Chapter Twenty-Three: If It Pleases the Court
Everyone shows up for day one of Lucas' trial. Many businesses had to temporarily close because the vast majority of both their employees and patrons were spending their time at the courthouse. Mickey makes his opening statement, throwing around the Horton name, talking about Lucas as though he were an upstanding citizen but not having many specific examples to give his words any credence. Mr. Smith then makes his opening statement. He lays out that the victim IDed his shooter as Lucas Roberts, that Lucas was the owner of the gun and that his fingerprints were all over it, that his judgment was clouded by alcohol and that he had threatened the victim earlier that very night, in front of many of the same people now sitting in the courtroom. All the spectators turn to one another and murmur over this. "I'd like to call my first witness, your honor," states Mr. Smith. "Please come forward and be seated." The witness sits, unbuttons his suit coat, and leans forward slightly. "Please state your name for the record, sir." Mr. Smith tells him. "My name is Elvis DiMera."
"Now, Mr. DiMera, please recall the events of the night in question to us." "Well, I attended an engagement party for Mr. Roberts and Samantha Brady. At that party Mr. Roberts told me he was going to get me and that he'd see me in hell. Naturally, I left after that. I drove around for awhile, and wound up at the pier." "What were you doing at the pier, Mr. DiMera?" "I was skipping stones," EJ replied. "I'm sorry, you were doing what?" "Skipping stones," he repeated a little more slowly, "I find it very meditative." "What do you mean by that?" asks Mr. Smith. EJ chuckles slightly. "It's calming." "So, you went to the pier to calm down. Then what happened?" "Then I saw Mr. Roberts walking up to me. Well, walking, more like staggering. Anyway, I was about to speak to him when he pulled out a gun and shot me." Everyone in the seats gasps collectively, then break out into excited chatter. Judge Abrams brings the courtroom to order. Mickey takes his turn questioning EJ. "Now, Mr. DiMera, are you certain it was Lucas that shot you?" "Yes," he replies, slightly puzzled as they had already covered that. "No further questions, your honor," Mickey states, taking his seat. Jack looks over at Mickey from his seat next to Jen. "Wow," he thinks, "it's really time for the old man to retire."
"Mr. Smith, you may call your next witness."
"Your honor, the court calls Samantha Brady to the stand." Sami takes her seat in the witness box and states her name for the record. "Ms. Brady, please recall the events of the night in question to us." "Um, it was the night of our engagement party." "Who is 'our', Ms. Brady?" asks Mr. Smith. "Myself and Mr. Roberts," she clarifies. "He had an altercation with Mr. Wells at the party. He tried to pick a fight, and then he threatened him." "What set him off, Ms. Brady?" "He, um, overheard me telling Mr. Wells that I was in love with him." "And yet, you were celebrating your engagement with Mr. Roberts, correct?" Sami blushes slightly and averts her eyes. "Yeah, well, it's a tangled web that's woven in the heart, Mr. Smith." When she looks back up she has tears in her eyes. "EJ left the party. I stayed with Lucas to help him home. He and I got into it in the car and I pulled over because I was too upset to drive. He got out, I got out after him. I heard a gunshot and then I came upon Lucas and EJ." "Did you see Mr. Roberts shoot Mr. DiMera?" "No," she says truthfully, "I didn't." "Did you see anyone else on the scene?" Again she replies in the negative. "No further questions, your honor," Mr. Smith finishes and gives the floor to Mickey. "Now, Sami," Mickey begins, "you didn't actually see Lucas commit this crime, correct?" "Yes, that's correct," Sami wonders if he's going to ask again all the questions she answered when they were asked just moments ago by Mr. Smith. "Lucas is a man you've known for many, many years. You've loved him and shared a home with him. Do you think he was capable of shooting EJ Wells?" Sami takes several moments to look at her hands before replying. "Honestly? Yes, I do."
Marlena took the witness stand and stated her name for the record, "Dr. Marlena Evans Black." "Now, Dr. Evans, in your professional opinion, what can you say of the mental state of Mr. Roberts? Do you think he may have suffered from so-called temporary insanity?" "Honesty, Mr. Smith, I think any man that shows interest in my Sami-girl is suffering from some sort of insanity." This comment brings some chuckles from some of the spectators but doesn't do much to tickle Mr. Smith's funny bone. "Dr. Evans, please, the matter at hand?" "Oh, well, yes," Marlena says, lacing her fingers together, "Mr. Roberts doesn't seem too crazy, but he does have this strange obsession with his mother. If I didn't know any better I'd almost say he's in love with her." "But, Dr. Evans, don't you know better? I mean, you are the doctor that performed the psych evaluation, right?" "Interesting," Marlena says, staring off at nothing. Mr. Smith clears his throat. "Um, okay, no further questions."
Finally, Lucas takes the stand. He is asked to describe in his own words what happened the night EJ Wells was shot. "Well, I found out my fiancé was in love with this guy at our engagement party. I got really upset and got drunk. Sami was driving me home and we got in a fight because I wanted her to forget about him and she wouldn't. I got out of her car and wandered along the pier. Then I saw him, Wells, just standing there with that insufferable smirk on his face. So, I shot him."