"The Judgment"
by D.J.Granger
1968. Gideon Daniels versus the State. It was my first time in the cathedral room since being transferred to the trial and becoming a bailiff earlier in the year. Sunlight poured in through the large windows lining the east side of the room highlighting the mahogany detail of the court. There were twelve jurymen positioned to the left of the judge’s seat. In the crowd, all the conservative suits and dresses lingered on in idle chatter before the trial. It all reminded me of the days when my father took me to Sunday mass, as we patiently waited in the great sermon hall for service to begin.
In the back, the great door’s hinges wailed out under pressure as they crawled open. A procession of lawyers slowly marched down the aisle like ushers. My palms were warm and moist and my skin tingled with adrenaline. I remember glancing outside; the clouds were chasing the sun, gaining on it. When the shadows crept across the room, that’s when I first saw him…
Gideon was about two heads above everyone else in line and about twice as wide. A real giant of a man, if you could even call him a man at all. The legal teams panned out to their respective sides and he thundered to the front of the courtroom greeted by uncomfortable stares and an occasional whisper. As he sat down at the mahogany table in front of me, his hazel eyes beamed out from a bearded face and a head full of wild hair. Time slowed down when we first made eye contact. I placed my hand on the black revolver at my hip to make sure it was still there…
"Jack...Jack. What are you doing? We're about to start." Another officer whispered to me.
He handed me a note with the judge’s name. I remembered I had to make my announcement, and knew I had to keep a clear head. Outside the clouds were catching up to the sun and it begun to drizzle. I walked to the center of the room before the judge’s seat. Just before I spoke, I noticed how high it sat, like great pulpit stand.
“Everyone in the courtroom please rise; the honorable Judge Blackwood presiding!”
Like clockwork I heard the dark wooden chamber doors moan open. Everyone stood and silently watched as an aged voice creaked out from behind me.
“You all…may be seated.”
It was the first time I had seen Judge Blackwood. He was ancient, a balding head of starch white hair on a thin pale face with cataract eyes to match. He surveyed the room. Gideon seemed unscathed by appearance.
We proceeded through the opening formalities without incident, and I learned Gideon was being tried for murder in the second degree as a result of child negligence. The details were still unclear to me, but the thought of him neglecting his own children in anyway was an unforgivable offense in my mind. The mystery surrounding the details of the case were engrossing, so I withheld passing judgment as the final testimonies begun. There were no witnesses at the scene of the crime and only character witnesses present for the trial.
“Mr. Caspar I’d like to ask you a few questions about Mr. Gideon Daniels.” A calm voice spoke out.
Randy, an older Black man in a charcoal suit was on the stand as a thin brown haired man in a terra-cotta two-piece questioned him. I hadn’t really noticed Gideon’s lawyer before then because I had been so focused on his lofty client, but his soft voice was captivating, and the way he smiled seemed to invite everyone in the courtroom to listen.
“I understand you have worked alongside my client in the past. Can you shed some light on what exactly Mr. Daniels does?”
“Yes.” Randy paused. “I worked with him on the Californian Peace League. C.P.L is a non profit organization that helps out in the underprivileged communities of California. We do everything from feeding the poor to holding peaceful demonstrations against the war.”
“I see. That seems like a very noble profession...can you explain to the court how Mr. Daniels goes about his work?”
“When leading a rally or running an operation, Mr. Daniels is our backbone and is always there to push us in the right direction.”
“And would you say he acted in this manner around his children?”
“Objection! Your honor, he is leading the witness!”
A grey eyed black haired man in a pin striped suit interrupted. Old Judge Blackwood was slow to respond. He turned to the defense lawyer.
“Mr. Christophers…rephrase your question.”
Mr.Christophers nodded. “Mr. Caspar, when visiting the Daniels home, how was the atmosphere?”
Randy laughed a little. “Just fine. His children seemed well behaved, but playful and curious as children are. He tried to raise them with a firm hand.”
Mr. Christophers smiled warmly at Randy then turned to Blackwood. “Your honor, I have no further questions.”
