The Burn Farm by Michael Benson

Author:Michael Benson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pinnacle Books
Published: 2012-01-22T16:00:00+00:00

The parade returned to the courthouse in Brentwood, and after a recess, the trial began. The right side of courtroom #2, the prosecution side, was full. The press sat on the right side, behind the prosecution. Four rows of seats, the back two reserved for press, were filled. On the left side, the defense side, there were only a handful of spectators. It felt like a wedding in which the groom was a lot more popular than the bride.

The first order of business was the reading of the charges: two counts of first-degree murder. Judge Nadeau gave her instructions to the jury.

“My job is to determine what the law is,” she said. “Your job is to determine what the facts are. When the trial is over, you will not be allowed to take a transcript of the testimony with you. When a witness is on the stand, that is your one and only opportunity to see and hear them. Listen carefully to what they say. Observe carefully their demeanor. Remember, while the trial is going on, you are not allowed to talk to anyone about it—not even each other.

“You may take notes during testimony, but not during the opening and closing arguments. I discourage copious notes. It is better to listen closely to what is being said. Too much note-taking can distract you. Your job is to determine the credibility and reliability of each witness. Listen not just to what is being said, but how it is being said. Any notes you do take will be collected and destroyed after your verdict to preserve the secrecy of your deliberations.”

The judge issued to each juror a steno-style notebook. She said that all notes had to be written in these notebooks, and that the notebooks would be collected at the end of each day.

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