When trust is questioned
Chapter 27
Judge Webb leaves the indictment once more and points out to Roger that he has waived his right to remain silent.
Roger turns to his lawyer.
"Mr. Stanton, how long have you been employed by Miss Bower at the Bower Agency?"
Roger replies briskly, "a few months..."
"So not a whole year. Has it become more intimate between you and Miss Bower in these few months?"
Roger smiles and looks at Angela.
Angela looks unsettled at Jury and then back at Roger.
"All right, Mr. Stanton, how far has this intimacy gone?"
Roger's smile gets even bigger, he casually runs his hand through his hair, "well, I didn't do anything she didn't want to do. We kissed, several times and of course we touched everything consensually," he smoothes his suit and his eyes sparkle.
"So you're saying that Miss Bower agreed to everything? Is that right?"
"Yes, that's correct," he tells us, nods.
Angela can't believe it ...how can you be so mendacious... She looks at Misses Strauss. Her gaze is lowered towards the ground.
"Mr. Stanton, please describe how it came about that you became violent towards Miss Bower, according to your statement?"
Roger grins and shakes his head "haha, no no she wanted it. I didn't hear a NO. We were very intimate until Mr. Micelli came and pulled me to the ground and hit me," he shrugs.
"Objection!" shouts Newman loudly, "Mr. Micelli is not facing charges here, I ask that this be deleted from the record!"
Judge Webb "upheld, this statement is expunged from the record".
Howard turns briefly to Angela and then to Misses Strauß. He next lets Newman do the floor.
He gets up and walks up to Roger.
"Mr. Stanton, my client has stated very clearly in her testimony that you assaulted her, that she were sexually assaulted, I would like to remind you that you are under oath. Am I right in assuming that they are not guilty of anything, that Miss Bower wanted it that way...?"
"Yes!"
"Liar!" says Angela suddenly louder.
Judge Webb bangs the pulpit with his gavel: "Miss Bower, please speak only when you are asked to do so!"
Angela looks to the side with an embarrassed look and remains silent.
"Sorry," she says quietly
Roger laughs softly. And runs his hand through his hair and then straightens his tie.
Newman takes the floor again to Roger.
"Mr. Stanton, the heavy burden of proof of the situation and according to the hospital report, the sexual assault on Miss Bower was of a violent nature." He takes two steps back and turns to the jury. "So we are supposed to believe that everything was consensual. That Miss Bower said yes to everything and then called the police and was then in the hospital. The hospital has found and documented serious injuries."
Roger looks over at her. He smiles at her in a macho manner. His gaze is piercing and greedy.
Newman looks at Roger again. And looks at him questioningly.
"How can it be that Miss Bower has suffered such injuries after such an act - which was supposed to be consensual? That she had to go to psychotherapy afterwards?"
Roger raises his eyebrow arrogantly, "Well, maybe she liked it a little harder...she was totally into me, we were all crazy about each other. How am I supposed to know why she was in the hospital? Exaggerated!" He shakes his head arrogantly.
Angela clenches her fists, she is so angry, she would like to hit him.
Newman looks at him, slightly aghast, looks over at Angela.
"Mr. Stanton, tell me about the day you attacked Miss Bower in the street, the day she was taken to a hospital. There was a knife stuck in her stomach, how do you explain that?"
Roger shrugs, "I just wanted to talk to her... But she was kind of... I don't know..."
"So I don't know? ...and then stabbed her ?"
"Objection!" shouts Howard loudly, "Conjecture."
Newman briefly raises his hand and looks at the judge, "Conjecture? Probably not, the evidence and testimony before the police clearly prove that Mr. Stanton stabbed. The knife had to be removed at the hospital and it had Mr. Stanton's fingerprints on it."
Judge Webb nods at Newman. "Rejected!" He looks down at Roger, "Go on!"
"Stabbed? What does it mean to be stabbed... No..."
Newman puts his hand to his chin. He walks up and down. "Mr. Stanton, once more for you—I'll repeat it gladly. The police seized the weapon after it was removed from my client's abdomen. There were your fingerprints on the knife. Mr. Micelli has testified to the police that he found you and Miss Bower at the scene of the crime at the time of the crime. He tore you away from her and the knife stuck in Miss Bower's belly...what do you have to say in your defense?"
Roger laughs out loud, "what can I say. I was drunk, I don't know. Mister Micelli attacked me for the second time... I wanted to reconcile with Angela" He winks at her obtrusively.
Angela gets sick, it almost comes up to her... She puts a hand in front of her mouth, takes a deep breath and then takes a sip of water from the glass in front of her.
Tony leans over to her, "Are you alright, Angela?"
She waves her hand "yes, yes, it's okay again".
Newman walks over to his table and picks up a stack of documents.
"Mr. Stanton, how did you know Miss Strauß?"
Roger looks over at her, then at Newman, he is confused that he is now being questioned about her. Then he scratches his head "from work"
"How long did you work for the company?"
"6 months"
"6 months...6 months and then they suddenly quit, why?"
Roger is visibly unsettled, he swallows "because I, I wanted to work somewhere else, which was closer to my house, that was easier for me..."
"It seems to me more like a kind of escape... after 6 months "
"Objection! There's a presumption here, Mr. Newman doesn't know why my client quit so suddenly, this could have happened for many reasons!" says Howard.