From what I could gather, it seemed like Gideon was a model citizen, and with the exception of his wild appearance everything Randy said seemed believable. But his blank expression bothered me. Every time I looked, it was like he wasn’t there.
Judge Blackwood rubbed his bony chin and hollowly glanced at the prosecution’s table. “Would the prosecution…like to cross examine?”
Mr. Christophers sat back down as the man in the pin striped suit passed him on the way to the stand carrying a red folder. The shadows shifted and the musty smell of beating rain penetrated the room when they glanced at one another. They had definitely crossed paths before. Randy seemed to stiffen up as the prosecutor approached him.
“Mr. Caspar, from your testimony I can tell you’re an honest man.” He said with an alluring look in his eyes that made you want to trust him, “But, I’ve also found some things to be unclear. Mr. Caspar, would you clarify what you meant by he raised his children with a firm hand?”
“Yes sir. Mr. Daniels is a church going man. He’s there every Sunday. I believe he tried to instill a strong moral ethic into his children. He had always laid the rules out for them perfectly clear.”
“Firm hand. That would imply Mr. Daniels was one to exercise control.”
Randy nervously eyeballed the folder in the prosecutors hand as he lifted it up for all the court to see.
“That’s funny, because in my hand is a police report describing the events of a certain C.P.L rally that seemed to of gotten out control. Would you like to explain this to the court Mr. Caspar?”
Randy looked down and swallowed to flush the building saliva in his mouth.
“Yes. Two summers ago we marched on city hall to denounce the war in Vietnam. It was an isolated incident. Some of the members were harsher in their means of persuasion… “
“So they threw Molotov cocktails?”
“C.P.L was clea-“
“Inciting a riot. It was dismissed from court because the perpetrators could not be identified. Mr. Caspar can you tell me who was in charge of this particular march?”
“…Mr. Daniels.”
“It seems to me that Mr. Daniels, a man who exercises such control at home, failed to do so at work. I would think that such a righteous man would have been able to lead the group in a better direction.” The prosecutor quipped.
“Objection. Your honor, Mr. Caspar is on the stand, not the prosecution.” Mr. Christophers quickly intervened.
“Mr.Deville… please refrain… from speaking your mind while questioning the witness.”
“Forgive me… I’ve digressed.” He said before pressing Randy further. “Mr. Caspar, I must ask, in the past were you ever aware of Mr. Daniels habitual drug use?”
There was a glare in Mr.Deville’s eyes that seemed to leap into Randy’s soul. The mention of drugs honestly didn’t surprise me. His wild hair made him look like the type. And I wondered just how he had masqueraded around like an upstanding man up until to that point. I looked at him, but he sat there just as blank as can be.
“…I was not.” Randy slowly answered.
“So you were not aware of his LSD usage at the time? It must’ve been hard for Mr. Daniels to work at C.P.L strung out on hallucinogens, let alone raise two children.”
“Objection.” Mr. Christophers interrupted again. “Your honor, the incident my client is on trial for occurred well before the ban of LSD last year.”
“Yet, new facts are being documented everyday. And this is core to my case.” Deville quickly snapped back.
Blackwood’s eyes sunk into a head filled with thought. “…Overruled. Mr. Deville… please continue.”
“Mr. Caspar, Do you believe it was hard for Mr. Daniels to work like this? High on LSD?” He continued.
“…Gideon took a leave of absence when his wife passed away; I don’t believe he was like that at work.” Randy mumbled.
Mr. Deville smiled. “Your honor, I have no further questions at this time.”
LSD. I didn’t know much about it, except that it makes a person have vivid hallucinations. In the past few years it sky rocketed onto the popular culture scene like plague. Probably due to quack doctors raving about its so called beneficial effects. A drug like that was a mistake, no, any drug that can change a person for the worst is a mistake. LSD, marijuana, alcohol…they’re all the same… I lost myself in thought for a moment, but tuned back into the trial after Mr.Christophers called Mel Staunton, a shifty eyed little man in a khaki coat to the stand.
“Mr. Staunton, you spent some time with Mr. Daniels after he left work, can you explain the details to the court?” Mr. Christophers asked.
