jg.atimetokill-第85部分

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ment　yelling　at　a　group　of　black　demonstrators；　who　are；　of　course；　yelling　back。　The　two　groups　are　separated　by　heavily　armed　National　Guardsmen。　As　the　jurors　arrived　for　court　this　morning；　they　witnessed　this　circus　on　the　courthouse　lawn。　It　will　be　impossible　to　select　a　fair　and　impartial　jury。〃
　Buckley　watched　with　a　cocky　grin　on　his　huge　face；　and　when　Jake　finished　he　said；　〃May　I　respond；　Your　Honor？〃
　〃No；〃　Noose　said　bluntly。　〃Motion　is　overruled。　What　else　do　you　have？〃
　〃The　defense　moves　to　strike　this　entire　panel。〃
　〃On　what　grounds？〃
　〃On　the　grounds　that　there　has　been　an　overt　effort　by　the　Klan　to　intimidate　this　panel。　We　know　of　at　least　twenty　cross　burnings。〃
　〃I　intend　to　excuse　those　twenty；　assuming　they　all　showed　up；〃　said　Noose。
　〃Fine；〃　Jake　replied　sarcastically。　〃What　about　the　threats　we　don't　know　about？　What　about　the　jurors　who've　heard　of　the　cross　burnings？〃
　Noose　wiped　his　eyes　and　said　nothing。　Buckley　had　a　speech　but　didn't　want　to　interrupt。
　〃I've　got　a　list　here；〃　Jake　said；　reaching　into　a　file；　〃of　the　twenty　jurors　who　received　visits。　I've　also　got　copies　of　the　police　reports；　and　an　affidavit　from　Sheriff　Walls　in　which　he　details　the　acts　of　intimidation。　I　am　submitting　these　to　the　court　in　support　of　my　motion　to　strike　this　panel。　I　want　this　made　a　part　of　the　record　so　the　Supreme　Court　can　see　it　in　black　and　white。〃
　〃Expecting　an　appeal；　Mr。　Brigance？〃　asked　Mr。　Buck…ley。
　Ellen　had　just　met　Rufus　Buckley；　and　now；　seconds　later；　she　understood　exactly　why　Jake　and　Harry　Rex　hated　him。
　〃No；　Governor；　I'm　not　expecting　an　appeal。　I'm　trying　to　insure　that　my　man　gets　a　fair　trial　from　a　fair　jury。　You　should　understand　that。〃
　〃I'm　not　going　to　strike　this　panel。　That　would　cost　us　a　week；〃　Noose　said。
　〃What's　time　when　a　man's　life　is　at　stake？　We're　talking　about　justice。　The　right　to　a　fair　trial；　remember；　a　most　basic　constitutional　right。　It's　a　travesty　not　to　strike　this　panel　when　you　know　for　a　fact　that　some　of　these　people　have　been　intimidated　by　a　bunch　of　goons　in　white　robes　who　want　to　see　my　client　hanged。〃
　〃Your　motion　is　overruled；〃　Noose　said　flatly。　〃What　else　do　you　have？〃
　〃Nothing；　really。　I　request　that　when　you　do　excuse　the　twenty；　you　so　do　in　such　a　way　that　the　other　jurors　don't　know　the　reason。〃
　〃I　can　handle　that；　Mr。　Brigance。〃
　Mr。　Pate　was　sent　to　find　Jean　Gillespie。　Noose　handed　her　a　list　of　the　twenty　names。　She　returned　to　the　courtroom　and　read　the　list。　They　were　not　needed　for　jury　duty；　and　were　free　to　go。　She　returned　to　chambers。
　〃How　many　jurors　do　we　have？〃　Noose　asked　her。
　〃Ninety…four。〃
　〃That's　enough。　I'm　sure　we　can　find　twelve　who　are　fit　to　serve。〃
　〃You　couldn't　find　two；〃　Jake　mumbled　to　Ellen；　loud　enough　for　Noose　to　hear　and　Norma　Gallo　to　record。　His　Honor　excused　them　and　they　took　their　places　in　the　courtroom。
　Ninety…four　names　were　written　on　small　strips　of　paper　that　were　placed　in　a　short　wooden　cylinder。　Jean　Gillespie　spun　the　cylinder；　stopped　it；　and　picked　a　name　at　random。　She　handed　it　to　Noose；　who　sat　above　her　and　everyone　else　on　his　throne；　or　bench；　as　it　was　called。　The　courtroom　watched　in　dead　silence　as　he　squinted　down　that　nose　and　looked　at　the　first　name。
　〃Carlene　Malone；　juror　number　one；〃　he　shrieked　in　his　loudest　voice。　The　front　row　had　been　cleared；　and　Mrs。　Malone　took　her　seat　next　to　the　aisle。　Each　pew　would　seat　ten；　and　there　were　ten　pews；　all　to　be　filled　with　jurors。　The　ten　pews　on　the　other　side　of　the　aisle　were　packed　with　family；　friends；　spectators；　but　mainly　reporters　who　scribbled　down　the　name　of　Carlene　Malone。　Jake　wrote　her　name　too。　She　was　white；　fat；　divorced；　lower　ine。　She　was　a　two　on　the　Brigance　scale。　Zero　for　one；　he　thought。
　Jean　spun　again。
　〃Marcia　Dickens；　juror　number　two；〃　yelled　Noose。　White；　fat；　over　sixty　with　a　rather　unforgiving　look。　Zero　for　two。
　〃Jo　Beth　Mills；　number　three。〃
