jg.atimetokill-第22部分

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　〃Plenty。　Sheriffs　called　in　the　reserves。　You're　safe。〃
　〃How　about　the　press？〃
　〃They're　lined　up　on　the　front　rows。〃
　〃No　cameras！〃
　〃No　cameras。〃
　〃Is　Hailey　here？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　He's　in　the　courtroom　with　Brigance。　Ever…body's　ready；　just　waitin'　on　you。〃
　His　Honor　filled　a　Styrofoam　cup　with　straight　vodka。　〃Okay；　let's　go。〃
　Just　like　in　the　old　days　before　the　sixties；　the　courtroom　was　neatly　segregated　with　the　blacks　and　whites　separated　by　the　center　aisle。　The　officers　stood　solemnly　in　the　aisle　and　around　the　walls　of　the　courtroom。　Of　particular　concern　was　an　assemblage　of　slightly　intoxicated　whites　sitting　together　in　two　rows　near　the　front。　A　couple　were　recognized　as　brothers　or　cousins　of　the　late　Billy　Ray　Cobb。
　They　were　watched　closely。　The　two　front　rows；　the　one　on　the　right　in　front　of　the　blacks　and　the　one　on　the　left　in　front　of　the　whites；　were　occupied　by　two　dozen　journalists　of　various　sorts。　Some　took　notes　while　some　sketched　the　defendant；　his　lawyer；　and　now　finally；　the　judge。
　〃They　gonna　make　this　nigger　a　hero；〃　mumbled　one　of　the　rednecks；　loud　enough　for　the　reporters。
　When　Bullard　assumed　the　bench；　the　deputies　locked　the　rear　door。
　〃Call　your　first　witness；〃　he　ordered　in　the　direction　of　Rocky　Childers。
　〃The　State　calls　Sheriff　Ozzie　Walls。〃
　The　sheriff　was　sworn　and　took　the　stand。　He　relaxed　and　began　a　long　narrative　describing　the　scene　of　the　shooting；　the　bodies；　the　wounds；　the　gun；　the　fingerprints　on　the　gun　and　the　fingerprints　of　the　defendant。　Childers　produced　an　affidavit　signed　by　Officer　Looney　and　witnessed　by　the　sheriff　and　Moss　Junior。　It　identified　the　gunman　as　Carl　Lee。　Ozzie　verified　Looney's　signature　and　read　the　affidavit　into　the　record。
　〃Sheriff；　do　you　know　of　any　other　eyewitness？〃　asked　Childers　with　no　enthusiasm。
　〃Yes；　Murphy；　the　janitor。〃
　〃What's　his　first　name？〃
　〃Nobody　knows。　He's　just　Murphy。〃
　〃Okay。　Have　you　talked　to　him？〃
　〃No；　but　my　investigator　did。〃
　〃Who　is　your　investigator？〃
　〃Officer　Rady。〃
　Rady　was　sworn　and　seated　in　the　witness　chair。　Mr。　Pate　fetched　the　judge　another　cup　of　ice　water　from　chambers。　Jake　took　pages　of　notes。　He　would　call　no　witnesses；　and　he　chose　not　to　cross…examine　the　sheriff。　Occasionally；　the　State's　witnesses　would　get　their　lies　confused　in　a　preliminary；　and　Jake　would　ask　a　few　questions　on　cross…examination　to　nail　down；　for　the　record；　the　discrepancies。　Later　at　trial　when　the　lying　started　again；　Jake　would　produce　the　testimony　from　the　preliminary　to　further　confuse　the　liars。　But　not　today。
　〃Sir；　have　you　had　an　occasion　to　talk　with　Murphy？〃　Childers　asked。
　〃Murphy　who？〃
　〃I　don't　know…just　Murphy；　the　janitor。〃
　〃Oh　him。　Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Good。　What　did　he　say？〃
　〃About　what？〃
　Childers　hung　his　head。　Rady　was　new；　and　had　not　testified　much。　Ozzie　thought　this　would　be　good　practice。
　〃About　the　shooting！　Tell　us　what　he　told　you　about　the　shooting。〃
　Jake　stood。　〃Your　Honor。　I　object。　I　know　hearsay　is　admissible　in　a　preliminary；　but　this　Murphy　fella　is　available。　He　works　here　in　the　courthouse。　Why　not　let　him　testify？〃
　〃Because　he　stutters；〃　replied　Bullard。
　〃What！〃
　〃He　stutters。　And　I　don't　want　to　hear　him　stutter　for　the　next　thirty　minutes。　Objection　overruled。　Continue；　Mr。　Childers。〃
　Jake　sat　in　disbelief。　Bullard　snickered　at　Mr。　Pate；　who　left　for　more　ice　water。
　〃Now；　Mr。　Rady；　what　did　Murphy　tell　you　about　the　shooting？〃
　〃Well；　he's　hard　to　understand　because　he　was　so　excited；　and　when　he　gets　excited　he　stutters　real　bad。　I　mean　he　stutters　anyway；　but…〃
　〃Just　tell　us　what　he　said！〃　Bullard　shouted。
　〃Okay。　He　said　he　saw　a　male　black　shoot　the　two　white　boys　and　the　deputy。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　said　Childers。　〃Now　where　was　he　when　this　took　place？〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃Murphy！〃
　〃He　was　sittin'　on　the　stairs　directly　opposite　the　stairs　where　they　got　shot。〃
　〃And　he　saw　it　all？〃
　〃Said　he　did。〃
　〃Has　he　identified　the　gunman？〃