“Y-Yes.” He quickly stuttered. “C.P.L t-told me t-to deliver care pa-packages after he left. I brought f-f-food and other items for house.”
“While you were there was there any strange behavior going on at the house? How were Mr. Daniels and the children?”
“N-n-no. No strange behavior. Gideon was f-fine. He played with the children a lot and spent much time with them. He l-loved them.”
Mr. Staunton’s eyes kept darting around the courtroom when he answered. His stutter didn’t bother me, but he talked fast like someone who had too much caffeine. I was beginning to get the feeling that he may not have been the best witness to testify on Gideon’s behalf.
“How did he play with his children? What kind of games?”
Mel awkwardly brushed his hands down the sides of his jacket then answered. “G-games of knowledge. He always questioned their p-p-perception of right and wrong. Sometimes they d-didn’t understand, and he would just laugh and say it’s okay, one day you will. I liked visiting, everything was very p-p-peaceful.”
“And did you ever get the feeling that Mr. Daniels may have been under the influence of any drug while you were there?
“N-noo.” He brushed his hands down again. “I mean n-no. He was sound as a whistle. I c-couldn’t imagine him being like that around the ch-children.” He quickly finished.
I could tell Mr. Christophers strategy was to push Gideon’ s innocence with witnesses that swear to him being of sound mind, but I had to question his methods. Especially with a guy like Mr.Staunton on the stand. I believe Mr.Deville had planned on exploited this as he and Mr. Christophers exchanged places. Mel fidgeted in his seat as Mr. Deville approached him.
“Mr. Staunton. Have you ever done drugs of any kind?”
Mel’s little black pupils shot around in his head like pool balls. He remained silent.
“Mr. Staunton? …please answer the –“
“P-P-PEACE! LOVE! STOP T-THE WAR! FREE GIDEON!” Mel screamed, bolting up out of the chair!
Mr. Deville to quickly leap back! He reached inside of his jacket and let a little white dove burst free! The dove darted around the courtroom, sweeping over the crowd. People ducked down to avoid it and anything else that might fly out of Mel’s jacket.
“OR-DER OR-DER! BAILIFF!” Blackwood yelled slamming down his shiny wooden gavel.
“P-PEACE! LOVE! STOP THE WAR! FREE GIDEON!”
I had never seen anything like it and I froze as the cries and yelling drowned out the thoughts in my head. I was powerless to do anything... Two fellow officers ran to the stand and subdued Mr. Staunton, then yelled at me.
“Jack! Jack!”
I reached for my gun when I heard my name and quickly turned to the defense table. In the middle of all the commotion Gideon sat calmly staring ahead as nothing had happened.
"ORDER!” As he willed it, Blackwood’s final gavel bang killed the noise.
The dove flew out in the commotion as Mel was carted out through the back, head-locked and muzzled. I quickly regained my composure, but my heart was still throbbing throughout my body. I waited for Blackwood to respond. The old man ignored me for the moment and threw a skeletal glare towards Gideon’s lawyer and the prosecutor, and demanded their presence at his stand.
“Mr. Christophers…I will not have your witnesses turn my courtroom into a…debacle.”
“Your honor. I apologize. Mel Staunton was my last witness.”
“Your honor, if I may, I suggest a recess. I want to end this trial quickly and I have decisive evidence I'd like to present after the break.” Mr. Deville chimed in.
“Very well… Mr. Christophers, you have been warned. Next time, I will personally hold you in… contempt of court.”
Blackwood dismissed the two lawyers and called for a recess. The large officers that had hulled Staunton out of the room came back in to usher out Gideon and the legal teams. As I watched them leave, I beratted myself for panicking. I was supposed to be a figure of order, and Blackwood’s comment before he left only made me feel worse.
“You…young man…keep your eyes open.” He murmured before vanishing into the blackness of his chamber.
The whole trial was getting to me, Blackwood, Christophers, Deville, and Gideon. It was all beginning to feel as if I had just woken from a lucid dream and wasn’t able to establish reality anymore. The building rainstorm outside did little to calm my nerves as it echoed throughout the empty cathedral room, but I tried to gather myself before the second half of the trial begun.
