Rule of Evidence by Jack Campbell & 9780857689610

Author:Jack Campbell & 9780857689610 [Campbell, Jack]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780857689610
Publisher: Titan Books
Published: 2023-01-23T00:00:00+00:00

8

Lieutenant Ahmed Bashir, United States Navy, Judge Advocate General’s Corps, was a few years older than Paul, but looked far too young to be Jen’s lawyer in Paul’s eyes. He wanted somebody who looked like he or she had argued and won cases in every court and venue. But the best lawyer he knew had been assigned not to defend Jen, but to prosecute her. He could only hope Bashir could go toe-to-toe with Alex Carr and not get steamrollered. “When can you get Jen out of the brig?”

Bashir sighed. “I doubt I’ll be able to do it all.”

“Why not? Do they think she’s going to run away on a space station?”

“It’s not about that. It’s about the safety of the station.”

“What?”

“Look.” Bashir leaned back and spread his hands helplessly. “This is how the government’s looking at it. Lieutenant Shen is charged with sabotaging the equipment on the Maury, causing it to blow up and kill scores of sailors. If she’s free on Franklin, she could presumably do the same thing here.”

“That’s so completely ridiculous.”

“Maybe. But the government’s convinced the military magistrate, so Lieutenant Shen is in the brig and in the brig she will almost certainly remain.”

Paul slumped back. Great. This guy isn’t even going to fight for her. “Have you even talked to her yet?”

Bashir picked up on Paul’s tone of voice and attitude, leaning forward and pointing both forefingers at him. “Yes. I have. And I’m going to do everything I morally and legally can to get her acquitted of these charges. Clear?”

“Clear. What can I do?”

The Navy lawyer relaxed again, shaking his head. “I don’t like this. I don’t mind telling you. Secret Article 32 investigation. Secret findings. Secret hearings. I’ve demanded to see all the evidence they’ve compiled to justify those charges against Ms. Shen, but as far as I know right now it’s all circumstantial.”

“Won’t that help us?” When we tried Silver on circumstantial evidence, they didn’t want to convict him of some charges because of the uncertainty of his guilt.

“It should, but...” Bashir rubbed his face. “You try someone for one murder on circumstantial evidence, and everybody gives them the benefit of the doubt. Try them for six murders on circumstantial evidence and they assume they’re guilty. Why? Because they’ve been charged with something extra bad.”

“That doesn’t make sense.”

“Tell me about it. But that’s the way it works. People figure if someone’s charged with something so bad, there must be good reasons.” Bashir slapped his desk. “Even if there aren’t. Tell me about Jen Shen.”

Paul spoke, at first hesitantly, then more quickly. Bashir listened closely, occasionally asking questions. “She sounds like a great officer.”

“She is a great officer!”

“But they’re trying her for some pretty horrendous crimes. Why?”

“I hoped you’d know.”

Bashir thought, looking up at a corner of his office. “This is a big deal, of course. The Maury badly damaged. A lot of her crew dead. Lots of attention. A lot of people wanting to blame the South Asians even if that means we start shooting.

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