his panther like appearance. Jake saw Tank look at him from the corner of his eyes and was sure that he heard the him hiss angrily.
"Don't worry... everything will be fine."
Jake looked at his lawyer and nodded at her comforting words. Before he could answer the guard standing in the corner cleared his throat.
"All rise for the honorable Judge Myers."
As one everyone, which wasn't a lot, in the room stood up. From the side door a very large male Kat walked in. He moved slowly to the judges bench and with a mighty grunt sat down in the seat. It groaned under his weight and he sighed a little as he leaned back in it. He took a moment to put on a pair of wire framed glasses and he held up a folder.
"In the case of Clawson vs..." The judge pauses for a moment before going on. "... Tank... how does the defendant plea?"
Tank's court lawyer cleared his throat. "Not guilty you're honer."
Judge Myers looked Tank over for a moment before looking at the file again. "Very well... Lets get started then..."
As everyone took there seats, Tanks lawyer stepped out from behind his table and began making his opening comments about how Tank was innocent and how all the evidence is circumstantial. Jake got worried for a moment at the Tom's words but one look at the she kat next to him made him feel better. She was idly looking through some papers a small smile on her face as if the others words meant nothing to her. Once he was done he sat back down and she stood up. She didn't draw out her statement like he had. She gave the facts said a little about Tank's past run in with the law and sat down.
After that Tank's lawyer had Tank take the stand. Tank sat in the chair up front and the guard came up and had him raise his right paw.
"Do you swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you god?"
"I do." Tank said.
Tank's lawyer then stood close to the stand. "Now then... can you tell us just what happened last Friday?"
Tank nodded his head. "Yeah, I went to the school football game to support our team. I didn't get there until the third quarter but I watched the end anyway. After we won I left to go hang out with a few friends, I didn't stay long with them and started home. About half way there I stopped at the theater so that I could use the bathroom. I went in did my business and left for home. I stayed there the rest of the night."
His lawyer nodded. "I see... and at any time during the night did you see Mr. Clawson?"
"Yeah, when I was at the theater I saw him taking the stairs to the upper floor." Tank said.
"Did you follow him?" The lawyer asked.
"Not at first." Tank answered. "I went to the bathrooms on the main floor, but I saw that they where full so I took the stairs so I could use the bathrooms on the upper level."
"While you where in there did you meet anyone?"
"No I didn't... The place was empty." Tank replied.
"THAT'S A LIE!" Chance yelled standing up angrily.
The room filled with the sound of the judge banging his small hammer on his desk. "Order! One more out burst and you sir, will be held in contempt!"
Chance clenched his fists in anger but slowly sat down. The room was quiet for a moment before Tank's lawyer cleared his throat again.
"So the bathroom was empty when you got there?"
"Yes. I did not see anyone else there." Tank said looking directly at Chance.
"No further questions." He said.
Tank stepped down from the stand and his lawyer then called on a few of Tank's friends up to confirm that Tank had been with them that night. There was even a worker from the theater that said he saw Tank go into the downstairs bathroom before going up stairs. Jake's ears dropped a little, from the slight nodding of the it looked like a few where buying the story. Finally it was Jake's lawyers turn. The first thing she did was to have Tank come back onto the stand.
"Now then Mr. Tank..." She said her voice calm and smooth. "You say that you didn't see anyone else in the bathroom correct?"
Tank nodded his head. "That's right."
"And you also say that you saw my client go up the same steps you did is that correct?"
"Yes." He said a little firmer.
"And are you aware of any other exits from the top floor?" She asked.
"There are a few that lead to the four main theaters." Tanks said.
"So you must believe then that in the few moments that it took you to see that the lower restrooms where full and to get up the stairs to the upper bathrooms, that Mr. Clawson was able to do what ever it was he was doing and then exit back into a main theater before you saw him?"
"I guess so..." Tank said.
"That is interesting, because anyone who would go to that theater would know that the doors on the top floor leading to the main rooms are locked from the inside. Meaning that you can only exit out of them."
"I..." Tank tried but was cut off.
"So there for you must have run into Mr. Clawson at some point in you're little trip up stairs. Isn't that right?"
Tank's lawyer stood up. "Objection you're honor! She is badgering my client."
"Sorry you're honor." She said before the judge could say anything."Mr. Tank... you said that you went up there to use the bathroom is that right?"
"Yes, I had to take a piss." He said sarcastically.
"Watch the language son!" The judge warned.
"Well then..." She walked over to the table and picked up a piece of paper. "Would you like to explain how you're sperm was found on the floor of the bathroom stall? And would you also like to explain how it was also found not only 'on' but 'inside' Mr. Clawson?"
Jake whimpered a little as several of the people in the jury turned to look at him.
"Fine... Maybe I jerked off in the bathroom. That's not a crime." Tank said.
"No it isn't... but rape is." She said. "Now I am going to play something that will interest everyone."
She walked back over to the table and picked up a tape recorder. "This tape that you are about to hear came directly from the phone operator at the police station."
She pressed the play button and static began to play out. After a moment Jake's voice began to come out. Jake didn't realize it was his voice at first, it was high pitched and sounded weak. It wasn't until he understood the words that he knew that it was in fact him.
"911 what is you're emergency?" A female voice says.
"H... help... p... please." Jake's voice sounds out.
"Sir can you speak up please?" The other voice asks. "Sir are you still there?"
"P... please help." Jake's voice asks again. "Theater... upper bathroom..."
There is the sound of something hard sliding across the floor and then all that can be heard is faint grunting for a few minutes. Finally a new voice comes out. Its deep and angry sounding, and clearly belongs to Tank.
