jg.atimetokill-第67部分

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　radiated　a　soft　fury　and　were　fixed　and　unblinking　when　she　talked。
　It　was　an　intelligent　face；　attractive　as　hell。
　Jake　chewed　on　his　burger　and　tried　to　nonchalantly　ignore　her　eyes。　The　heavy　food　settled　his　stomach；　and　for　the　first　time　in　ten　hours　he　began　to　think　he　might　live。
　〃Seriously；　why'd　you　choose　Ole　Miss？〃　he　asked。
　〃It's　a　good　law　school。〃
　〃It's　my　school。　But　we　don't　normally　attract　the　brightest　students　from　the　Northeast。　That's　Ivy　League　country。　We　send　our　smartest　kids　up　there。〃
　〃My　father　hates　every　lawyer　with　an　Ivy　League　degree。　He　was　dirt　poor　and　scratched　his　way　through　law
　_。　…。　。；。6；*i。　；*v　o　cuuuicu　me　snuos　from　rich；　well…educated；　and　inpetent　lawyers　all　his　life。　Now　he　laughs　at　them。　He　told　me　I　could　go　to　law　school　anywhere　in　the　country；　but　if　I　chose　an　Ivy　League　school　he　would　not　pay　for　it。　Then　there's　my　mother。　I　was　raised　on　these　enchanting　stories　of　life　in　the　Deep　South；　and　I　had　to　see　for　myself。　Plus；　the　Southern　states　seemed　determined　to　practice　the　death　penalty；　so　I　think　I'll　end　up　here。〃
　〃Why　are　you　so　opposed　to　the　death　penalty？〃
　〃And　you're　not？〃
　〃No；　I'm　very　much　in　favor　of　it。〃
　〃That's　incredible！　ing　from　a　criminal　defense　lawyer。〃
　〃I'd　like　to　go　back　to　public　hangings　on　the　courthouse　lawn。〃
　〃You're　kidding；　aren't　you？　I　hope。　Tell　me　you　are。〃
　〃I　am　not。〃
　She　stopped　chewing　and　smiling。　The　eyes　glowed　fiercely　and　watched　him　for　a　signal　of　weakness。　〃You　are　serious。〃
　〃I　am　very　serious。　The　problem　with　the　death　penalty　is　that　we　don't　use　it　enough。〃
　〃Have　you　explained　that　to　Mr。　Hailey？〃
　〃Mr。　Hailey　does　not　deserve　the　death　penalty。　But　the　two　men　who　raped　his　daughter　certainly　did。〃
　〃I　see。　How　do　you　determine　who　gets　it　and　who　doesn't？〃
　〃That's　very　simple。　You　look　at　the　crime　and　you　look　at　the　criminal。　If　it's　a　dope　dealer　who　guns　down　an　undercover　narcotics　officer；　then　he　gets　the　gas。　If　it's　a　drifter　who　rapes　a　three…year…old　girl；　drowns　her　by　holding　her　little　head　in　a　mudhole；　then　throws　her　body　off　a　bridge；　then　you　take　his　life　and　thank　God　he's　gone。　If　it's　an　escaped　convict　who　breaks　into　a　farmhouse　late　at　night　and　beats　and　tortures　an　elderly　couple　before　burning　them　with　their　house；　then　you　strap　him　in　a　chair；　hook　up　a　few　wires；　pray　for　his　soul；　and　pull　the　switch。　And　if　it's　two　dopeheads　who　gang…rape　a　ten…year…old　girl　and　kick　her　with　pointed…toe　cowboy　boots　until　her　jaws　break；　then　you　happily；　merrily；　thankfully；　gleefully　lock　them　in　a　gas　chamber　and　listen　to　them　squeal。　It's　very　simple。〃
　〃It's　barbaric。〃
　〃Their　crimes　were　barbaric。　Death　is　too　good　for　them；　much　too　good。〃
　〃And　if　Mr。　Hailey　is　convicted　and　sentenced　to　die？〃
　〃If　that　happens；　I'm　sure　I'll　spend　the　next　ten　years　cranking　out　appeals　and　fighting　furiously　to　save　his　life。　And　if　they　ever　strap　him　in　the　chair；　I'm　sure　I'll　be　outside　the　prison　with　you　and　the　Jesuits　and　a　hundred　other　kindly　souls　marching　and　holding　candles　and　singing　hymns。　And　then　1^1　stand　beside　his　grave　behind　his　church　with　his　widow　and　children　and　wish　I'd　never　met　him。〃
　〃Have　you　ever　witnessed　an　execution？〃
　〃Not　that　I　recall。〃
　〃I've　watched　two。　You'd　change　your　mind　if　you　saw　one。〃
　〃Good。　I　won't　see　one。〃
　〃It's　a　horrible　thing　to　watch。〃
　〃Were　the　victims'　families　there？〃
　〃Yes；　in　both　instances。〃
　〃Were　they　horrified？　Were　their　minds　changed？　Of　course　not。　Their　nightmares　were　over。〃
　〃I'm　surprised　at　you。〃
　〃And　I'm　bewildered　by　people　like　you。　How　can　you　be　so　zealous　and　dedicated　in　trying　to　save　people　who　have　begged　for　the　death　penalty　and　according　to　the　law　should　get　it？〃
　〃Whose　law？　It's　not　the　law　in　Massachusetts。〃
　〃You　don't　say。　What　do　you　expect　from　the　only　state　McGovern　carried　in　1972？　You　folks　have　always　been　tuned　in　with　the　rest　of　the　country。〃
