A Trial - part 2

Gale stared at his palms. He chuckled to himself. He stared right up to the crowd and stood up. “Thank you, Your Honor.” He bows his head a little in her direction. His voice boomed as he continued. “Now, what you have described was eerily accurate. However, it is not the whole story. The goons who called themselves the police did catch me in the most peculiar situation, but I can assure you that I did not kill Ms. Odette.” A few scattered scoffs were heard. Gale ignored the sounds and moved on.

“I did find Ms. Odette’s body that day. When I spotted her from the bridge, I rushed in to aid her. Her pink dress stuck out against the dirt, so she was easy to spot. However, I found her in the very same state as when the police found her. The knife laid right next to her body. I picked it up to examine it. The shock hindered me from connecting the dots as quickly as the detectives did. Next thing I knew, a couple screamed at me, some words, but mostly just noise. By the time I completely understood the predicament I was in, I was caught, handcuffed, and stuffed into a jail cell. That is my story.” He shrugged and sat right back down.

The crowd remained silent, dumbfounded at the confidence of Gale’s speech. The judge looked at him and then turned back to the room. “Well, thank you for your defence Mr. Shay. Mr. Calvert, your remarks.” She gestured at a middle aged man, sitting in the front row. His gray suit almost camouflaged him with the crowd if it wasn’t for his fire red hair to help him stand out. He glided over to the high bench. He took his bow and began to talk.

“Thank you, Your Honor. Today, I come here to state that Mr. Shay is guilty of the charged crime. As Mr. Shay kindly admitted, he was on the scene of the crime. He was over the body with the weapon in his hand. How did he get into that position? Of course, any civilian will run towards the body to understand what has occurred. However, Mr. Shay was not found near the body. He was found over the body. He wasn’t found trying to contact the police or call for help. He was found with a weapon in his hand, finishing the job he had started. The actions of Mr. Shay explain themselves. He is guilty of the murder of Odette Bonilla. That is all Your Honor.” Mr. Calvert took another bow and sat back down.

The judge nods at Mr. Calvert. “Thank you for the counter argument. Now, the state will call on the various witnesses to elaborate the circumstances surrounding this case.”

Fourteen witnesses were called for the case. The flutters of cameras and their flashes trickled around throughout the trial. Each with their own variation on the events that occurred at the river bank. However, they all ended with the same conclusion. Gale was guilty of the murder and his fate was sealed the moment the police caught him. Realizing this, Gale became more and more fidgety in his seat. He started to rub his handcuffs together, abrasining his skin underneath. Once the last witness was done giving her story, the judge raised up from her chair. The shutters of the cameras increased drastically, capturing the final moments of Mr. Shay and the trial.

“The court has listened and the court has decided.” The judge stood there, tall, soaking in the pressure, tension, and excitement radiating throughout the room. Chairs creaked as people leaned in, anticipating the judge’s next words. Mr. Shay held his breath and remained still in his seat. She used these final seconds to mull over her thoughts and prepare their execution. “The state hereby declares that Mr. Shay is --”