*****
The shadowed courtroom was full and the trial was underway again. During the recess the wind had picked up and started to howl. The air was stagnant and the mood of the room was eager with anticipation. No one said a word. The brief lull of silence was accompanied by rain droplets furiously beating against the window panes. Judge Blackwood broke the silence and beckoned the prosecutor to the floor.
"Mr. Deville...the floor is yours."
The prosecutor nodded and approached a short wooden table that had been moved to the front of the room. On it laid what appeared to be a stack of film reel and a tiny black and gray camera. His legal team methodically tinkered with a small projector on the prosecution's table, while Mr. Deville set up a good sized white screen a few feet ahead. It was slightly tilted so the jury and court could see. The judge had enough of a view from his stand, but I moved between the defense and prosecution tables to get a better look. Mr.Deville proceeded with his announcement from the screen as the wind and rain continued outside.
"Your honor, ladies and gentlemen of the court. What I have set up here is an 8mm film projector recovered from the grounds of the Daniels home. I would like to present these three clips as evidence to the court and as a true witness to the character and heinous crime of Gideon Daniels."
"And how long... are these three clips... you intend to show?" Blackwood questioned.
"Roughly six minutes each. There are in super 8 color film with no sound, your honor."
Blackwood motioned for the security in the back to dim the lights. As the room darkened, Mr.Deville moved back to his seat. I felt cold as he passed. He smiled at Mr. Christophers, then started the projector. The machine choked on as a beam of light shot forth highlighting the screen and revealing invisible bits of dust in the air. The hum of the projector and slow clacking of the reel blended with the rain outside, and a picture with a slight blur and black spots flickered onto the screen...
It’s summer in a quaint little garden tucked behind a manila Californian ranch home. An array of colorful plants and flowers of budding greens, plum purples, and saffron yellows sprout from the dry brown soil. A tall beige wooden privacy fence encloses yard. Swaying palms in the horizon stroke the sky gently like a painter’s brush, shifting puffs of clouds across a tranquil cerulean sky. A small girl in a pure white dress with wavy brown hair and eyes the color of palm leaves runs towards the camera. Holding several white daises in her hands, she grins, then plops down in a lush patch of grass. She plucks the petals off of the flowers, and throws them into a nearby patch of black soil. The camera moves in on her and she takes it, and turns it around to reveal a taller boy with long brown hair in a suede vest. He smiles, the runs off to the corner of the garden out of view, but quickly returns carrying a large sun flower with radiant golden petals cupping a sienna center. Grinning widely, he begins to wave it around carelessly. The camera is sat down, but catches the girl run off. It shoots grass as little white lace shoes and tan moccasins move about until the reel runs out…
The projector clicked off and the lights came on again. All I could think about was that the children in that film were dead.
…Gideon Daniels, the one allegedly responsible was called to the stand next. I remember my chest tightened like an asthma attack as he lumbered towards me. When I moved slowly to escort him to the stand I had to stretch my neck to look up at him. He didn’t look down at me, but just stared ahead, almost regal in manner, as I walked him to the witness stand. The stoic expression on his face did not change once as Mr. Deville approached him. He stopped short of coming too close, and instead of looking Gideon in the eye, he directed most of his questions to the courtroom as a whole.
"Mr. Daniels, can you identify the place in the clip just shown?"
A long gust of wind howled past the side of the building… Gideon cleared his throat and looked directly down at Mr. Deville. Everyone stared, waiting for the giant man to answer.
"That was my home. The garden belonged to my wife." His voice bellowed out into the courtroom.
"And the children in the film… who are they?" Mr. Deville pressed.
"My children." He said, losing focus. "...lyn and Adam…eight and ten years old."
Sensing weakness, Mr.Deville begun his attack.
"And where were you when this film was being shot?"
"…I cannot recall. I may have stepped inside for a moment."
"Did you leave your children alone often Mr. Daniels?" Mr.Deville snapped.
