Chapter 42- The Trial Begins
Gasps filled the courtroom after Esme's plea.
"That bitch," Josslyn said.
Maxie shook her head and mumbled, "She is so selfish."
"Order! Order!" the judge struck the gavel. "Would the prosecution like to give an opening statement?"
ADA Arden stood up. "Yes, you're honour. These were pre-meditated acts that required a significant amount of planning. The defendant specifically targeted the victims with the intent to cause harm. Therefore, the prosecution suggests the defendant receive a full sentence." She sat back down.
"And the defense?" the judge asked.
Nora rose. "Yes, you're honour. My client is a young mother who is trying to build a life for herself and her son. And recent evidence suggests that my client is innocent and has been framed for the charges."
"Oh, what a load of—" Josslyn gritted her teeth.
"The defense suggests that Ms. Prince be cleared of all charges so she and her child can live a life in peace." Nora sat back down.
"Thank you, Ms. Arden, Mrs. Buchanan," the judge said. "Ms. Arden, would you like to call up your first witness?"
Arden walked around her desk. "Thank you, your honour. The prosecution calls Josslyn John Jacks."
Josslyn glared at Esme as she went up to the stand and got sworn in.
"Miss Jacks, can you please state before her honour and the people here today your relationship to the defendant?" Arden asked.
"Enemies," Josslyn said.
"Miss Jacks, tell me in your own words, what happened the night at the cabin?"
"I went to my former stepfather's cabin with Cameron, who was my boyfriend at the time, Spencer, Trina, and Esme. We were going to go skiing but Spencer had an injury in the past and said he didn't want to at first but then changed his mind at the last minute because Trina convinced him to try it again. Right off the bat, when we got back, Esme went to make drinks for us. She wanted us to play Never Have I Ever to get to know each other better. During the game, I noticed that Esme was trying to get Trina and I mad at each other because of our feelings for Cam. Afterwards, Trina wasn't feeling well so she went to bed and locked the door. I tried to talk to her and I realized that Esme was trying to manipulate our friendship. I called Esme out on it. So, Esme left the room for a while before she came out and demanded that Spencer leave with her. Spencer wanted to go check on Trina first to see if she was okay, but Esme told Spencer that Trina was asleep and they should just go. After they left, Cam and I stayed and talked about having our first time together. So, we went to the master bedroom and made love for the first time. Except we didn't choose the master bedroom on our own. Esme had been suggesting we use it."
"And what happened in the days following?" Arden asked.
"After that, Spencer was at Spring Ridge for 30 days and Esme tried to apologize for what she did during the game. I also found out that Spencer gave Trina a Valentine's Day gift. It was a book about her favorite artist. Esme found out about it and wasn't happy. During class at PCU, I wanted to talk to Trina, so I was about to leave to go look for her. But I stopped when everyone started laughing at something. I turned, and up on the screen, I saw the video of me and Cam making love being displayed for everyone to see. Cam and I both froze in shock and humiliation. We didn't even know we were being recorded. After that, Cam got up and unplugged the computer. After, we found out it went viral and we ended up on a porn site. Then both of us kept getting harassed through texts and messages."
Nora wrote a note on her pad about the underage drinking and Esme's apology.
Esme rubbed her throbbing temples.
Arden cleared her throat. "So, who do you believe filmed you and Mr. Webber in the bedroom and posted it online? And why do you think they did that?"
"It was Esme Prince," Josslyn said. "I know it was her because she was so jealous of Spencer and Trina's friendship. She wanted to frame her."
"Thank you, Miss Jacks. No further questions." Arden sat back down.
"Would the defense like to question the witness?" Arden asked.
"Yes, your honour." Nora moved to the floor. "Hello Miss Jacks. First things first, how old are you?"
"21."
"And how old were you during the night at the cabin?" Nora asked.
Josslyn sighed. "19."
"Okay, you do realize that the legal age to drink in the United States is 21, right? And that night in the cabin as you already stated that you had drinks. The five of you had already broken the law."
"Objection, your honour," Arden said. "This question is irrelevant to the charges against the defendant."
"Overruled," the judge said. "This seems very relevant."
"I will restate," Nora continued. "Miss Jacks, are you aware that you broke the law by drinking under the age limit?"
"Not if it wasn't our idea in the first place," Josslyn said.
"Well, you all gave your consent. And it was implied that no one refused which someone should have since you knew it was wrong. Moving on, do you have any proof that my client recorded you and your boyfriend at the time which you implied that it was her? Without proof it is all just here say, your word against hers."
