Chapter Six

Supreme Court Trial

Part 17

"How did you know the victim, Miss Sanderson?" Connie asked the witness.

"She was my best friend," Kelly Sanderson replied. "We were also roommates in college. We met in high school."

"What did you know, if anything, about Miss Sullivan and Mr. Slater?"

"They dated our junior and senior years of college. Eric had it bad for her," Kelly replied. "He had a bunch of pictures of them on Facebook…But when Gail broke up with him, he…he changed."

"What do you mean?"

"He started harassing her. He kept sending her angry messages on Facebook. He also called her all the time and left her angry voice messages."

"How do you know this?"

"Gail let me read the Facebook messages and listen to the voice messages."

"How did Miss Sullivan react to these messages?"

"At first, she was annoyed because he just kept doing it. She told me that she'd told him it was over between them, but obviously, he didn't listen. He just kept hounding her, and she got really freaked out. She told me she was really scared—that he was showing a side of himself she didn't even know existed. She said he sounded like a completely different man. Those were her exact words."

"Did she do anything about the harassment?"

"She told me that she was just going to keep ignoring him—that maybe he'd eventually take the hint and leave her alone. I told her she should contact the police and file a restraining order. I don't know if she heard me or not."

"People's three, Your Honor," Connie said, retrieving some papers from off the prosecution table. She showed them to the witness and asked, "Do you recognize these, Miss Sanderson?"

"Yes. They're printed-off Facebook messages from Eric to Gail."

"When Detectives Lupo and Bernard searched Miss Sullivan's apartment, they found these messages in a manila folder in her desk drawer. Did you know she was keeping these, and do you know why?"

"I had no idea she printed them off. When she let me read them, I read them off her laptop."

"Thank you," said Connie. "Nothing further."

Supreme Court Trial

Part 34

The victim's father was on the stand.

"My wife and I always encouraged our daughter to come to us whenever there was something wrong, whenever she felt she needed us. She didn't tell us right away that she was being harassed. She said she thought it was something she had to handle on her own, but we told her that wasn't true."

"So she eventually opened up to you?" asked Connie.

"Yes. She told us everything she told Kelly—all about the break-up, the Facebook messages, and the phone messages."

"How did she seem to you?"

"She was terrified, just as Kelly said."

"Did you give her any advice?"

"Yes. My wife and I told her she should change her phone number and delete her Facebook account. Also that she should file a restraining order."

"Did she do any of those things, do you know?"

"She didn't delete her Facebook account. She told us she blocked him from contacting her there. She said she changed her email address. She…she didn't…I'm sorry…"

He paused.

"It's all right, take your time," said Connie.

Mr. Sullivan sighed and then continued.

"The—the last time we talked to her, she still had the same phone number. She—she told us she was going to change it, but…obviously, she never got the chance."

He sniffed and wiped his eyes.

"Mr. Sullivan, did you know your daughter kept copies of the Facebook messages?"

"No."

"Did your daughter tell you anything else about the defendant harassing her?"

"She said sometimes she would have trouble falling asleep because she was so scared."

"Did she let you read the Facebook messages or listen to the phone messages?"

"Yes. All of it was despicable. That was why we urged her to go to the police."

"Did your daughter ever introduce you to Mr. Slater?"

"Yes. He came over for dinner a few times."

"What was your impression of him?"

"We thought he was all right. Most parents think no one is good enough for their child, but we honestly believed he was decent."

"Before the harassment and the break-up, did Gail ever complain to you about him? If so, what did she say?"

"She said before that she thought he had some jealousy issues and that he could be clingy at times."

"Did your daughter ever explain to you why she ended their relationship?"

"Yes. She said she was tired of his jealousy and insecurity. Those were her exact words. I also remember her calling him co-dependent, clingy, and possessive. She said they argued about all that, and that was why she dumped him. She said she'd had enough of it."

"Mr. Sullivan, did your daughter ever mention anything specific Mr. Slater did to make her form that opinion of him?"

"She said he called and texted her a lot—more than she thought was normal. She said he'd get irritated when she was too busy to spend time with him or when she wanted a night out with just her friends and not him. A couple times, she told us she thought he didn't give her enough space. One time, she said she felt smothered—that was shortly before she ended the relationship. I also remember her saying he would call her whenever she went out alone or with her friends."

"Did she say why?"

"She said she thought he was checking up on her to make sure she wasn't cheating on him."

"How did she react to that?"

"She said she found it insulting. She told us she had no desire to cheat, and we believed her. Gail was a good, forthright girl. My wife and I raised her to be honest…She said she was very offended by the fact that Slater thought she'd cheat on him."

"Did their relationship start out amicable and then go south, or were things always rocky between them, do you know?"