"Objection. The not what my client said your honor." Gideon's lawyer interjected.
"Your honor, I was merely trying to reveal more of Mr. Daniels actions and personality to the court." He innocently answered.
"…Overruled...please answer Mr. Daniels." Blackwood slowly responded.
"I did not." He bellowed, eyes narrowing in on the prosecutor.
"Your honor, I have no further questions at this moment and would like to move onto the second clip." Mr. Deville quickly finished.
On his way back, he passed me again.
“Keep your eyes open bailiff…” He whispered.
My eyes were open and watching Gideon like a hawk, and Mr. Deville’s comment didn’t help my nerves any. He loaded a new reel into the projector and flipped it on as distant thunder could be heard beyond the falling rain. My body went numb as the lights went off and the projector glowed onto the screen again...
A few stars decorate the night sky like diamonds. The white moon, like a complementing pearl, is brightly glowing. A small bonfire is seen in the garden, orange sparks crackling out and falling to the ground. Adam and Lyn are sitting on a wooden bench by the fire. Adam in blue pajamas, Lyn in a white nightgown, poke the flame with knotty brown twigs. The camera moves in closer to Adam and is handed to him. A towering figure comes into view. It’s Gideon. He is wearing tan pants and a long white shirt. He’s smiling. Gideon’s thick finger points straight up at the sky, and the camera swirls around, making the stars dance as if it were grand night ball. Gideon now makes hand gestures at various points in the garden, then everything is drowned out by the bonfire’s light. Lyn can be seen a couple times smiling before Gideon’s giant hand extends out towards Adam and Lyn who are looking at him wider eyed now. There is a tiny colorful slip of paper with purple and blue swirls on a red background in his hand. Adam takes it and rips off a piece. Lyn does the same. They put the pieces in their mouths. The camera is still on both children for a moment until their faces slowly begin to shift. Lyn cries and the camera is quickly sat down. Now on its side, Gideon wipes the tears that reflect the light of the fire from her face with a tie-dyed handkerchief. He looks back to where Adam was and moves away as the camera rolls on Lyn who is staring into nothingness until the reel stops…
When the lights came back on, a haunting afterimage of Lyn’s blank expression burned in my mind. Was that how they died I wondered?
The room was deathly still as everyone seemed to cling to the frozen time. Blackwood was at ease in the atmosphere. Mr. Christophers looked up at Gideon with hope in his eyes. An undertow of guilt emitted out from the stand where he sat, and Mr. Deville took the opportunity to break the hush.
“Mr. Daniels. Will you identify to the court what was on the paper that you handed to your children?”
There was no way around it, he had to answer. A long pause ensued that only seemed to intensify the heat of the moment...
“LSD.”
A low thunder grumbled out from the distance as if in response to his answer, as voices from the court whispered amongst themselves.
“Your honor. I would like to present the final clip at this time.”
I couldn’t stop shaking as the lights went off again. I couldn’t even look at Gideon anymore, and I thought maybe I wasn't cut out for this line of work. Familiar sounds filled the air as the final clip lit up the screen…
The garden is peaceful as a slight breeze wafts through the vegetation. A dim orange slowly grows on the waning evening sky. The camera moves in a slow circle showing the familiar spots of the garden. Various plants and flowers. The golden sunflower patch off to a corner. A few piles of new black potting soil. The wooden fence that seem to enclose the area into world of its own. It stops on an extinguished fire; the ground is a singed spot of dull black ash. Familiar brown twigs lay beside the wooden bench. The camera turns to catch Lyn, in blue jeans and an oversized faded tie-dyed shirt. Her light green eyes are wide as she extends her little hand towards the camera. In her hand is a paper with dancing crimson swirls on a pale pink background. A small hand from behind the camera reaches out taking it from her. The camera drops and the reel runs on black for a while… It flickers back on, darker outside now, shooting the grass and a bit of the house on its side. Glowing embers, like fiery snowflakes, begin to float to the ground from the direction of the house until the reel ends…
The lights returned with a feeling of shock present in the room. An emptiness followed. Sounds of distant thunder pursued the emptiness. Mr. Deville let the mood sink in before he spoke again.