　The　Claudeburgers　were　being　ignored　and　their　voices　had　grown　too　loud。　Jake　glanced　around　and　caught　a　few　stares。　Ellen　smiled　again；　and　took　one　of　his　onion　rings。
　〃What　do　you　think　of　the　ACLU？〃　she　asked；　crunching。
　〃I　suppose　you've　got　a　membership　card　in　your　purse。〃
　〃I　do。〃
　〃Then　you're　fired。〃
　〃I　joined　when　I　was　sixteen。〃
　〃Why　so　late？　You　must　have　been　the　last　one　in　your　Girl　Scout　troop　to　join。〃
　〃Do　you　have　any　respect　for　the　Bill　of　Rights？〃
　〃I　adore　the　Bill　of　Rights。　I　despise　the　judges　who　interpret　them。　Eat。〃
　They　finished　the　burgers　in　silence；　watching　each　other　carefully。　Jake　ordered　coffee　and　two　more　headache　powders。
　〃So　how　do　we　plan　to　win　this　case？〃　she　asked。
　〃We？〃
　〃I　still　have　the　job；　don't　I？〃
　〃Yes。　Just　remember　that　I'm　the　boss　and　you're　the　clerk。〃
　〃Sure；　boss。　What's　your　strategy？〃
　〃How　would　you　handle　it？〃
　〃Well；　from　what　I　gather；　our　client　carefully　planned　the　killings　and　shot　them　in　cold　blood；　six　days　after　the　rape。　It　sounds　exactly　like　he　knew　what　he　was　doing。〃
　〃He　did。〃
　〃So　we　have　no　defense　and　I　think　you　should　plead　him　guilty　for　a　life　sentence　and　avoid　the　gas　chamber。〃
　〃You're　a　real　fighter。〃
　〃Just　kidding。　Insanity　is　our　only　defense。　And　it　sounds　impossible　to　prove。〃
　〃You're　familiar　with　the　M'Naghten　Rule？〃　Jake　asked。
　〃Yes。　Do　we　have　a　psychiatrist？〃
　〃Sort　of。　He'll　say　anything　we　want　him　to　say；　that　is；　if　he's　sober　at　trial。　One　of　your　more　difficult　tasks　as　my　new　law　clerk　will　be　to　make　sure　he　is　sober　at　trial。　It　won't　be　easy；　believe　me。〃
　〃I　live　for　new　challenges　in　the　courtroom。〃
　〃All　right　Row　Ark；　take　a　pen。　Here's　a　napkin。　Your　boss　is　about　to　give　you　instructions。〃
　She　began　making　notes　on　a　paper　napkin。
　〃I　want　a　brief　on　the　M'Naghten　decisions　rendered　by　the　Mississippi　Supreme　Court　in　the^past　fifty　years。　There's　probably　a　hundred。　There's　a　big　case　from　1976；　State　vs。　Hill；　where　the　court　was　bitterly　divided　five　to　four；　with　the　dissenters　opting　for　a　more　liberal　definition　of　insanity。　Keep　the　brief　short；　less　than　twenty　pages。　Can　you　type？〃
　〃Ninety　words　a　minute。〃
　〃I　should've　known。　I'd　like　it　by　Wednesday。〃
　〃You'll　have　it。〃
　〃There　are　some　evidentiary　points　I　need　researched。　You　saw　those　gruesome　pictures　of　the　two　bodies。　Noose　normally　allows　the　jury　to　see　the　blood　and　gore；　but　I'd　like　to　keep　them　away　from　the　jury。　See　if　there's　a　way。〃
　〃It　won't　be　easy。〃
　〃The　rape　is　crucial　to　his　defense。　I　want　the　jury　to　know　details。　This　needs　to　be　researched　thoroughly。　I've　got　two　or　three　cases　you　can　start　from；　and　I　think　we　can　prove　to　Noose　that　the　rape　is　very　relevant。〃
　〃Okay。　What　else？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　When　my　brain　is　alive　again　I'll　think　of　more；　but　that　will　do　it　for　now。〃
　〃Do　I　report　Monday　morning？〃
　〃Yes；　but　no　sooner　than　nine。　I　like　my　quiet　time。〃
　〃What's　the　dress　code？〃
　〃You　look　fine。〃
　〃Jeans　and　no　socks？〃
　〃I　have　one　other　employee；　a　secretary　by　the　name　of　Ethel。　She's　sixty…four；　top　heavy；　and　thankfully　she　wears　a　bra。　It　wouldn't　be　a　bad　idea　for　you。〃
　〃I'll　think　about　it。〃
　〃I　don't　need　the　distraction。〃
　Monday；　July　15。　One　week　until　trial。　Over　the　weekend　word　spread　quickly　that　the　trial　would　be　in　Clanton；　and　the　small　town　braced　for　the　spectacle。　The　phones　rang　steadily　at　the　three　motels　as　the　journalists　and　their　crews　confirmed　reservations。　The　cafes　buzzed　with　anticipation。　A　county　maintenance　crew　swarmed　around　the　courthouse　after　breakfast　and　began　painting　and　polishing。　Ozzie　sent　the　yardboys　from　the　jail　with　their　mowers　and　weed…eaters。　The　old　men　under　the　Vietnam　monument　whittled　cautiously　and　watched　all　this　activity。　The　trusty　who　supervised　the　yard　work　asked　them　to　spit　their　Red　Man　in　the　grass；　not　on　the　sidewalk。　He　was　told　to　go　to　hell。　The　thick；　dark　Bermuda　wa^s　given　an　extra　layer　of　fertilizer；　and　a　dozen　lawn　sprinklers　were　hissing　and　splashing　by　9：00　A。M。
　By　10：00　A。M。　the　temperature　was　ninety…two。　The　merchants　in　the　small　shops　around　the　square　opened　their