Title: Guilty or Not Guilty

By: greygoose70

Summary: Castle is arrested and charged with the murder of Maya Santori. Disclaimer: Own nothing associated with the network or the show.

Chapter 1

AN: Another take on S3:E1

Day 1, October 21, 2010, 10:30am

"Richard Castle, you are under arrest for murder. Turn around," Detective Beckett ordered as she holstered her weapon and pulled out her handcuffs.

Castle did as Beckett requested and took one last look at the dead woman lying on the bed wondering who did this. He then shifted his gaze to the three detectives, his supposedly friends, and seeing nothing but disgust and distain on their faces. Well that just ended.

Beckett handed Castle over to Ryan and Esposito instructing them to haul his ass to the precinct and process him, then place him in interrogation. She then put in a call for a medical examiner, a crime scene unit and uniformed officers to keep the scene secure.

The precinct, 12:15pm, Interrogation room one

Detective Beckett pushed open the door to the interrogation room that housed her suspect, Richard Castle saying, "you've been advised of your rights, Mr. Castle," sounding more like a statement than a question. Castle just nodded his head. "And do you understand those rights as they were given to you?" She added, taking the chair across from him and sitting. Again Castle just nodded. "You do realize you're being charged with murder," she said. Another nod. "Why did you kill her?" she asked placing a photo of a dead Maya Santori down in front of him.

Castle took a brief look at the picture, then closed his eyes for a second. Beckett observed Castle's reaction to seeing the picture and thought he knew her, maybe she has this all wrong, maybe he didn't kill her. "Excuse me," she said then got up and left the room.

Ryan rushed out from the observation room to greet Beckett as she came out. "Is something wrong, Boss?" he asked.

"I don't know," she answered, "I laid Maya's picture in front of him, asked why he killed her. I saw him close his eyes for a moment, then when he opened them, I saw a sadness, then it was instantly gone, and his eyes turned cold ad gray. Look Ryan, I know we are all upset with Castle for his actions last May, but do we really think he's guilty of this. What if we're wrong?"

Ryan notices the wetness beginning to form in Beckett's eyes, the unsureness in her voice. "Kate (Ryan almost never called Beckett by her given name). You don't need to do this. Tell you what, let's put Castle back in holding and wait for Lanie's and CSU's reports, see what they say. If they come back negative then Javie and me will go in and talk to him, okay."

"Okay," Beckett replied then turned and headed for the women's' restroom.

4:30pm

Beckett sat at her desk reading the M.E. report. Lanie was placing the time of death around 9:00am, the cause of death a single gunshot wound to the chest directly to the heart. The report also stated the victim had been bound in a spread-eagle fashion, but there had been no sexual contact. There was a redness to her face indicating she had been hit several times in the face.

Beckett flipped to the next page, CSU's report. Castle's clothes, in particular, the right arm sleeves of both his shirt and jacket tested positive for gunshot residue. The thirty-eight-caliber bullet removed from the body matched the test round from the weapon retrieved at the scene. The fingerprints on the weapon matched those of Richard Castles.

Beckett had no choice now. Based on these reports Castle was guilty, so she did the only thing she could do, she filled out the form to have Castle moved to the Manhattan Detention Complex, commonly referred to as The Tombs, where he would be incarcerated, awaiting arraignment. She signed the order and faxed it off to the appropriate section. She then gathered up the reports from Ryan and Esposito, attached them to hers along with those from the M.E. and CSU, put them in the case folder and took them to Captain Montgomery.

Mongomery took the folder, opened it up and scanned through the documents then applied his signature to the folder.

Day 3, October 23, 2010, 10:00am

Detectives Beckett, Esposito and Ryan were seated in the third row of courtroom number three of the Manhattan Criminal Courts building awaiting the arraignment of Richard Castle. The first case was a vagrancy charge against a Walter Pinder, known in the streets as Westside Wally. When Judge Markway asked how he plead, he answered, "Guilty." Judge Markway sentenced him to five days in jail. The second case was the one they were waiting for. As the bailiff brought Castle out Beckett placed her hand over her mouth and mumbled "oh my god." Castle was shackled in leg irons, his wrist in handcuffs secured to a chain around his waist.