　〃Yes；　we　showed　him　photos　of　ten　male　blacks；　and　he　identified　the　defendant；　sittin'　over　there。〃
　〃Good。　Thank　you。　Your　Honor；　we　have　nothing　further。〃
　〃Any　questions；　Mr。　Brigance？〃　asked　the　judge。
　〃No；　sir；〃　Jake　said　as　he　stood。
　〃Any　witnesses？〃
　〃No；　sir。〃
　〃Any　requests；　motions；　anything？〃
　〃No；　sir。〃
　Jake　knew　better　than　to　request　bail。　First；　it　would　do　no　good。　Bullard　would　not　set　bail　for　capital　murder。　Second；　it　would　make　the　judge　look　bad。
　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Brigance。　The　court　finds　sufficient　evidence　exists　to　hold　this　defendant　for　action　by　the　Ford　County　grand　jury。　Mr。　Hailey　shall　remain　in　the　custody　of　the　sheriff；　without　bond。　Court's　adjourned。〃
　Carl　Lee　was　quickly　handcuffed　and　escorted　from　the　courtroom。　The　area　around　the　rear　door　downstairs　was　sealed　and　guarded。　The　cameras　outside　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　defendant　between　the　door　and　the　waiting　patrol　car。　He　was　in　jail　before　the　spectators　cleared　the　courtroom。
　The　deputies　directed　the　whites　on　one　side　to　leave　first；　followed　by　the　blacks。
　The　reporters　requested　some　of　Jake's　time；　and　they　were　instructed　to　meet　him　in　the　rotunda　in　a　few　minutes。　He　made　them　wait　by　first　going　to　chambers　and　giving　his　regards　to　the　judge。　Then　he　walked　to　the　third　floor　to　check　on　a　book。　When　the　courtroom　was　empty　and　they　had　waited　long　enough；　he　walked　through　the　rear　door；　into　the　rotunda　and　faced　the　cameras。
　A　microphone　with　red　letters　on　it　was　thrust　into　his　face。　〃Why　didn't　you　request　bond？〃　a　reporter　demanded。
　〃That　es　later。〃
　〃Will　Mr。　Hailey　plead　an　insanity　defense？〃
　〃As　I've　stated；　it's　too　early　to　answer　that　question。　We　must　now　wait　for　the　grand　jury…he　may　not　be　indicted。　If　he　is；　we'll　start　planning　his　defense。〃
　〃Mr。　Buckley；　the　D。A。；　has　stated　he　expects　easy　convictions。　Any　ment？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　Mr。　Buckley　often　speaks　when　he　shouldn't。　It's　asinine　for　him　to　make　any　ment　on　this　case　until　it　is　considered　by　the　grand　jury。〃
　〃He　also　said　he　would　vigorously　oppose　any　request　for　a　change　of　venue。〃
　〃That　request　hasn't　been　made　yet。　He　really　doesn't　care　where　the　trial　is　held。　He'd　try　it　in　the　desert　as　long　as　the　press　showed　up。〃
　〃Can　we　assume　there　are　hard　feelings　between　you　and　the　D。A。？〃
　〃If　you　want　to。　He's　a　good　prosecutor　and　a　worthy　adversary。　He　just　talks　when　he　shouldn't。〃
　He　answered　a　few　other　assorted　questions　and　excused　himself。
　Late　Wednesday　night　the　doctors　cut　below　Looney's　knee　and　removed　the　lower　third　of　his　leg。　They　called　Ozzie　at　the　jail；　and　he　told　Carl　Lee。
　Rufus　Buckley　scanned　the　Thursday　morning　papers　and　read　with　great　interest　the　accounts　of　the　preliminary　hearing　in　Ford　County。　He　was　delighted　to　see　his　name　mentioned　by　the　reporters　and　by　Mr。　Brigance。　The　disparaging　remarks　were　greatly　outweighed　by　the　fact　that　his　name　was　in　print。　He　didn't　like　Brigance；　but　he　was　glad　Jake　mentioned　his　name　before　the　cameras　and　reporters。　For　two　days　the　spotlight　had　been　on　Brigance　and　the　defendant；　it　was　about　time　the　D。A。　was　mentioned。　Brigance　should　not　criticize　anyone　for　seeking　publicity。　Lucien　Wilbanks　wrote　the　book　on　manipulating　the　press　both　before　and　during　a　trial；　and　he　had　taught　Jake　well。　But　Buckley　held　no　grudge。　He　was　pleased。　He　relished　the　thought　of　a　long；　nasty　trial　with　his　first　opportunity　at　real；　meaningful　exposure。　He　looked　forward　to　Monday；　the　first　day　of　the　May　term　of　court　in　Ford　County。
　He　was　forty…one；　and　when　he　was　first　elected　nine　years　earlier　he　had　been　the　youngest　D。A。　in　Mississippi。　Now　he　was　one　year　into　his　third　term　and　his　ambitions　were　calling。　It　was　time　to　move　on　to　another　public　office；　say；　attorney　general；　or　possibly　governor。　And　then　to　Congress。　He　had　it　all　planned；　but　he　was　not　well　known　outside　the　Twenty…second　Judicial　District　（Ford；　Tyler；　Polk；　Van　Buren；　and　Milburn　counties）。　He　needed　to　be　seen；　and　heard。　He　needed　publicity。　What　Rufus　needed　more　than　anything　else　was　a　big；　nasty；　controversial；　well…publicized　conviction　in　a　murder　trial。