Zombie Apocalypse by Cassiday Bryan

Author:Cassiday, Bryan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Unknown
Published: 2016-06-28T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 44

Jones stood up and took the floor. “Thank you, Your Honor.”

“Please proceed,” said Bascomb.

“There are a number of reasons why the defendant, one William Brisco, is not guilty of murder. First, he acted in self-defense when set upon by the three deceased.” Jones approached the squirming ghoul in the wheelchair. “Killing in self-defense is not murder. It is not a crime.”

“Eyewitnesses say the ghoul attacked the three victims without provocation,” said Halverson.

“Silence!” said Bascomb. “If you have an objection, Mr. Halverson, say so. Otherwise, don’t interrupt the proceedings.”

“Thank you, Your Honor,” said Jones.

He strutted back and forth in front of the ghoul, his thumbs hooked in the armholes of his T-shirt, his AK slung over his shoulder.

“The fatuous idiot,” Reno muttered to Halverson, leaning toward Halverson’s ear as they sat at their desk.

“There is an even better reason why the defendant is innocent of murder,” said Jones. “The defendant is sick. He is suffering from the plague and has no idea what he’s doing. He doesn’t know the difference between right and wrong. If he doesn’t know the difference between right and wrong, he cannot be held responsible for his acts.”

“Objection,” said Halverson.

“On what grounds?” asked Bascomb.

“The defendant can’t know the difference between right and wrong because he’s a corpse. A corpse can’t plead insanity.”

“Objection overruled.”

“In his sickened state, the defendant has no idea what he’s doing,” Jones went on. “His disease has rendered him legally insane. He is therefore innocent of these three charges of first-degree murder.”

“Objection,” said Halverson.

“On what grounds?” asked Bascomb.

“On the grounds that a corpse cannot be considered innocent or guilty, because a corpse is dead and can’t make any decisions, period.”

“Overruled.”

“As everyone here can plainly see,” said Jones, making a sweeping gesture with his hands toward the audience, “the defendant is not a corpse. See how he moves. A corpse can’t move.”

“I feel like I’m Alice in Wonderland,” said Reno more to himself than to anyone else, watching the spectacle.

“Why don’t we just let the creature go, so it can go out and eat more people?” said Halverson mordantly.

“Silence, Mr. Halverson,” said Bascomb. “You have presented a very weak and poorly prepared case against the accused, one William Brisco. Do your homework next time, sir.”

Seething in frustration Halverson held his tongue.

“I am therefore ruling the defendant not guilty by reason of insanity,” declared Bascomb.

“This is a joke!” cried Reno. “Are you seriously going to let this creature go so it can kill again?”

“The defendant has been found innocent due to the poorly prepared case presented by the prosecuting attorney.”

“Oh sure. Blame your own idiocy on the prosecuting attorney.”

“I will hold you in contempt, sir, if you continue!”

“I want to be miles away when you let that thing free, I’m telling you!” ranted Reno.

Bascomb slammed his gavel against his desk. “That will be enough.”

At that moment, a teenage brunette in yellow culottes and a white blouse, whipped through the back door into the courtroom, her perspiring face twisted with excitement.

“I have important news!” she hollered at Bascomb.

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