"They started out great. Gail said she was really happy. Then she started seeing Slater's faults…She told her mother and I that she'd wanted to end the relationship for a while, but she didn't want to hurt his feelings. Those were her exact words…"

"Thank you, Mr. Sullivan," said Connie. "Nothing further."

Langan approached the stand.

"Mr. Sullivan, your daughter has never broken you or your wife's trust before?"

"I never said that."

"So she has?"

"Yes. But I don't see what that has to do with anything here."

"Isn't it possible that she was exaggerating my client's behavior? Are you sure she never would've cheated on him?" Langan questioned silkily.

"I am sure she wasn't exaggerating," Mr. Sullivan said angrily, wiping his eyes again. "She would not have cheated, either. Like I told Miss Rubirosa—we raised her to be honest and to treat others with respect—and that is what she did."

"But you're her father—don't you think you could be biased? What if you didn't know your daughter as well as you thought? What if she actually did cause my client some emotional distress?"

Just as Connie stood up and said, "Objection, badgering!" Mr. Sullivan said, "You bastard, my daughter is the victim here! That son-of-a-bitch killed her!"

He nodded at Eric Slater.

"The People move to strike, Your Honor," Connie called.

"Granted," said McConnell. "The jury will disregard that last question and statement. They will be stricken from the record. Mr. Sullivan, I know you're distraught, but please calm down. And as for you, Mr. Langan, rein yourself in. Are you able to do that today, or do we have to reconvene tomorrow morning?"

"I am, Your Honor," said Langan, readjusting his suit jacket.

Mr. Sullivan took a deep, calming breath and released it slowly.

"Your Honor, the people request a brief recess so the witness can have a moment to collect himself," said Connie.

"You have five minutes," said McConnell, banging the gavel.

Mr. Sullivan, Mrs. Sullivan, Connie, and Allison left the courtroom.

"I'm so sorry, Miss Rubirosa," said Mr. Sullivan. "I hope I haven't ruined your chances of getting justice for our daughter."

"Mr. Sullivan, you lost your child, and Mr. Langan was out of line," Connie said understandingly. "It's all right."

"I think it's highly unlikely the jury doesn't sympathize with you," said Allison.

"My partner's right," said Connie.

"My brother is a lawyer in Vermont. He said it only takes one juror—one juror not to convict. They could deadlock," said Mrs. Sullivan. "Or worse, acquit."

"Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan, do you trust us?" Connie asked gently.

"Yes—yes, we do," Mrs. Sullivan said as her husband nodded.

"We promise you that we are trying as hard as we can to get Eric Slater convicted and sent to prison for a long time. Okay?" Connie said in a warm, reassuring tone.

Mrs. Sullivan nodded.

"Okay," Mr. Sullivan said softly.

Connie checked her watch.

"We're due back inside. Are you sure you're okay? Because I can request a recess until tomorrow," she said kindly.

"I think it's best if I finish my testimony today," said Mr. Sullivan.

Allison gave him a comforting pat on the back as she and Connie led him and his wife back inside the courtroom.

Mrs. Sullivan sat back down, as did Connie and Allison.

"Are the people ready to proceed, Ms. Rubirosa?" asked McConnell.

"Yes, Your Honor," said Connie.

Mr. Sullivan took the stand again.

"Proceed, Mr. Langan—but tread lightly," McConnell said sternly.

"Mr. Sullivan," said Langan. "Everyone makes mistakes, right? So isn't it possible that, as a flawed human being like the rest of us, your daughter could've gone behind my client's back? Done something to break his heart?"

"I suppose it is, but—"

"Thank you, Mr. Sullivan. Now, have you ever gone through a rough break-up before?"

"Well, before I met my current wife, I was married, and she cheated."

"What did you do, if anything? How did you feel?"

"Angry…hurt…betrayed—mostly hurt. I had the marriage annulled."

"You felt angry, hurt, and betrayed…Isn't it possible that that's how my client felt when your daughter ended their relationship?"

"Perhaps it is. But that wasn't my daughter's prob—"

"Nothing further."

Connie arose to redirect.

"You say your ex-wife's cheating made you feel angry, hurt, and betrayed, Mr. Sullivan?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Did you ever say or do anything to your ex to make her feel uncomfortable or afraid when you learned of her infidelity?"

"Absolutely not."

"Do you wish you had?"

"Absolutely not."

"How did you deal with the end of your marriage, with the end of you and your ex-wife's relationship?"

"I worked out, I read, I played golf…focused on my job, watched the Jets…"

"Thank you very much, Mr. Sullivan. No further questions."

"Any additional questions, Mr. Langan?" asked McConnell.

"No, Your Honor."

"Very well. The witness may step down."