"Yes and no. We didn't actually see Esme physically put the burner phone in the master bedroom. But she would have set up the video recorder and left it there. But it's more her reactions to everything and her attitude that tells me she did it."
"I rest my case. No further questions, your Honour." Nora sat back down in her seat.
"Would the prosecution like to call the next witness?" the judge asked.
"Yes, you're honour. The prosecution calls Trina Robinson."
Trina went up to the stand.
"Miss Robinson, please describe your first time meeting Miss Prince."
"Well, it was at Wyndemere," Trina said. "I was comforting Spencer after his father terrorized us. Esme showed up and asked Spencer where he thinks he's going without her. She laughed it off and kissed him in front of me. After Spencer pulled away, she asked him who his friend is. So, Spencer introduced us and Esme told me that she his girlfriend, which shocked me."
"And why were you shocked about that?" Arden asked.
"Because I didn't know that Spencer had a girlfriend at the time. Spencer never mentioned anything about Esme."
"Miss Robinson, in your opinion who filmed Mr. Webber and Miss Jacks in the bedroom?"
"Esme Prince," Trina said.
"Why do you think it was Esme?"
"She hated me because of my close friendship with Spencer at the time. She wanted me to stay away from Spencer. So, she wanted to frame me."
"Okay thank you, Miss Robinson. No further questions, your honour." Arden sat back down.
"Mrs. Buchanan, would you like to question the witness?" Arden asked.
Nora rose again. "Yes, your honour. Miss Robinson, you mentioned you were shocked to find out Miss Prince was Mr. Cassadine's girlfriend at the time because you didn't know he had a girlfriend. What was your relationship with Mr. Cassadine before you found out about Miss Prince?"
"Um, well, we were getting to know each other."
"Getting to know each other, how?" Nora asked.
"We were… flirting with each other. I had a crush on him."
"So, when you found out about Miss Prince, how did you feel about Mr. Cassadine?"
"Well, I still liked him, but I felt kind of hurt like he led me on," Trina said.
"And what is your current relationship to Mr. Cassadine?" Nora asked.
"He's my boyfriend," Trina said.
"So, in your opinion, do you feel that Miss Prince had valid reasons to feel jealous?"
Trina paused in thought. "Maybe."
"No further questions your honour." Nora returned to her seat.
"Ms. Arden, your next witness?" the judge asked.
"Yes, your honour," Arden said. "The defense calls Spencer Cassadine."
Spencer took the stand and got sworn in.
"Mr. Cassadine, please state your relationship to the defendant," Arden said.
"She's my ex-girlfriend and the mother of my little brother," Spencer said.
"And what was your relationship with Miss Prince like?"
"We had a complicated relationship to say the least. We were both at boarding school together in Europe and we clicked there."
"And whose idea was it to come to Port Charles?" Arden asked.
"It was both of ours for different reasons. Mine was to come back and make both my father, Nikolas Cassadine and Ava Jerome pay for wronging me. I figured out later that Esme came on her father's orders."
"And when did you meet Miss Robinson?"
"Well, the very first time I met her when I got back to town was at Ava Jerome's art gallery and I introduced myself as Victor then," Spencer explained. "I know it was a dumb thing to do but I thought I could hide my previous life. But it didn't work and I came clean later on. But yeah, at Wyndemere, my former family home, when she was comforting me after my father terrorized me and others was probably our biggest moment together."
"And at what point did you develop romantic feelings for Miss Robinson?"
"I knew when I first met Trina that she was something special," Spencer said. "But it was probably that same time at Wyndemere when I really developed serious feelings for her."
"Did Miss Prince suspect that you had romantic feelings for Miss Robinson?" Arden asked. "If so, how did she react?"
"Yes, she did and it wasn't good. She was jealous of us. Every time I had a close moment with Trina, Esme was there to witness it and interrupt or stop it."
"So, leading up to the cabin, did Miss Prince ever try to gloat to Ms. Robinson that you were hers and not Miss Robinson's?"
"Objection, your honour. Can we please get back on track? Ms. Arden is making Mr. Cassadine sound like an object, not a person. He was Miss Prince's boyfriend at the time and not Miss Robinson's. This is irrelevant."
"Sustained," the judge said.
"So, in your own words, what happened at the cabin?" Arden asked.
