The Lawyer Who Leapt (Daytona Beach Book 2) by Frank W. Butterfield

Author:Frank W. Butterfield [Butterfield, Frank W.]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2018-11-14T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Volusia County Courthouse

120 West Indiana Avenue

DeLand, Fla.

Monday, September 29, 1947

Just past 2 in the afternoon

Judge Frederick looked around the packed courtroom. He then turned to the front. "In the matter of State of Florida versus Leland Johnson, are the parties present?" Tom was sitting two rows back, directly behind the defense table on the left. Ronnie was up in the colored gallery, above the jury box. It had the best view in the courtroom.

Tom had his briefcase with him, which included Marveen's shorthand notes and the developed photographs that Ronnie had taken. The blown-up photographs were surprisingly clear and legible.

Mervyn Anderson rose on the right. "The state is present, Your Honor."

Eugene Mayer rose on the left. "The defendant is present, Your Honor."

"Motions?" asked Judge Frederick.

Both lawyers shook their heads in concert.

The judge looked at Anderson. "Opening statement?"

As Mayer sat, Anderson nodded. "Thank you, Your Honor." He turned to the jury, seated against the right wall in a wooden box of two rows of six chairs each with the back row six inches higher than the front, and said, "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, today you are here because of the intentional death of Roland 'Skipper' Johnson, son of the accused." Anderson then approached the podium. He looked over at Johnson who, from Tom's perspective, a couple of rows back, appeared to be staring straight ahead. "The defendant, an otherwise upstanding citizen of Daytona Beach, founder of Fidelity Trust, a fine banking institution which carried many a business owner during the darkest days of the Depression, capable sailor, a father, and a husband, stands on trial today for the murder, deliberate and intentional, of his only son, Skipper."

Anderson, having kept his focus on Johnson, paused and slowly turned to the jury. "The state intends to prove this and will do so through the introduction of evidence that is plain and simple." He began to count using the thumb of his left hand. "You will hear from a leading physician about how Skipper was struck on the head by an oar out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. You will hear from a conscientious police lieutenant about how Skipper's body was found hours later on the sand north of Ormond Beach, having been washed ashore after being pushed into the great Atlantic by its parent. You will have read for you an affidavit from the mother of the deceased, defendant Johnson's own wife, describing, in detail, how the accused went about framing an innocent young man for this very murder and using this very court. You will hear the very testimony of the defendant himself here, in open court only six days ago, that will impeach him, without a single doubt in any of your minds. From these four witnesses: the leading physician, the conscientious police lieutenant, the defendant's wife, and the defendant himself..." Anderson raised his right hand in the air and pointed to the ceiling. His voice suddenly boomed. "You will, no doubt,"—he quickly turned to face Johnson and pointed at him—"find him guilty.

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