Judge Webb points the gavel at Howard "Instead of being given, please delete the question from the record!"
Newman continues." what relationship did you have with Misses Strauß?"
"She was my colleague. So the secretary of our boss," he says.
"Were there any seyual acts between the two of you before?"
"What does "before" mean?" Roger's brow wrinkles are clearly visible as he raises his eyebrows.
"Before the deed? Before the rape of Misses Strauß?" Newman asks.
Roger looks over at her again. Misses' Strauß has tears in her eyes. However, he doesn't pull a face.
"Nope," he says quickly.
"Nope? Mr. Stanton?" asks Newman in a serious voice.
Roger looks at him "NO, I didn't".
"According to Misses Strauß, you touched her indecently and became intrusive, you didn't let go of her even though she said no, and then you raped her."
"Did you know that Misses Strauß was pregnant at that time?" he asks, now a little louder. Roger's arrogant, cool nature visibly goes against the grain.
"How was I supposed to know...I didn't care. She wanted it too! Maybe her boyfriend was no good, I don't know!"
Misses' Strauß bursts into tears. Her psychological counselor sits next to her and tries to calm her down.
"tzzz..." Roger says softly and dismissively.
The jury looks back and forth between Roger and her. It gets more restless in the hall.
Newman flips back and forth between the pieces of paper he holds in his hand.
"According to the doctor's report, Misses Strauß lost the unborn child due to the rape. It also says that her uterus has suffered such damage afterwards that she is unable to ever have children again. It is clearly written that this was done through a violent sexual act."
Newman lays the document on Judge Webb's desk, saying, "I add this to the burden of proof."
Judge Webb nods.
"I don't know what you've got! I didn't do anything, the damn broads wanted it that way. I can't help it if they're only used to flowery sex!"
Judge Webb looks at him angrily from the side, "Mr. Stanton, please speak only when asked!"
Howard shakes his head slightly.
"Mister Stanton!" says Newman harshly, "Misses Bower was in the hospital after the knife attack, she was in a coma afterwards and lost a kidney. Misses Strauß has lost her child. Both women suffer extreme damage. Don't call them damn broads! The burden of proof is overwhelming, do you want to say anything more in your defense?"
Roger looks at the jury, then at Angela, then at Misses Strauss. He looks annoyed.
"I'm innocent, it's as simple as that!" he says cool.
Judge Webb looks at him : " You are dismissed from the witness stand "
Roger stands up nonchalantly, walks over to his table, looking over at Angela again.
She's, has tears in her eyes and can't believe how a human being can be like that.
"Mr. Howard, the word is now addressed to you!"
Howard stands up and makes his final plea.
"Dear jurors, I request a more lenient sentence on the grounds of insanity. My client testified that he was drunk at the time of the crime-before. Alcohol was actually found in his blood. As a result of the burden of proof on the charges of the rape of Misses Strauss and the attempted murder of Miss Bower, I inherited for a minimum period of time in prison for up to 5 years and consequently released on parole. Thank you," Howard sits down next to Stanton again. This one rolls his eyes.
Judge Webb addresses Mr. Newman, "Would you please read your closing argument now.
Newman nods, "Dear jurors and present here in the courtroom. Mr. Stanton may be a nice guy at first. A good colleague, a courteous man who would like to please women. But underneath this façade is an unpredictable, type of man. Who wraps women around his finger, seduces them until he gets what he wants. And if he doesn't get that, he just takes it. Just like Misses Strauß. She had a wonderful life before, because she and her partner were expecting a child. A wonderful event. Beautiful- until this was suddenly taken away from her. She was so badly abused that she lost the baby. Her uterus has been so damaged that she will never be able to give birth again. Never again! That must be incredibly tragic for such a young woman. All dreams were simply destroyed that day. From a man who only wanted one thing. Sex. And he didn't stop, NO! He shamelessly took advantage of Miss Bower, who had hired him and trusted him. She had suffered not only physical injuries, but also psychological injuries. And yes, it's true that Mister Micelli rushed to her aid in her time of need. Thank goodness, otherwise the same thing would have happened to her as Miss Strauß! And when Mr. Stanton was turned away when it came to another assault from Miss Bower, he pulled out the knife and stabbed. Just like that. He didn't think about what could happen to her, that she would fall into a coma in the hospital afterwards, that she would lose tons of blood, almost died. To make matters worse, she had to have a kidney removed." He walks up and down, looks briefly at Angela and then back at the jury.
"Due to the heavy burden of proof and significant damage to my client and Misses Strauß, I requested a life sentence, a serious case and a certain amount of compensation to be paid to both of the plaintiffs."
Newman is done with his plea. The room is quiet. Tony has tears in his eyes and has his hand on Angela's shoulder. Then everyone starts whispering, you notice how agitated everyone is.
Judge Webb speaks louder, "I ask for silence! The court and jury retire for deliberation. We will meet here again tomorrow at 9:30 a.m." He bangs the hammer on the table.
Newman still speaks to Angela, "Miss Bower, don't worry, it went well. The jury will deliberate and decide on his conviction."
Tony stands up and shakes Newman's hand "well done." Newman nods at him.
Everyone leaves the hall one by one. Roger dares to take one last look at Angela - he glares at her evilly, but Angela doesn't let that irritate her this time and leaves the room with her lawyer and Tony.