Page 125 of Dissection of a Murder
“Bad people do good things. Now, there may be some of you who have listened to all of this and thought it nonsense. Too ridiculous, too outrageous, to believe. That this is an open-and-shut case.
“I’d say this to you. If someone took a snapshot of any moment in your life, can you guarantee it would be representative of the true situation? Or would it, perhaps, involve a more complicated story? Life is complex. There is a story behind everything.”
Jury speeches don’t hinge on facts, they rely on connection. I speak to each and every one of the men and women on the jury and appeal to their human nature. Most people like to think they’re nothing like the criminals we hear about, but the truth is we’re all only a few steps away from ending up in the dock.
Having laid out my case, I then run through the forensics and evidence of each prosecution witness, pointing out inconsistencies and doubt where I can.
“It is for you to consider, ladies and gentlemen: is Jack a cold-blooded killer? One who struck Anton Smythe with a kettlebell and then sat on his sofa watching him die? Or is it more complicated than that? Was it, in fact, not Jack who killed him at all? The defense says you cannot be sure he is guilty, and I invite you to acquit.”
62
Leila
R v Jack Millman
Day 3
1:14 p.m.
The judge directsthe jury to the law they must apply to the case and provides a summary of both the prosecution and defense evidence. She reminds them that the prosecution brings this case and must prove it beyond reasonable doubt. Jack Millman is innocent until proven guilty to that standard.
She sets out the elements of murder that must be proved, namely that Jack Millman intended to kill or cause serious harm to Anton Smythe and that that harm caused his death.
She reminds the jury they may consider an adverse inference against Jack for failing to mention, before yesterday, the account he gave during the trial.
The judge tells them a unanimous verdict is the only verdict she will accept at this time and that they must elect a foreman or -woman to represent the jury and deliver that verdict.
An usher leads them out of the courtroom. And that’s it. I can’t do anything more.
I can already feel the adrenaline slump kicking in. This is no way to live. This ridiculous job, with its high highs and low lows.
“Well done, Leila!” Davina says, walking over from her position in court.
“How do you think it’s gone? Honestly?”
“I don’t know, but that was a very impressive speech.”
“Can we grab some coffee? I feel I’m about to collapse,” I say, pulling my wig off. “Actually, hold on a second.” I dash over to the dock before they take Jack downstairs.
“Are you OK?” I ask.
“Great speech,” he says. “Got my vote.”
“We’re not giving up yet.”
“Good to hear,” he says before being dragged away.
—
We get called back half an hour later so the judge can send the jury to lunch. But, make no mistake, we are now on red alert waiting for the loudspeaker to ring, announcing a verdict has been reached.
We all return at 2:10 p.m., and the clock starts ticking again. There is literally nothing to do but wait. Except there is something that needs dealing with before I do anything else.
“Can we speak in private?” I say quietly to Julian, who is sitting at one of the tables in the robing room surrounded by his cronies. He barely even registers I’m here. I am nothing to him now.
“When we get home,” he says, tapping away at his laptop.
“No,” I say firmly. “Now.”