“Gideon Daniel's children died that night. High and unsupervised they started a fire in the house after finding Mr. Daniels LSD stash…”
I was bombarded by sadness, hate, confusion, and fear. What kind of man would let something like this happen?
“Mr. Daniels I have one final question. Where were you when your house burnt down and your children perished?” Mr.Deville continued.
Tears begun to flood down Gideon’s great face. He pulled a familiar handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his eyes.
“…I was in the house when I woke up…the smoke and flames had already spread… I tried to save them…but they were… lost.”
Mr. Deville turned away in disgust. “Your honor, I have no further questions. I believe the evidence speaks for itself.”
I couldn’t stop shaking inside. How could a father be so irresponsible? I wanted to leave the courtroom, but I stayed because part of me, no, all of me wished it wasn’t true. After seeing what I did, all I could think was that those children didn’t deserve to die. They didn’t...
Mr.Christophers made his way over to the stand with wide brown eyes still filled with hope when all seemed lost. He patiently waited for Gideon to gather himself, then continued.
He spoke softly as ever. “Mr. Daniels, please…explain to the court your intentions.”
Gideon cleared his throat and sniffled before answering. “… before the incident, I had taken LSD a couple times.”
"And Mr. Daniels, why did you decide to give it to your children?”
“…the doors of perception. ...I wanted to open their doors. There had been so much talk about it being able to change your life for the better… people like Leary and Alpert. I wanted them to have that. I didn’t want them to miss their mother anymore…but it was too much. I never gave it to them again. I told them never to touch it again…”
“I understand. Is there anything else you would like to add?”
He waited for a moment,”… I love my children. If I had known what it could do… or what it couldn’t do… removing the pain of a loss. I would’ve… I would’ve burned that paper long ago!” He said as he looked out into the courtroom more teary-eyed than before. He lowered his head, “I loved them so much…”
The massive wild haired man's voice trembled as he fought to hold back his tears.
“Your honor. I am finished with my questioning.” Mr. Christophers said.
He sat back down and Gideon was dismissed from the stand shortly after. Blackwood took his time to deliberate the evidence, and decided not to take another recess. He immediately motioned for the lawyers to make their final statements.
*****
Mr. Deville went first as the thunderstorm grew closer. The room vibrated like a premonition of his coming assault, and his eyes pierced the souls of the twelve stalwart jurymen who had sat like rocks throughout the trial…
“People of the jury. I implore you to take heart to this terrible tragedy caused by selfishness, irresponsibility, and negligence at the hands of Mr. Gideon Daniels. Children. Innocent children. Dead. Consumed by fire.”
Sweat begun to form on a balding juror’s brow as Mr.Deville stopped directly in front of is seat.
“Their lives were taken and we know who is to blame. They will never smile again. Their eyes will no longer know the light of day or the peace of night. Their tiny hands will never pick flowers in their mother’s garden ever again. They will not live to see the future unfold. They will never grow old and they will never know love. And I must beg the question, have they ever really known love? A love from their father? Not from Gideon Daniels. Not from a father who cast them from this world, their world. Not from a father too blind to see. Did they deserve to die so cruelly, so tragically? No, but by the faults of one so unfit to be called father, they have perished!”
The furor of Mr. Deville’s words seemed to momentarily halt the growing cold in the room. He bullied the jury around with his compelling words, ready to pry the rage from their hearts.
“It is your duty to right this wrong… Shine your inner light of righteousness! And today you will have done a great deed by finding Mr. Gideon Daniels guilty!”
His words sunk like a stake into mine. Guilty. Gideon Daniels is guilty. The verdict burned in my mind long after the fiery Deville finished his statement and returned to his table.
Mr. Christophers, barely noticeable after the wake of Deville’s speech, took the floor next. He begun slowly...
