jg.atimetokill-第87部分

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　The　crowd　listened　intently　to　this　young；　cocky　mouthpiece　who　had　once　boasted　of　never　having　lost　a　murder　case。　He　appeared　relaxed　and　confident。　His　voice　was　loud；　yet　warm。　His　words　were　educated；　yet　colloquial。　He　introduced　himself　again；　and　his　client；　then　his　client's　family；　saving　the　little　girl　for　last。　He　plimented　the　D。A。　for　such　an　exhaustive　interrogation　yesterday　afternoon；　and　confessed　that　most　of　his　questions　had　already　been　asked。　He　glanced　at　his　notes。　His　first　question　was　a　bombshell。
　〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　do　any　of　you　believe　that　the　insanity　defense　should　not　be　used　under　any　circumstances？〃
　They　squirmed　a　little；　but　no　hands。　He　caught　them　off…guard；　right　off　the　bat。　Insanity！　Insanity！　The　seed　had　been　planted。
　〃If　we　prove　Carl　Lee　Hailey　was　legally　insane　when　he　shot　Billy　Ray　Cobb　and　Pete　Willard；　is　there　a　person　on　this　panel　who　cannot　find　him　not　guilty？〃
　The　question　was　hard　to　follow…intentionally　so。　There　were　no　hands。　A　few　wanted　to　respond；　but　they　were　not　certain　of　the　appropriate　response。
　Jake　eyed　them　carefully；　knowing　most　of　them　were　confused；　but　also　knowing　that　for　this　moment　every　member　of　the　panel　was　thinking　about　his　client　being　insane。　That's　where　he　would　leave　them。
　〃Thank　you；〃　he　said　with　all　the　charm　he　had　ever　mustered　in　his　life。　〃I　have　nothing　further；　Your　Honor。〃
　Buckley　looked　confused。　He　stared　at　the　judge；　who　was　equally　bewildered。
　〃Is　that　all？〃　Noose　asked　incredulously。　〃Is　that　all；　Mr。　Brigance？〃
　〃Yes；　sir；　Your　Honor；　the　panel　looks　fine　to　me；〃　Jake　said　with　an　air　of　trust；　as　opposed　to　Buckley；　who　had　grilled　them　for　three　hours。　The　panel　was　anything　but　acceptable　to　Jake；　but　there　was　no　sense　repeating　the　same　questions　Buckley　had　asked。
　〃Very　well。　Let　me　see　the　attorneys　in　chambers。〃
　Buckley；　Musgrove；　Jake；　Ellen；　and　Mr。　Pate　followed
　icnaDod　through　the　door　behind　the　bench　and　sat　around　the　desk　in　chambers。　Noose　spoke：　〃I　assume；　gentlemen；　that　you　want　each　juror　questioned　individually　on　the　death　penalty。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　Jake。
　〃That's　correct；　Your　Honor；〃　said　Buckley。
　〃Very　well。　Mr。　Bailiff；　would　you　bring　in　juror　number　one；　Carlene　Malone。〃
　Mr。　Pate　left；　walked　to　the　courtroom　and　yelled　for　Carlene　Malone。　Moments　later　she　followed　him　into　chambers。　She　was　terrified。　The　attorneys　smiled　but　said　nothing：　Noose's　instructions。
　〃Please　have　a　seat；〃　Noose　offered　as　he　removed　his　robe。　〃This　will　only　take　a　minute；　Mrs。　Malone。　Do　you　have　any　strong　feelings　one　way　or　the　other　about　the　death　penalty？〃　asked　Noose。
　She　shook　her　head　nervously　and　stared　at　Ichabod。　〃Uh；　no；　sir。〃
　〃You　realize　that　if　you're　selected　for　this　jury　and　Mr。　Hailey　is　convicted；　you　will　be　called　upon　to　sentence　him　to　death？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃If　the　State　proves　beyond　a　reasonable　doubt　that　the　killings　were　premeditated；　and　if　you　believe　Mr。　Hailey　was　not　legally　insane　at　the　time　of　the　killings；　could　you　consider　imposing　the　death　penalty？〃
　〃Certainly。　I　think　it　should　be　used　all　the　time。　Might　stop　some　of　this　meanness。　I'm　all　for　it。〃
　Jake　continued　smiling　and　nodding　politely　at　juror　number　one。　Buckley　smiled　too；　and　winked　at　Musgrove。
　〃Thank　you；　Mrs。　Malone。　You　may　return　to　your　seat　in　the　courtroom；〃　Noose　said。
　〃Bring　in　number　two；〃　Noose　ordered　Mr。　Pate。　Mar…cia　Dickens；　an　elderly　white　woman　with　a　hard　frown；　was　led　to　chambers。　Yes；　sir；　she　said；　she　was　very　much　in　favor　of　the　death　penalty。　Would　have　no　problems　voting　for　it。　Jake　sat　there　and　smiled。　Buckley　winked　again。　Noose　thanked　her　and　called　for　number　three。
　Three　and　four　were　equally　unforgiving；　ready　to　kill　if　the　proof　was　there。　Then　number　five；　Gerald　Ault；　Jake's　secret　weapon；　was　seated　in　chambers。
　〃Thank　you　Mr。　Ault；　this　will　only　take　a　minute；　Noose　repeated。　〃First　of　all；　do　you　have　strong　feelings　for　or　against　the　death　penalty？〃
