The Fisherman's Son by Joseph M. Orlando

Author:Joseph M. Orlando [Joseph M. Orlando]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781465321824
Publisher: Xlibris US
Published: 2004-05-27T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

TRIAL—DAY TWO

The court convened at nine a.m. In the gallery were Carla

and Busty Barna. In the rear of the gallery, dressed in jeans and a light sweater was the young lady who had been present yesterday, her long light brown hair combed back in a ponytail. In the fourth row was Joe Amalfi, alone. There was no sign of the crew.

“All rise for the jury,” intoned a uniformed officer.

The jury was led to the jury box. As they entered John smiled as he watched them scan the gallery, searching for the crew. Dillon grimaced.

The jurors’ interest wasn’t lost on Bailey. Now certain John had scored on day one, he steeled himself for the battle ahead. Once seated, he smiled and welcomed the jury back. He turned to John without the smile. “Are you ready to call your first witness, Mr. Palermo?”

Buoyed by the jury’s reaction, John smiled smoothly into the sea of fury that was Bailey’s eyes. “I am, your Honor. I call the plaintiff, Sebastiano Barna, to the stand.”

Busty left his seat beside Carla. As he passed, Carla gave his hand a light squeeze. When his glance caught her eyes she flashed a smile of encouragement. He passed through the bar and took his seat in the witness box. Busty wore the same sport jacket and pants he had worn on the first day of trial.

John took his place at a podium at the far end of the jury box. In their preparation John had coached Busty to direct his testimony to the jury. In the end, John explained, the jury will decide your fate. He realized Busty would be very nervous and likely to forget his instructions. Thus, by standing at the end of the jury box John was assured that Busty would at least be looking in the jury’s direction.

The testimony began at the beginning. John wanted the jury to know Busty, his life and the man he was. In response to John’s questions, Busty told the court and jury that he had been born in Sicily to a fishing family. His passion as a boy was soccer, which he played on organized teams beginning at the age of six until he left for America at the age of thirteen. In his twelfth and thirteenth years he played on the town team against other Sicilian towns in a regional league.

When he came to America, he settled with his family in San Pedro, California. He attended school and competed in various soccer leagues until at age sixteen, at his father’s direction, he quit school and became a fisherman. Busty testified that he married Carla while in California and moved with her and their two year old son, Salvatore, to Gloucester six years ago. They had moved to Gloucester to begin a new life following the family’s financial misfortune in California.

In Gloucester, Busty was able to secure a site and before long had built a reputation as a fisherman of considerable skill. Ultimately he landed a site on the fishing vessel Mio Mondo, as holdman.

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