Murder at the Washington Tribune by Margaret Truman

Author:Margaret Truman
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Mystery
ISBN: 9780345486035
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Published: 2005-10-25T00:00:00+00:00

• • •

Michael Wilcox was charged in the murder of Marjorie Jones. The elected county prosecutor added rape to the initial charge, but an autopsy indicated intercourse had not taken place. Her hymen was intact. Attempted rape was a possibility, but it was decided that adding that charge would only muddle the case for murder in the first degree. A public defender was assigned to represent Michael, who’d confessed to the crime his first night in custody. His attorney came to the house shortly after being assigned and met with Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox. Joseph had been told to stay in his room, but he sneaked out and lay at the top of the stairs while they conferred downstairs.

“I’m afraid there’s not a lot I can do for Michael,” the attorney said. He was an older man who attended the same church as Michael’s parents. “He’s confessed to the murder, and all the evidence supports that confession.”

“Do they want to kill him?” Mrs. Wilcox asked.

“Yes, ma’am. The prosecutor is calling for the death penalty.”

She closed her eyes and prayed silently.

“The crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain,” her husband said aloud, citing Isaiah’s prophecy about the coming of the Messiah. “My firstborn has brought a plague to this Christian house.”

“I understand,” the attorney said, “but we have a legal problem here. I know the two of you well. You are hard-working, decent people who follow the word of the Lord and practice His moral teachings. But the law doesn’t always recognize such truths. What we must do—what I must do—is to try and spare Michael’s life. He was obviously not of his right mind when he committed this act. The young Jones woman evidently had questionable moral principles. Michael has told me of seeing her undressing in the window of her own bedroom, enticing and corrupting impressionable young men like your son.”

“A harlot!” Mr. Wilcox said with finality.

“Perhaps not that,” said the attorney, “but someone who must be, at least, partially culpable in this unfortunate incident. I know that your fine son has had many troubles in his young life, at school, in the community. His anger and aggressiveness is well known in Kankakee.”

“He’s been a bad seed,” the father offered. “I pray, most merciful Father, to be forgiving of me for bringing such a soul into Your world.” He said it to the ceiling.

It became silent downstairs, and Joseph crawled to the very edge of the stairs to better hear. Finally, the attorney spoke.

“The important thing,” he said, “is to spare Michael’s life.”

“But you said—” the mother said.

“I said the prosecutor is asking for the death penalty. But I believe I might be successful in pleading insanity for Michael. If so, he would be found not guilty by reason of insanity and would be remanded to a hospital for the criminally insane.”

“Insanity,” the mother wailed, and began to cry.

“He must be that,” said the father. “Only an insane person would do such a terrible thing.”

“Exactly,” the attorney agreed.

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