jg.atimetokill-第89部分

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e　of　year。　At　the　end　of　one　secluded　wing；　eight　rooms　were　occupied　and　guarded　by　soldiers　and　a　couple　of　state　troopers。　The　ten　women　had　paired　off　nicely；　as　had　Barry　Acker　and　Clyde　Sisco。　The　black　alternate；　Ben　Lester　Newton；　was　awarded　a　room　to　himself；　as　was　the　other　alternate；　Francie　Pitts。　The　televisions　had　been　disconnected　and　no　newspapers　were　allowed。　Supper　Tuesday
　night　had　been　delivered　to　the　rooms；　and　Wednesday's　breakfast　arrived　promptly　at　seven…thirty　while　the　Greyhound　warmed　and　blew　diesel　fumes　all　over　the　parking　lot。　Thirty　minutes　later　the　fourteen　loaded　aboard　and　the　entourage　set　out　for　Clanton。
　They　talked　on　the　bus　about　their　families　and　jobs。　Two　or　three　had　known　each　other　prior　to　Monday；　most　were　strangers。　They　awkwardly　avoided　any　mention　of　why　they　were　all　together　and　the　task　before　them。　Judge　Noose　had　been　very　plain　on　this　point；　no　discussions　about　the　case。　They　wanted　to　talk　about　many　things：　the　rape；　the　rapists；　Carl　Lee；　Jake；　Buckley；　Noose；　the　Klan；　lots　of　things。　Everyone　knew　of　the　burning　crosses；　but　they　weren't　discussed；　at　least　they　weren't　discussed　on　the　bus。　There　had　been　many　discussions　back　in　the　motel　rooms。
　The　Greyhound　arrived　at　the　courthouse　five　minutes　before　nine；　and　the　jurors　stared　through　dark　windows　to　see　how　many　blacks　and　how　many　Klansmen　and　how　many　others　were　being　separated　by　the　guardsmen。　It　eased　past　the　barricades　and　parked　at　the　rear　of　the　courthouse；　where　the　deputies　were　waiting　to　escort　them　upstairs　as　soon　as　possible。　They　went　up　the　back　stairs　to　the　jury　room；　where　coffee　and　doughnuts　were　waiting。　The　bailiff　informed　them　it　was　nine；　and　His　Honor　was　ready　to　start。　He　led　them　into　the　crowded　courtroom　and　into　the　jury　box；　where　they　sat　in　their　designated　seats。
　〃All　rise　for　the　court；〃　Mr。　Pate　yelled。
　〃Please　be　seated；〃　Noose　said　as　he　fell　into　the　tall　leather　chair　behind　the　bench。　〃Good　morning；　ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　he　said　warmly　to　the　jurors。　〃I　trust　you're　all　feeling　well　this　morning；　and　ready　to　go。〃
　They　all　nodded。
　〃Good。　I'm　going　to　ask　you　this　question　every　morning：　Did　anybody　attempt　to　contact　you；　talk　to　you；　or　influence　you　in　any　way　last　night？〃
　They　all　shook　their　heads。
　〃Good。　Did　you　discuss　this　case　among　yourselves？〃
　They　all　lied　and　shook　their　heads。
　〃Good。　If　anyone　attempts　to　contact　you　and　discuss
　me　as　soon　as　possible。　Do　you　understand？〃
　They　nodded。
　〃Now　at　this　time　we　are　ready　to　start　the　trial。　The　first　order　of　business　is　to　allow　the　attorneys　to　make　opening　statements。　I　want　to　caution　you　that　nothing　the　attorneys　say　is　testimony　and　is　not　to　be　taken　as　evidence。　Mr。　Buckley；　do　you　wish　to　make　an　opening　statement？〃
　Buckley　rose　and　buttoned　his　shiny　polyester　coat。　〃Yes；　Your　Honor。〃
　〃I　thought　so。　You　may　proceed。〃
　Buckley　lifted　the　small；　wooden　podium　and　moved　it　squarely　in　front　of　the　jury　box；　where　he　stood　behind　it　and　breathed　deeply　and　slowly　flipped　through　some　notes　on　a　legal　pad。　He　enjoyed　the　brief　period　of　quietness　with　all　eyes　on　him　and　all　ears　anxious　for　his　words。　He　started　by　thanking　the　jurors　for　being　there；　for　their　sacrifices；　for　their　citizenship　（as　if　they　had　a　choice；　thought　Jake）。　He　was　proud　of　them　and　honored　to　be　associated　with　them　in　this　most　important　case。　Again；　he　was　their　lawyer。　His　client；　the　State　of　Mississippi。　He　expressed　fear　at　this　awesome　responsibility　that　they；　the　people；　had　given　to　him；　Rufus　Buckley；　a　simple　country　lawyer　from　Smith…field。　He　rambled　on　about　himself　and　his　thoughts　on　the　trial；　and　his　hopes　and　prayers　that　he　would　do　a　good　job　for　the　people　of　this　state。