　Jake　sank　a　little　in　his　seat。　She　was　white；　about　fifty；　and　worked　for　minimum　wage　at　a　shirt　factory　in　Karaway。　Thanks　to　affirmative　action；　she　had　a　black　boss　who　was　ignorant　and　abusive。　She　had　a　zero　by　her　name　on　the　Brigance　notecard。　Zero　for　three。
　Jake　stared　desperately　at　Jean　as　she　spun　again。　〃Reba　Betts；　number　four。〃
　He　sunk　lower　and　began　pinching　his　forehead。　Zero　for　four。　〃This　is　incredible；〃　he　mumbled　in　the　direction　of　Ellen。　Harry　Rex　shook　his　head。
　〃Gerald　Ault；　number　five。〃
　Jake　smiled　as　his　number…one　juror　took　a　seat　next　to　Reba　Betts。　Buckley　placed　a　nasty　black　mark　by　his　name。
　〃Alex　Summers；　number　six。〃
　Carl　Lee　managed　a　weak　smile　as　the　first　black　emerged　from　the　rear　and　took　a　seat　next　to　Gerald　Ault。　Buckley　smiled　too　as　he　neatly　circled　the　name　of　the　first　black。
　The　next　four　were　white　women；　none　of　whom　rated　above　three　on　the　scale。　Jake　was　worried　as　the　first　pew
　filled。　By　law　he　had　twelve　peremptory　challenges；　free　strikes　with　no　reason　required。　The　luck　of　the　draw　would　force　him　to　use　at　least　half　of　his　peremptories　on　the　first　pew。
　〃Walter　Godsey；　number　eleven；〃　announced　Noose；　his　voice　declining　steadily　in　volume。　Godsey　was　a　middle…aged　sharecropper　with　no　passion　and　no　potential。
　When　Noose　finished　the　second　row；　it　contained　seven　white　women；　two　black　men；　and　Godsey。　Jake　sensed　a　disaster。　Relief　didn't　e　until　the　fourth　row　when　Jean　hit　a　hot　streak　and　pulled　the　names　of　seven　men；　four　of　whom　were　black。
　It　took　almost　an　hour　to　seat　the　entire　panel。　Noose　recessed　for　fifteen　minutes　to　allow　Jean　time　to　type　a　numerical　list　of　names。　Jake　and　Ellen　used　the　break　to　review　their　notes　and　place　the　names　with　the　faces。　Harry　Rex　had　sat　at　the　counter　behind　the　red　docket　books　and　feverishly　taken　notes　while　Noose　called　the　names。　He　huddled　with　Jake　and　agreed　things　were　not　going　well。
　At　eleven；　Noose　reassumed　the　bench；　and　the　courtroom　was　silenced。　Someone　suggested　he　should　use　the　mike；　and　he　placed　it　within　inches　of　his　nose。　He　spoke　loudly；　and　his　fragile；　obnoxious　voice　rattled　violently　around　the　courtroom　as　he　asked　a　lengthy　series　of　statu…torily　required　questions。　He　introduced　Carl　Lee　and　asked　if　any　juror　was　kin　to　him　or　knew　him。　They　all　knew　of　him；　and　Noose　assumed　that；　but　only　two　of　the　panel　admitted　knowing　him　prior　to　May。　Noose　introduced　the　lawyers；　then　explained　briefly　the　nature　of　the　charges。　Not　a　single　juror　confessed　to　being　ignorant　of　the　Hailey　case。
　Noose　rambled　on　and　on；　and　mercifully　finished　at　twelve…thirty。　He　recessed　until　two。
　Dell　delivered　hot　sandwiches　and　iced　tea　to　the　conference　room。　Jake　hugged　and　thanked　her；　and　told　her　to　send　him　the　bill。　He　ignored　his　food；　and　laid　the　notecards　on　the　table　in　the　order　the　jurors　had　been　seated。　Harry　Rex　attacked　a　roast　beef　and　cheddar　sandwich。　〃We　got　a　terrible　draw；〃　he　kept　repeating　with　both　cheeks　stretched　to　the　limit。　〃We　got　a　terrible　draw。〃
　When　the　ninety…fourth　card　was　in　place；　Jake　stood　back　and　studied　them。　Ellen　stood　beside　him　and　nibbled　on　a　french　fry。　She　studied　the　cards。
　〃We　got　a　terrible　draw；〃　Harry　Rex　said；　washing　it　all　down　with　a　pint　of　tea。
　〃Would　you　shut　up；〃　Jake　snapped。
　〃Of　the　first　fifty；　we　have　eight　black　men；　three　black　women；　and　thirty　white　women。　That　leaves　nine　white　men；　and　most　are　unattractive。　Looks　like　a　white　female　jury；〃　Ellen　said。
　〃White　females；　white　females；〃　Harry　Rex　said。　〃The　worst　possible　jurors　in　the　world。　White　females！〃
　Ellen　stared　at　him。　〃I　think　fat　white　men　are　the　worst　jurors。〃
　〃Don't　get　me　wrong；　Row　Ark；　I　love　white　females。　I've　married　four　of　them；　remember。　I　just　hate　white　female　jurors。〃
　〃I　wouldn't　vote　to　convict　him。〃
　〃Row　Ark；　you're　an　ACLU　munist。　You　wouldn't　vote　to　convict　anybody　of　anything。　In　your　little　demented　mind　you　think　child　pornographers　and　PLO　terrorists　are　really　swell　people　who've　been　abused　by　the　system　and　should　be　given　a　break。〃
　〃And　in　your　rational；　civilized；　and　passionate　mind；　what　do　you　think　we　should　do　with　t