all rise

[self_composed]

No plea bargain is struck. The jury is picked, and Lucinda asks a few random ones whether they have accepted bribes and sees who looks nervous: no one, as it turns out, so she strikes people who are too young to have children and one fellow who looks like he hates the entire world for her picks. Paul strikes a grandmotherly type and someone who admits when asked that they don't think much of rich people.

"All rise," comes the command as Judge Roberts walks in.

Comments

[self_composed]

"So, with that ruled out, can you think of any means other than an assault by you that could have produced that particular injury?"

[edgeofyourseat]

"Have you met the boy?" he asks incredulously. "He hasn't gone a month without brawling in God knows how long."

[self_composed]

"If that were the case, why would he name you as the perpetrator?" Lucinda asks with an expression of polite interest.

[edgeofyourseat]

"Because he's a liar and a troublemaker. If he's ever had another reason for doing something, I don't know about it."

[self_composed]

"So in his entire life, those are the only motivations he's ever had for doing anything," Lucinda says, raising an eyebrow, "as far as his own father is aware? Don't you think you might be exaggerating?"

[edgeofyourseat]

"Not by much. Those are definitely the only ones I can bring to mind."

[self_composed]

"He doesn't, for example, eat because he is hungry, or sleep because he is tired, or testify honestly because he's under oath?" Lucinda suggests.

[edgeofyourseat]

"The first two, sure," he acknowledges. "I don't know about the last. If he takes that oath as seriously as he takes every other rule he's met, not a chance."

[self_composed]

"One more question," Lucinda says, looking deeply skeptical. "Do you claim to never have hit your son at all?"

[edgeofyourseat]

"Not so that the law has any reason to take an interest."

[self_composed]

"I think I've mentioned several times that corporal punishment of any kind is illegal in the states of New York and in Washington," Lucinda says. "So: Have you ever hit your son, Mr. Hammond?"

[edgeofyourseat]

"Not so that the law should take an interest," he repeats testily.

[self_composed]

"Please just answer the question, Mr. Hammond," says Judge Roberts.

[edgeofyourseat]

"I answered the question as the question deserved to be answered."

[self_composed]

"Mr. Hammond, the law has already taken an interest, or you would not be sitting here," Judge Roberts says. "Have you or have you not hit your son?"

[edgeofyourseat]

"I dare say that boy's never met someone who didn't want to hit him," Mr. Hammond growls.

[self_composed]

"Well, we could call up his mother, and his friend Bella, and so on, but I've met him and I don't want to hit him," Lucinda says. "But please just answer the question, Mr. Hammond, or we'll be here all day."

[edgeofyourseat]

[Think it'd be worth making a smart remark just to see if he loses his shit and goes for me in front of the whole courtroom?] wonders Alice.

Meanwhile, Mr. Hammond is looking increasingly likely to do something along those lines.

"This whole trial's been a waste of my time; I might as well waste some of yours," he says, at perhaps an unnecessary volume. "But if you must know, yes, I have hit my lying, thieving, whoring, insolent weasel of a son. I took no joy in it. Any decent father would do the same."

[self_composed]

[Hold it down to like two words, barely loud enough for him to hear, if you wanna do that,] Bella advises. [You don't want to be found in contempt of court.]

"Whoring?" blinks Lucinda, caught off guard.

[edgeofyourseat]

"Oh yes!" spits Mr. Hammond. "He was selling himself on the streets of New York!"

Alice decides he doesn't even need to say anything. He just catches his father's eye and slouches in his chair, tipping it back on its rear legs for a moment.

Mr. Hammond rockets to his feet and slams his hands down on the surface in front of him.

[self_composed]

"Mr. Hammond! Calm down at once!" exclaims Judge Roberts.

Paul, surprisingly on the ball, says, "My client regrets any potentially slanderous allegations made in the heat of the moment..."

[edgeofyourseat]

With his father still glaring venomously at him, Alice tosses a quick glance at someone who isn't looking and touches his tongue to his lips for a moment, tilting his head down and lifting his eyebrows slightly. It's hardly an overt or remarkable gesture, but it has the desired effect, which is to send his father into a frothing, spitting, incoherent rage and prevent him from coming to his senses and sitting down again.

[self_composed]

A bailiff seizes Mr. Hammond before he can go anywhere.

"No further questions," Lucinda says, looking with a vaguely pitying expression at Mr. Hammond.

And that's it.

Off the jury goes.

[Nicely done,] Bella remarks to Alice.

[edgeofyourseat]

[Thank yooou,] he singsongs, looking mildly shaken for the benefit of any backward-glancing jurors.

[self_composed]

The judge allows that everyone else may enjoy a recess - for fifteen minutes. He obviously doesn't expect it to take very long.

[I think we're pretty safe,] Bella opines. [He did not play that well, even accounting for his poor lawyer.]