“…Gideon Daniels loved his children. …Gideon Daniels still loves his children. Do not ever let that be mistaken. This is a man who lost his wife and who then lost his children. He has wept more tears than any soul should be allowed to weep in a lifetime. Gideon Daniels wanted the best for them… He wanted to protect them from the heartache he had known since their mother passed away. Gideon Daniels was mislead.... What happened here is clear. This is not a question of negligence, selfishness or irresponsibility on the part of Mr. Daniels. This tragedy questions the very of the ignorance of our society. Knowledge. What was known then and what is known now. The legality of LSD and the effects of the drug.”
Mr. Christophers words seemed to grow a little on the jury, as if to pull some logic out of the chaotic case. I remember he moved in closer and spread his arms and the tension in the room seemed to fade temporarily.
“Have faith in Gideon Daniels. Have faith in what you have witnessed here today. Have faith in the love he has for his children.”
The belief he had in his client was unequaled. His eyes were soft as he coaxed the jury into believing in Gideon’s innocence.
“Society must right its wrongs, not punish the victims of those wrongs. Put yourself in Gideon Daniel’s shoes! A father misled. Understand the frustration, anger, and sorrow. The loss he has had to bear. Imagine deep in your heart trying to do good, never breaking any law… trying to cope with a loss, and then…waking up and your life is gone. Your wife, your children, your home...all gone. Imagine this nightmare. This what Gideon Daniel feels everyday… Now imagine being on trial with nothing left… only your faith.”
Mr.Christophers stopped in the middle of the courtroom and looked out the window as if to search for a sign. He eyes scanned the darkened clouds rolling by in the distance as lightening darted across the sky. He closed them...
“Please…please have faith in Gideon Daniels…he is not guilty.” He finished on a soft note and quietly took his seat.
I could feel myself start to break down inside. It was like the two lawyers had been playing tug of war with my soul... Blackwood’s voice moaned out into the solemn atmosphere…
“We will now take another recess…as the final verdict is deliberated...”
Everyone filed out of the courtroom in dream-like motion. Low booms from the distant thunder vibrated the room as the crowd left. When it emptied, the room was silent, left slightly at ease with the wind and rain. I didn’t move from my spot and stared vacantly out the window until recess ended.
*****
The judgment grew near. Court resumed and the short booms of thunder between the blowing wind had returned. I couldn’t smell the rain. I couldn’t feel my body. My hands were shaking, and I couldn’t hold them still anymore…
Mr. Deville’s grey eyes watched over the entire courtroom. Gideon’s eyes were tightly shut. When everyone was in their place, Judge Blackwood spoke…
“Gideon Daniels…rise for the final verdict” He commanded.
I watched Gideon stand behind the mahogany table, his legs tightly pressed between the chair and the table top. He loomed larger than ever before the expanse of the courtroom. A man from the jury now stood. The same man who broke into a sweat during Deville’s final statement. Deville smiled as the remaining eleven jurors sat still. Mr. Christophers stared resolutely ahead.
“I will now deliver the final verdict for Gideon Daniels versus the state of California.” The juror said, “In the case of child negligence and the second degree murder of Adam and Evelyn Daniels…” He swallowed.
Everyone was facing forward. I held my breath…
“The court finds Gideon Oswald Daniels –“
KERAACK!
...It all happened so quickly. The power cut off and the courtroom went black. Before that I was watching over the entire room. Everyone else was watching the juror read the final verdict. But the lightning hit before it was read. And just before the lights cut off, GIdeon opened his eyes and looked at me... He stared directly in my eyes and I couldn't turn away. They all were looking at me. Gideon, Christophers, Deville, and Blackwood. I could feel it. Especially Blackwood. I could feel his icy glare fixated on the back of my neck. The words Keep your eyes open echoed though my head as Gideon stared at me. That’s not why I did it though...
Looking directly into his eyes time stopped in the split second before the lightning struck. Past his face full of wild hair and deep in his eyes I saw a man whose faith had died and everything he had ever known with it. He knew he was going to lose, and something gripped me, but not like the fear I felt before. This time I was calm. When I looked at him and reached down to my side, I was at peace. It was his eyes that spoke to me, put me out of my misery, they said. ...and I did. I had to. So I sent him home to his garden where could see his wife and beautiful children once again...
