“Why will you not speak in your own defense? They’re going to lock you up and weld the doors shut if you don’t speak, you are aware of this right?”
“Yes I am actually, but that changes nothing...”
“How can you say that? Surely the jury will have some sort of compassion if you...”
“...If I what? Tell them I heard a voice in my dreams? A voice that led me to that old farmhouse? A voice that soothes my weary soul on the loneliest and coldest of nights?”
“Yes. If you tell them what happened...then...”
“Then what? Jonathan. I killed six men with my bare hands to get to that voice and…”
“...And you rescued her didn't you?”
“That’s so not the point. I made a promise. One I cannot break, even if it means my death. You know that. I just…I...”
“...You have to tell them. You simply must.”
Jonathan was a very well versed defense attorney. He was younger then most, but he had 12 successful trials behind him in his four years thus far. However, this one he thought to himself, this one he was destined to lose for certain. As he stared at his client wondering why…why after 30 minutes of almost yelling at him, he didn’t realise yet, that if he didn’t speak on his own behalf, he would surely rot in a jail cell somewhere. After all, his client was being charged with six counts of second-degree murder and Jonathan was desperately trying to plead self-defence, but his client needed to speak to accomplish this ...something...something his client refused to do for some strange reason.
Jonathan then held his breath as the bailiff called the recess to an end. And as he and his client walked towards the courtroom doors again, he wondered what the next few minutes of their lives were going to be like.
“All rise.” The bailiff said as the judge re entered the courtroom.
“Has the defendant decided to speak on his own behalf councilor?” He asked raising an eyebrow.
“No, I am afraid he still refuses your honor.”
“And he is aware of what this means to the case outcome, does he not?”
“Yes your honor, he is very well aware.”
“Then, I have no choice but to send the jury in to deliberate his fate...”
“Umm, excuse me your honor?” The jury foreman interrupted as she stood up. “Forgive thus unorthodox interruption, but, hmm, the jury and I would like to know if it is possible to have a question asked to the defendant?”
“Madame foreman, yes, this is an extremely unorthodox request indeed. The defense and the prosecution have both indicated that...”
“Yes your honor.” the foreman spoke as she politely interrupted the judge. “But sir...the jury and I do not feel we can come to a verdict unless we know the answer your honor.”
As everyone in the courtroom began to whisper among themselves, the judge called the bailiff to the bench
“Madam foreman, please write your question down, and pass it to the bailiff.”
Simply nodding she did so and passed the note to the bailiff as he arrived
Trying to withhold his smile as he read it, the judge called for both councils to approach the bench.
After each lawyer read it and had no objections, they quickly returned to their seats, and awaited to question be read aloud
“Will the defendant please rise.” the judge commanded as the defendant humbly did as instructed.
“Madame foreman, and the rest of the jury would like to know the answer to this question.” The Judge began, “And I remind you, you are still under oath.” He added as he glanced at the defendant over his glasses.
“I understand your honor.” Was the only reply.
“Do you keep promises?” the judge asked glancing at the defendant again.
“Your honor?”
“Answer the question please.”
“I would rather die, then break one.”
“Very well.” The judge said, “You may be seated again.”
When Jonathan’s client sat back down, he looked to his attorney and wondered what that was all about. Then for the briefest of moments, he looked towards the person he had rescued from the old abandoned farmhouse a few months earlier. She simply smiled at him, as he turned his head back towards the judge who was now speaking again.
The judge was instructing the jury of their duties, and requesting that they go and deliberate a verdict.
Moments later, the jury the left, the judge left, and Jonathan and his client walked to the Defense attorneys office, and waited for the jury to return.
While they were there, Jonathan told his client to think long and hard about what was about to happen to him. Jonathan truly believed, they were going to return a guilty verdict, but there was little he could do about that fact now.
As minutes turned to hours, Jonathan looked at his client as the judge’s final question rang through his ears for some reason “Do you keep promises?”
Wearing a perplexed look, Jonathan then took out his notes from the first day he had met his client, and re-read them to himself.
“On any dark and lonely night, my heart beats to a distant light, a distant calling. Then standing not alone in a dream, I hear the voice again. The voice…I know so very very well. Only that voice knows the truth. The hidden pain, the hidden fears, and only that voice knows…knows when to call, when to come, and when to rescue me from myself and the world I now find myself trapped in. On a night such as this, when the moon shines brightly that voice…”
“Wait…what…rescues me?” Jonathan thought to himself as he glanced at his client once again.
“There is no way that girl killed those men…no…no…that’s…that’s just not possible.” he thought to himself as he now began staring deeply at his client. “She…she simply could not have.”
“Is there a problem Jonathan?” Jonathan’s client asked somewhat confused as to why his attorney was staring at him that way.
“Huh?” Jonathan replied as he snapped out of his trace-like state, “No…there isn’t. I’m sorry. I was just thinking about something as I was re-reading my notes from the first day we met.”
“And?”
“And…well…a strange thought crossed my mind that’s all.”
“Ah yes of course. Some thoughts and some things are indeed strange Jonathan, and yet some…are magical and very clear in ones mind when they are needed to be.”
“…”