　〃Oh；　yes；　sir。〃　Ault　answered　eagerly；　his　voice　and　face　radiating　passion。　〃I'm　very　much　against　it。　It's　cruel　and　unusual。　I'm　ashamed　I　live　in　a　society　which　permits　the　legal　killing　of　a　human　being。〃
　〃I　see。　Could　you；　under　any　circumstances；　if　you　were　a　juror；　vote　to　impose　the　death　penalty？〃
　〃Oh；　no；　sir。　Under　no　circumstances。　Regardless　of　the　crime。　No；　sir。〃
　Buckley　cleared　his　throat　and　somberly　announced；　〃Your　Honor；　the　State　would　challenge　Mr。　Ault　for　cause　and　move　to　excuse　him　under　the　authority　of　State　vs。　Witherspoon。〃
　〃Motion　sustained。　Mr。　Ault；　you　are　excused　from　jury　duty；〃　Noose　said。　〃You　may　leave　the　courtroom　if　you　wish。　If　you　choose　to　remain　in　the　courtroom；　I　ask　that　you　not　sit　with　the　other　jurors。〃
　Ault　was　puzzled　and　looked　helplessly　at　his　friend　Jake；　who　at　the　moment　was　staring　at　the　floor　with　a　tight　mouth。
　〃May　I　ask　why？〃　Gerald　asked。
　Noose　removed　his　glasses　and　became　the　professor。　〃Under　the　law；　Mr。　Ault；　the　court　is　required　to　excuse　any　potential　juror　who　admits　he　or　she　cannot　consider；　and　the　key　word　is　consider；　the　death　penalty。　You　see；　whether　you　like　it　or　not；　the　death　penalty　is　a　legal　method　of　punishment　in　Mississippi　and　in　most　states。　Therefore；　it　is　unfair　to　select　jurors　who　cannot　follow　the　law。〃
　The　curiosity　of　the　crowd　was　piqued　when　Gerald　Ault　emerged　from　behind　the　bench；　walked　through　the　small　gate　in　the　railing；　and　left　the　courtroom。　The　bailiff　fetched　number　six；　Alex　Summers；　and　led　him　to　chambers。　He　returned　moments　later　and　took　his　seat　on　the　first　row。　He　lied　about　the　death　penalty。　He　opposed　it　as　did　most　blacks；　but　he　told　Noose　he　had　no　objections　to　it。　No　problem。　Later　during　a　recess；　he　quietly　met　with　other　black　jurors　and　explained　how　the　questions　in　chambers　should　be　answered。
　The　slow　process　continued　until　mid…afternoon；　when　the　last　juror　left　chambers。　Eleven　had　been　excused　due　to　reservations　about　capital　punishment。　Noose　recessed　at　three…thirty　and　gave　the　lawyers　until　four　to　review　their　notes。
　In　the　library　on　the　third　floor；　Jake　and　his　team　stared　at　the　jury　lists　and　notecards。　It　was　time　to　decide。　He　had　dreamed　about　names　written　in　blue　and　red　and　black　with　numbers　beside　them。　He　had　watched　them　in　the　courtroom　for　two　full　days　now。　He　knew　them。　Ellen　wanted　women。　Harry　Rex　wanted　men。
　Noose　stared　at　his　master　list；　with　the　jurors　renumbered　to　reflect　the　dismissals　for　cause；　and　looked　at　his　lawyers。　〃Gentlemen；　are　you　ready？　Good。　As　you　know　this　is　a　capital　case；　so　each　of　you　have　twelve　peremptory　challenges。　Mr。　Buckley；　you　are　required　to　submit　a　list　of　twelve　jurors　to　the　defense。　Please　start　with　juror　number　one　and　refer　to　each　juror　only　by　number。〃
　〃Yes　sir。　Your　Honor；　the　State　will　accept　jurors　number　one；　two；　three；　four；　use　our　first　challenge　on　number　five；　accept　numbers　six；　seven；　eight；　nine；　use　our　second　challenge　on　number　ten；　accept　numbers　eleven；　twelve；　thirteen；　use　our　third　challenge　on　number　fourteen；　and　accept　number　fifteen。　That's　twelve；　I　believe。〃
　Jake　and　Ellen　circled　and　made　notes　on　their　lists。　Noose　methodically　recounted。　〃Yes；　that's　twelve。　Mr。　Bri…gance。〃
　Buckley　submitted　twelve　white　females。　Two　blacks　and　a　white　male　had　been　stricken。
　Jake　studied　his　list　and　scratched　names。　〃The　defense　will　strike　jurors　number　one；　two；　three；　accept　four；　six；　and　seven；　strike　eight；　nine；　eleven；　twelve；　accept　thirteen；　strike　fifteen。　I　believe　that's　eight　of　our　challenges。〃
　His　Honor　drew　lines　and　check　marks　down　his　list；　calculating　slowly　as　he　went。　〃Both　of　you　have　accepted　jurors　number　four；　six；　seven；　and　thirteen。　Mr。　Buckley；　it's　back　to　you。　Give　us　eight　more　jurors。〃
　〃The　State　will　accept　sixteen；　use　our　fourth　challenge　on　seventeen；　accept　eighteen；　nineteen；　twenty；　strike　twenty…one；　accept　twenty…two；　strike　twenty…three；　accept　twenty…four；　strike　twenty…five　and　twenty…six；　and　accept
　twenty…seven　and　twenty…eight。　That's　twelve　with　four　challenges　remaining。〃
　Jake　was　flabbe