"Fuck... here it comes little slut."
The voice is loud enough for everyone to hear and is quickly followed by a loud snarl before she turns the tape off.
"Do you know whose voice that was?" She asks.
Tank was quiet except for a small grunt.
"No more questions." She said sitting back down.
Tank didn't wait for the judge to tell him to go back to his seat, he just stood up and marched over to it. His anger was clear to everyone. Jake's lawyer leans over to him a small sad smile on her face.
"I know that you probably don't want to do this, but would you be willing to take the stand and tell what happened?" She asked kindly. "I think that we have the jury on our side but it will help in the long run if they heard it from you."
Jake nodded his head slowly. "Why didn't he call me up? I thought he would have."
"Probably because he knows Tank is guilty and he didn't want to give you the chance to tell you're side." She stood back up. "You're honor I would like to call Jake Clawson to the stand."
Jake stood up and looked back at his parents and Chance for a moment before moving over to the stand. He winced as he pulled his arm from the sling and he agreed to tell the truth.
"Now Mr. Clawson... I know that this will be hard for you but would you be kind enough to tell us what happened last Friday night?" She asked.
Jake nodded his head and took a small breath. He began to tell about how he had gone to the football game, he added that it was an odd thing for him to do but he had gone because Chance asked him too. He then told how after the game he had waited for Chance to come out of the locker room so they could go to the movies. He explained the time that they had gotten to the theater and how they had went to there seats shortly after getting there. After that he told how he had left to go to the bathroom but that the ones on the main floor where full. Explaining that he didn't want to wait he told how he went upstairs to us the bathrooms there. He didn't go into detail about his using the bathroom, instead he went straight to him washing up.
He paused for a moment before telling them about Tank standing behind him when he turned around. He lowered his eyes as he began to tell them about the conversation he had with Tank, and he stopped all together when it got to the part where they talked about Tank finding him in the bathroom at school.
"Um... if its ok, can I skip this part of our conversation?" Jake asks.
his lawyer looks at him for a moment before nodding her head. "If that is what you..." She gets cut off by Tank's lawyer.
"You're honor! We can not ignore part of his testimony just to spare some feelings of embarrassment."
The judge nods his head. "I am afraid that he is right son... you agreed to testify there for you must explain every thing that has happened."
Jake lowers his ears and looks sadly his parents and Chance. He whimpers a little knowing that his friendship with Chance may end after this, not to mention the trust his parents have in him.
"A... alright..." He says.
Taking another deep breath Jake begins to slowly explain. "Tank started talking about another time he had found me in a bathroom at school... It was a few years ago and I didn't think that anyone would find me in there, but he did. I was in one of the stalls and he busted the door open and found me in there... masturbating..." Jake kept his eyes low not looking at anyone. "At first he only made fun of me for doing it in the school bathroom but that was until he saw... what I was doing it too."
"Go one Clawson!" Tank yelled standing up his face had an evil grin on it. "Tell everyone what a fag you are!"
The judge bangs his hammer. "Not another word or you will be removed from this court room."
Tank's smile never leaves his face but he does sit down. Jake whimpers and closes his eyes tightly.
"Nothing further you're honor..." Jake's lawyer says.
"I agree... I think that the court has heard enough." The judge says. "The jury will meet and come to there decision."
The judge stands and so does everyone else. Once the large Kat has left the room the officer walks the jury out and everyone else is left inside. Jake slowly makes his way back to his table not looking at anyone, his lawyer pats his shoulder gently.
"Jake..."
Jake knows that it was Chance trying to talk to him, but he can't bring himself to face his friend.
"Jake please..." Chance said again. "Talk to me."
Slowly Jake lifts his head to look at Chance and he is shocked to see only concern in the bigger Kats eyes.
"C... Chance..." Jake whimpers. "I am so sorry. I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid that you would hate me."
Chance takes a moment before hopping over the divider, there is a small ripping sound as a few seems in his suit bust but he doesn't pay attention.
"Jake... I could never hate you." Chance says kneeling down in front of the skinny Kat.
"But... I'm..." Jake whimpers a little. "How could you not hate me?"
Chance chuckles a little and leans forward putting a gentle confident kiss on Jake's cheek. "Because I am too."
Jake's head snaps up and he looks into Chance's smiling face. He opens his mouth to say something but nothing comes out but a croak, Chance chuckles and cups Jake's face gently. He is about to say something but the sound of the doors opening cuts him off. Sighing he moves back so that he is back on the other side of the barrier and he sits down in his seat. Jake's mind is so far gone that he almost doesn't stand when the judge come back in. He wouldn't have notice had his lawyer not pulled on his jacket.
Once the judge sits down so does everyone else. Jake has to force himself to pay attention to what is going on.
"Has the jury reached a verdict?" The judge asks.
An old looking male Kat stands up and nods his head. "We have you're honor." He unfolds a small piece of paper. "We the jury find the defendant; Tank. Guilty of Rape in the first degree."
"Very well, officer take the defendant into custody." The judge said. "Sentencing will be held on the 5th of next month, which is two weeks form now. Court is adjourned."
With a last bang of his hammer the Judge stood up and left the room. Tank was walked out in a pair of handcuffs a moment later he didn't say anything or try to get away. He let the officer walk him out quietly. Jake sank into his seat and sighed happily.
'Its finally over.' He thought
There it is, Tank's off to jail and everyone has some peace of mind finally. Again, I don't think I did a great job with this but I want to know what you all think. So hit me with you comments on the chapter. I want them all; good, bad whatever. DOn't be afraid to tell me a did a horrible job with it.
Until next time.