jg.atimetokill-第28部分

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　Not　if　you're　on　death　row；　thought　Jake。　He　changed　the　subject。　〃You　know　the　grand　jury　meets　tomorrow；　and　it'll　take　up　your　case。〃
　〃So　I　go　to　court？〃
　〃Naw；　it　means　you'll　be　indicted　tomorrow。　The　courthouse　will　be　full　of　people　and　reporters。　Judge　Noose　will　be　here　to　open　the　May　term　of　court。　Buckley'll　be　running　around　chasing　cameras　and　blowing　smoke。　It's　a　big　day。　Noose　starts　an　armed　robbery　trial　in　the　afternoon。　If　you're　indicted　tomorrow；　we'll　be　in　court　Wednesday　or　Thursday　for　the　arraignment。〃
　〃The　what？〃
　〃The　arraignment。　In　a　capital　murder　case；　the　judge　is　required　by　law　to　read　the　indictment　to　you　in　open　court　in　front　of　God　and　everybody。　They'll　make　a　big　deal　out　of　it。　We'll　enter　a　plea　of　not　guilty；　and　Noose　sets　the　trial　date。　We　ask　for　a　reasonable　bond；　and　he　says　no。　When　I　mention　bond　Buckley'll　scream　and　turn　cartwheels。　The　more　I　think　of　him　the　more　I　hate　him。　He'll　be　a　large　pain　in　the　ass。〃
　〃Why　don't　I　get　a　bond？〃
　〃For　capital　murder；　the　judge　does　not　have　to　set　a　bond。　He　can　if　he　wants　to；　but　most　don't。　Even　if　Noose
　set　a　bond；　you　couldn't　pay　it；　so　don't　worry　about　it。　You'll　be　in　jail　until　trial。〃
　〃I　lost　my　job；　you　know。〃
　〃When？〃
　〃Gwen　drove　over　Friday　and　got　my　paycheck。　They　told　her。　Nice；　ain't　it。　Work　there　eleven　years；　miss　five　days；　and　they　fire　me。　Guess　they　think　I　ain't　in'　back。〃
　〃I'm　sorry　to　hear　that；　Carl　Lee。　Real　sorry。〃
　The　Honorable　Omar　Noose　had　not　always　been　so　honorable。　Before　he　became　the　circuit　judge　for　the　Twenty…second　Judicial　District；　he　was　a　lawyer　with　meager　talent　and　few　clients；　but　he　was　a　politician　of　formidable　skills。　Five　terms　in　the　Mississippi　Legislature　had　corrupted　him　and　taught　him　the　art　of　political　swindling　and　manipulation。　Senator　Noose　prospered　handsomely　as　chairman　of　the　Senate　Finance　mittee；　and　few　people　in　Van　Buren　County　questioned　how　he　and　his　family　lived　so　affluently　on　his　legislative　salary　of　seven　thousand　dollars　a　year。
　Like　most　members　of　the　Mississippi　Legislature；　he　ran　for　reelection　one　time　too　many；　and　in　the　summer　of　1971　he　was　humiliated　by　an　unknown　opponent。　A　year　later；　Judge　Loopus；　his　predecessor　on　the　bench；　died；　and　Noose　persuaded　his　friends　in　the　Legislature　to　persuade　the　governor　to　appoint　him　to　serve　the　unexpired　term。　That's　how　ex…State　Senator　Noose　became　Circuit　Judge　Noose。　He　was　elected　in　1975；　and　reelected　in　1979　and　1983。
　Repentant；　reformed；　and　very　humbled　by　his　rapid　descent　from　power；　Judge　Noose　applied　himself　to　the　study　of　the　law；　and　after　a　shaky　start；　grew　to　the　job。　It　paid　sixty　thousand　a　year；　so　he　could　afford　to　be　honest。　Now；　at　sixty…three；　he　was　a　wise　old　judge；　well　respected　by　most　lawyers　and　by　the　state　Supreme　Court；　which　seldom　reversed　his　rulings。　He　was　quiet　but　charming；　patient　but　strict；　and　he　had　a　huge　monument　of　a　nose　that　was　very　long　and　very　pointed　and　served　as　a　throne　for　his　black…rimmed；　octagon…shaped　reading　glasses；　which　he　wore　constantly　but　never　used。　His　nose；　plus　his　tall；　gawky　frame；　plus　his　wild；　untamed；　dense　gray　hair；　plus　his　squeaky　voice；　had　given　rise　to　his　secret　nickname；　whispered　among　lawyers；　of　Ichabod。　Ichabod　Noose。　The　Honorable　Ichabod　Noose。
　He　assumed　the　bench；　and　the　crowded　courtroom　stood　as　Ozzie　mumbled　incoherently　a　statutorily　required
　paragraph　to　officially　open　the　May　term　of　the　Ford　County　Circuit　Court。　A　long；　flowery　prayer　was　offered　by　a　local　minister；　and　the　congregation　sat　down。　Prospective　jurors　filled　one　side　of　the　courtroom。　Criminals　and　other　litigants；　their　families　and　friends；　the　press；　and　the　curious　filled　the　other　side。　Noose　required　every　lawyer　in　the　county　to　attend　the　opening　of　the　term；　and　the　members　of　the　bar　sat　in　the　jury　box；　all　decked　out　in　full　regalia；　all　looking　important。　Buckley　and　his　assistant；　D。　R。　Mus…grove；　sat　at　the　prosecution's　table；　splendidly　representing　the　State。　Jake　sat　by　himself　in　a　wooden　chair　in　front　of　the　railing。　The　clerks　and　court　reporters　stood　behind　the　large　red　docket　books　on　the　workbench；　and　with　everyone　else。watched　intently　as　Ichabod　situated　himself　in　his　chair　upon　the　bench；　straightened　his　robe；　adjusted　his　hideous　reading　glasses；　and　peered　over　them　at　the　assemblage。