　He　gave　pretty　much　the　same　spiel　in　all　of　his　opening　statements；　but　this　was　a　better　performance。　It　was　refined　and　polished　garbage；　and　objectionable。　Jake　wanted　to　burn　him；　but　from　experience　he　knew　Ichabod　would　not　sustain　an　objection　during　an　opening　statement　unless　the　offense　was　flagrant；　and　Buckley's　rhetoric　did　not　qualify　…yet。　All　this　fake　sincerity　and　gushiness　irritated　Jake　to　no　end；　primarily　because　the　jury　listened　to　it　and；　more　often　than　not；　fell　for　it。　The　prosecutor　was　always　the　good　guy；　seeking　to　right　an　injustice　and　punish　a　criminal　for　some　heinous　crime；　to　lock　him　away　forever　so　he　could　sin　no　more。　Buckley　was　master　at　convincing　a　jury；　right　off　the　mark；　during　the　opening　statement；　that　it　was　up　to　them；　He　and　The　Twelve　Chosen　Ones；　to　search　diligently　for　the　truth；　together　as　a　team；　united　against
　evil。　It　was　the　truth　they　were　after；　nothing　but　the　truth。　Find　the　truth　and　justice　would　win。　Follow　him；　Rufus　Buckley；　the　people's　lawyer；　and　they　would　find　the　truth。
　The　rape　was　a　terrible　deed。　He　was　a　father；　in　fact　had　a　daughter　the　same　age　of　Tonya　Hailey；　and　when　he　first　heard　of　the　rape　he　was　sick　at　his　stomach。　He　grieved　for　Carl　Lee　and　his　wife。　Yes；　he　thought　of　his　own　little　girls　and　had　thoughts　of　retribution。
　Jake　smiled　quickly　at　Ellen。　This　was　interesting。　Buck…ley　had　chosen　to　confront　the　rape　instead　of　keeping　it　from　the　jury。　Jake　was　expecting　a　critical　confrontation　with　him　on　the　admissibility　of　any　testimony　regarding　the　rape。　Ellen's　research　found　the　law　to　be　clear　that　the　lurid　details　were　inadmissible；　but　it　wasn't　so　clear　as　to　whether　it　could　be　mentioned　or　referred　to。　Evidently　Buckley　felt　it　was　better　to　acknowledge　the　rape　than　try　to　hide　it。　Good　move；　thought　Jake；　since　all　twelve　and　the　rest　of　the　world　knew　the　details　anyway。
　Ellen　smiled　too。　The　rape　of　Tonya　Hailey　was　about　to　be　tried　for　the　first　time。
　Buckley　explained　it　would　be　natural　for　any　parent　to　want　revenge。　He　would　too；　he　admitted。　But；　he　continued　with　his　voice　growing　heavier；　there　is　a　mighty　distinction　between　wanting　revenge　and　getting　revenge。
　He　was　warming　up　now　as　he　paced　deliberately　back　and　forth；　ignoring　the　podium；　getting　his　rhythm。　He　launched　himself　into　a　twenty…minute　discourse　on　the　criminal　justice　system　and　how　it　was　practiced　in　Mississippi；　and　how　many　rapists　that　he；　Rufus　Buckley；　had　personally　sent　to　Parchman；　for　life；　most　of　them。　The　system　worked　because　Mississippians　had　enough　good　mon　sense　to　make　it　work；　and　it　would　collapse　if　people　like　Carl　Lee　Hailey　were　allowed　to　short…circuit　the　system　and　dispense　justice　according　to　their　own　terms。　Imagine　that。　A　lawless　society　where　vigilantes　roamed　at　will。　No　police；　no　jails；　no　courts；　no　trials；　no　juries。　Every　man　for　himself。
　It　was　sort　of　ironic；　he　said；　winding　down　for　a　moment。　Carl　Lee　Hailey　now　sat　before　them　asking　for　due　process　and　a　fair　trial；　yet　he　did　not　believe　in　such　things。
　Ask　the　mothers　ot　Billy　Ray　Cobb　and　Pete　Willard。　Ask　them　what　kind　of　fair　trials　their　sons　received。
　He　paused　to　allow　the　jury　and　the　courtroom　to　absorb　and　ponder　that　last　thought。　It　sunk　in　heavy；　and　every　person　in　the　jury　box　looked　at　Carl　Lee　Hailey。　They　were　not　looks　of　passion；　Jake　cleaned　his　fingernails　with　a　small　knife　and　looked　thoroughly　bored。　Buckley　pretended　to　review　his　notes　at　the　podium；　then　checked　his　watch。　He　started　again；　this　time　in　a　most　confident　businesslike　tone　of　voice。　The　State　would　prove　that　Carl　Lee　Hailey　carefully　planned　the　killings。　He　waited　for　almost　an　hour　in　a　small　room　next　to　the　stairs　where　he　knew　the　boys　would　eventually　be　led　as　they　were　taken　back　to　jail。　He　somehow　managed　to　sneak　an　M…16　into　the　courthouse。　Buckley　walked　to　a　small　table　by　the　court　reporter　and　hoisted　the　M…16。　〃This　is　the　M…16！〃　he　announced　to　the　jury；　waving　it　wildly　about　with　one　hand。　He　sat　it　on　the　podium　and　talked　about　how　it　was　carefully　selected　by　Carl　Lee　Hailey　because　he　had　used　one　before　in　close　bat；　and　he　knew　how　to　kill　with　it。　He　had　been　trained　with　an　M…16。　It's　an　illegal　weapon。　You　can't　buy　one　down　at　the　Western　Auto。　He　had　to　go　find　it。　He　planned　it。
　The　proof　would　be　clear：　premeditated；　carefully　p