"Cam and Joss were ragging on me for not wanting to go skiing with the rest of them, since the last time I went skiing when I was at boarding school I broke both of my legs. But Trina convinced me to give it another try. And I did and we had fun. And when we were all back inside Esme had drinks for all of us and she did give Trina's to her last which was a little odd, but I didn't think anything of it at the time. And we played the getting to know you game with the drinks. Esme and I didn't stay the night like the other three did, we left not too long after. So, I didn't know what went on until later on."
"Who used which room and whose idea was it?"
"I think they said that Cam and Joss got the master bedroom because it was bigger. And it was Esme's idea. But we already left by that point, so I am just going by what Cam and Joss told me later. I'm sure it's true though."
"And who do you believe filmed Mr. Webber and Miss Jacks together?" Arden asked.
"Esme."
"And do you believe that Miss Prince is an on-going threat to society?"
Spencer looked right at Esme. "Yes, I do."
"No further questions, your honour."
"Mrs. Buchanan, do you have questions for the witness?" the judge asked.
"Yes, your honour." Nora took the floor and looked at Spencer. "Mr. Cassadine, you mentioned that you had feelings for Miss Robinson while you were dating Miss Prince, is that correct?"
"Yes."
"And is it true that you and Miss Robinson sneaked around while you were dating Miss Prince?" Nora asked.
"Yes."
"And you and Miss Robinson are in a relationship now, is that correct?"
"Yes, we are."
"Then would you say it's safe to say that Miss Prince was given good reason to feel threatened by you and Miss Robinson sneaking around?" Nora asked. "Would that not hurt Miss Prince? Was she not victimized in this situation?"
Arden stood up. "Objection, your honour. She's leading the witness."
"Sustained."
"No further questions then, your honour." Nora sat back down.
"Ms. Arden, your next witness?" the judge asked.
"Yes, your honour. I'd like to call up Mr. Cameron Webber."
Cameron went up to the stand and got sworn in.
"Please tell us in your own words what happened the night at the cabin," Arden said.
"Well after skiing, we returned to the cabin and changed into our pajamas. Joss, Trina, Spencer, and I waited in the living room while Esme made our drinks. Esme gave us each a drink and we played a game that Esme wanted us to play. But in the middle of the game Trina complained about feeling hot. I thought it was strange because the rest of us were fine. Then Trina left the room and Joss followed her. I went to find Joss after a bit, and she said that Esme was trying to manipulate her friendship with Trina. She said she wouldn't let Esme get away with it. So, she confronted her about it. Esme stormed off. Joss and I talked to Spencer about it. Then Esme returned and wanted to leave. Spencer wanted to check on Trina first to make sure she was okay, but Esme insisted Spencer leave with her. Trina was sleeping so Spencer left with Esme. So, Josslyn and I went to the master bedroom and slept together."
"Thank you, Mr. Webber. And what happened following that night?"
"Everything seemed to go back to normal at first, other than Spencer doing time in Spring Ridge. Then in class one day, the video of us came on the projection screen. It was very embarrassing and humiliating. I quickly got up and unplugged the thing. Everyone left and our teacher thought we did it, but we didn't know that we were being recorded. And it was worse when it showed up on that porno website. Later Trina got arrested. But we knew that Trina would never do that to us. Later, I got a call from the director at Lila's Kids saying I couldn't come back for the summer because of the video. And like Joss, I got so many messages critiquing me and such…."
"Mrs. Buchanan, would you like to question the witness?" the judge asked.
"Not at this time, your honour," Nora said.
Cameron returned to his seat.
"Next witness?" the judge requested.
"I'd like to call up Ms. Ava Jerome," Arden said.
Ava moved to the stand and smirked at Esme.
"Ms. Jerome, please tell us in your own words your experience with the defendant," Arden said.
"Esme stalked and harassed me alongside Spencer for several months," Ava said.
"And how did they do that?"
"They sent me creepy gifts and messages. And Esme torched my car."
"Why do you believe they did that?" Arden asked.
"To ruin my marriage to Nikolas Cassadine," Ava said. "And it worked."
"Why would they want to ruin your marriage?"
"Two reasons." She held up a finger. "One. Spencer couldn't stand me." She held up a second finger. "Two. Esme's father was obsessed with me and wanted me for himself."
"No more questions, your honour."
"Mrs. Buchanan, would you like to question the witness?" the judge asked.
"Not at this time, your honour."
Ava returned to her seat.
"Mrs. Buchanan, would you like to call your client's character witness?" the judge asked.
"Yes, your honour," Nora said. "The defense calls Mrs. Felicia Scorpio."