　〃Good　morning；〃　he　squeaked　loudly。　He　pulled　the　microphone　closer　and　cleared　his　throat。　〃It's　always　nice　to　be　in　Ford　County　for　the　May　term　of　court。　I　see　most　members　of　the　bar　found　time　to　appear　for　the　opening　of　court；　and　as　usual；　I　will　request　Madam　Clerk　to　note　those　absent　attorneys　so　that　I　may　personally　contact　them。　I　see　a　large　number　of　potential　jurors　present；　and　I　thank　each　of　you　for　being　here。　I　realize　you　had　no　choice；　but　your　presence　is　vital　to　our　judicial　process。　We　will　empanel　a　grand　jury　momentarily；　and　then　we　will　select　several　trial　juries　to　serve　this　week　and　next。　I　trust　each　member　of　the　bar　has　a　copy　of　the　docket；　and　you　will　note　it　looks　somewhat　crowded。　My　calendar　reveals　at　least　two　cases　set　for　trial　each　day　this　week　and　next；　but　it's　my　understanding　most　of　the　criminal　cases　set　for　trial　will　go　off　on　negotiated　plea　bargains。　Nonetheless；　we　have　many　cases　to　move；　and　I　request　the　diligent　cooperation　of　the　bar。　Once　the　new　grand　jury　is　empaneled　and　goes　to　work；　and　once　the　indictments　start　ing　down；　I　will　schedule　arraignments　and　first　appearances。　Let's　quickly　call　the　docket；　criminal　first；　then　civil；　then　the　attorneys　may　be　excused　as　we　select　a　grand　jury。
　〃State　versus　Warren　Moke。　Armed　robbery；　set　for　trial　this　afternoon。〃
　Buckley　rose　slowly；　purposefully。　〃The　State　of　Missis…
　sippi　is　ready　for　trial；　Your　Honor；〃　he　announced　gloriously　for　the　spectators。
　〃So's　the　defense；〃　said　Tyndale；　the　court…appointed　lawyer。
　〃How　long　do　you　anticipate　for　trial？〃　asked　the　judge。
　〃Day　and　a　half；〃　answered　Buckley。　Tyndale　nodded　in　agreement。
　〃Good。　We'll　select　the　trial　jury　this　morning　and　start　the　trial　at　one　P。M。　today。　State　versus　William　Daal；　forgery；　six　counts；　set　for　tomorrow。〃
　〃Your　Honor；〃　answered　D。R。　Musgrove；　〃there　will　be　a　plea　in　that　case。〃
　〃Good。　State　versus　Roger　Hornton；　grand　larceny；　two　counts；　set　for　tomorrow。〃
　Noose　continued　through　the　docket。　Each　case　drew　the　same　response。　Buckley　would　stand　and　proclaim　the　State　ready　for　trial；　or　Musgrove　would　quietly　inform　the　court　that　a　plea　had　been　negotiated。　The　defense　attorneys　would　stand　and　nod。　Jake　had　no　cases　in　the　May　term；　and　although　he　tried　his　best　to　look　bored；　he　enjoyed　the　call　of　the　docket　because　he　could　learn　who　had　the　cases　and　what　the　petition　was　doing。　It　was　also　a　chance　to　look　good　before　some　of　the　local　folks。　Half　the　members　of　the　Sullivan　firm　were　present；　and　they　too　looked　bored　as　they　sat　arrogantly　together　in　the　front　row　of　the　jury　box。　The　older　partners　of　the　Sullivan　firm　would　not　dare　make　an　appearance　at　docket　call；　and　they　would　lie　and　tell　Noose　they　were　in　trial　in　Federal　Court　over　in　Oxford　or　perhaps　before　the　Supreme　Court　in　Jackson。　Dignity　prevented　their　mingling　with　the　ordinary　members　of　the　bar；　so　the　firm's　younger　lieutenants　were　sent　to　satisfy　Noose　and　request　that　all　the　firm's　civil　cases　be　continued；　postponed；　delayed；　stalled；　or　acted　upon　in　such　a　way　that　the　firm　could　drag　them　on　forever　and　continue　to　bill　by　the　hour。　Their　clients　were　insurance　panies　who　generally　preferred　not　to　go　to　trial　and　would　pay　by　the　hour　for　legal　maneuvering　designed　solely　to　keep　the　cases　away　from　the　juries。　It　would　be　cheaper　and　fairer　to　pay　a　reasonable　settlement　and　avoid　both　litigation　and　the　parasitic　defense　firms　like　Sullivan　&　O'Hare；　but　the　insurance　panies　and　their　adjusters　were　too　stupid　and
　cheap；　so　street　lawyers　like　Jake　Brigance　earned　their　livelihoods　suing　insurance　panies　and　forcing　them　to　pay　more　than　what　they　would　have　paid　had　they　dealt　fairly　from　the　beginning。　Jake　hated　insurance