Castle saw the three detectives, gave them a hateful sneer then took his spot in front of the judges bench next to his defense attorney, Aaron Thorgood. Thorgood is reputed to be the best defense attorney in all of Manhattan, as well as the most expensive.

Judge Markway gaveled for order in the court, then began speaking. "Case number K8954951M for the charge of first degree murder against Richard Alexander Castle. I also see a second charge for inciting a riot. How do plead Mr. Castle?

"Not guilty on the murder charge your Honor, and self-defense on the incitement charge."

"Very well, let's see when these court dates can be scheduled." After a few minutes Judge Markway spoke again. "As for the incitement charge, I'll see you in my court on October 29, 2010, at 2:00pm. Is that agreeable to you counselor."

"Yes your Honor," Thorgood replied.

"Good. Now for the first degree murder charge. That we can schedule for March 2nd, 2011, in front of Judge Marvin Sandecker. Is that also agreeable to you Mr. Thorgood."

Thorgood flipped through his planner before addressing Judge Markway, then said, "yes, your Honor, very agreeable."

As the bailiff came to escort Castle off Judge Markway shouted "and take them damn chains off right now. He's a human being, not a wild animal."

The bailiff instantly removed the chains and shackles, then led Castle out of the courtroom.

"Did you see his hands, they were wrapped in gauze," said Espo when they had exited the courtroom

"He was jumped by four inmates," the three detectives heard someone behind them say, they turned around to see Counselor Thorgood standing there. "Two of them he put in the infirmary with broken bones. Another he kicked so hard the man will probably never produce children. The guards finally pulled him off the last one just before he was getting ready to snap the man's neck. I will be able to get the charge for incitement dropped, have plenty of witnesses that saw the whole thing. The murder charge will take a little more work though." Thorgood then bid his good-day and left.

March 2nd, 2011, 11:00am

Detective Beckett looked around the courtroom as the jury was led out. Those who just came to watch exited to get some lunch, the rash of reporters going to call their papers or TV stations. So far the trial has gone as expected. Lanie was the first to testify, which took about forty-five minutes, second to testify was John Edison, the lead CSU technician who told the jury that the bullet that killed the victim was from the same weapon that Mr. Castle was holding when arrested. He also testified to finding gunshot residue on Mr. Castles clothing. Then there was a neighbor who testified to hearing a gunshot coming from the victims apartment. She received extensive cross examination from the defense counselor. This brought Beckett to the here and now, she would be taking the stand right after the break.

2:00pm

"I now call Detective Katherine Beckett to the stand," the prosecuting attorney, Patience Nathers, said.

Beckett took the stand, was sworn in, then sat down. Assistant District Attorney Nethers went right to work asking Becket to describe the events that occurred on the morning of October 21st, 2010.

Beckett turned to face the jury, related to them exactly how she and her team were directed to the Santori apartment, how they found the place in shambles, how she discovered that there was another person in the apartment, then how she and her team stormed the bedroom and finding Mr. Castle there with a gun in his hand.

"No further questions your Honor," Nathers said.

"Cross, Mr. Thorgood," Judge Sandecker asked.

"No questions your Honor," Thorgood replied.

"The prosecution rest, your Honor," the Assistant District Attorney announced as Beckett stepped down and returned to her seat.

"Are ready Mr. Thorgood," the Judge asked.

"Yes your Honor. The defense calls Mr. Richard Edgar Castle to the stand."

Castle rose from his seat and walked to the witness stand. The bailiff swore Castle in, then Castle sat down in the chair provided. "Please state your name for the court," the bailiff said.

Castle turned to face the jury and said, "Agent Richard Alexander Rodgers, of the Central Intelligence Agency, also known as Richard Edgar Castle, bestselling author."

End of Chapter 1