ADA NANCY WONG proved to be a very formidable and imaginative Assistant District Attorney....She wove at least three scenarios around the murder of Hugh Enright this entire week and paraded CSI, Forensics People and Policemen at the scene to the Jury...
A Jury that Nelson and Josie had successfully picked 8 of the 12 jurors.....
Olivia, Beverly and Nelson had discussed and talked about the type of juror we had wanted for days before the trial began and they had framed the type of questions to ask and done psychological work ups on the possible jury pool..
Olivia and Beverly told me that they had never thought of doing this before they met Nelson,
who minored in Clinical Psychology before entering Law School..It certainly helped a lot with our cases...
Having Dabnis with us on this case was a plus...
He was a tenacious litigator and he along with both Beverly and Josie.
were relentless in cross examining witnesses...CSI, Forensics and Cops as well as the other witnesses.
They poked so many holes into what was a weak case at best... that by the last day of prosecution..
ADA Nancy Wong was questioning Lt. Tragg...
"Are you sure...Are you sure that this girl actually killed this man?" she asked.
"I'm telling you...she's your killer...There is no one else who coulda done it." he said..even though he felt some regret...
He made goo goo eyes at Susan the entire week...He had desperately wanted to see her during the weeks leading up to the trial...but couldn't find her...She ignored him.
He had staked our office out, hoping she'd come by there...But she never did...We were hardly there...
She was safely tucked away at a friend's house in Bayside, a suburb...
And she communicated with us through portal
and phone at
Attorney Jasmine Coley's office near Penns Landing,
where we did the lion share of our research
and trial strategy...
We decided to return to the safety and autonomy of Jazzy and Karen's space...
After our Duplex
had been illegally wiretapped and with Lt. Tragg's constant vigilance outside our doors.. It was better this way....
Nancy Wong gave the best closing sumnation she could...but even she didn't seem confident she had won the jury over..
''What do you think Nelson?" I asked.
"We got six to acquit, three to convict and the other three are hopelessly undecided...She was damn good...We got work to do..." he said..
Beverly , Nelson and Dabnis had run the show most of the week....
Much to Lt. Tragg's dismay...He hated that Dabnis was even involved in this trial and he felt torn because he was obviously attracted to Susan Goode..
Part of him didn't want to see her go to prison...At least not before he got to spend a night with her and sample that gorgeous body , he wagered...
II-
We sat in Sam Mother's Diner....
"Liv except for your opening statement, you've been silent all week ...That's not like you at all." said Jazzy..
''Because...I was observing my opponent...Her style..Trying to see the perfect way to go up against her..She is brilliant..She knows the application of law...She went toe to toe with your husband, my niece, Nelson and Josie..
but they were all on point and up to the task...She saw that we were very prepared...Just as prepared as she was..."said Olivia..
''And now it's our turn...We held back a whole lot...Now we crack her and good..."I said..
"I love that you guys are so confident... Olivia has always been a smart and tenacious lawyer..During my annulment and my divorce and even my civil suit... And I met your niece...and she's good ,just like you...but I'm impressed with all these other brilliant people you have around you...Your husband.
Donnie Ray...
Your niece's brilliant husband..Nelson...
Josie...
Dabnis...
Jazzy..." said Susan...
"I realized that I couldn't be successful alone...That's why I started mentoring and grooming others and you know what? I learned from them, just as they were learning from me.."said Olivia..
"Olivia taught me everything I know …"said Jazzy, kissing Olivia on the cheek. " And not just about law, but about being a decent person and a woman.."said Jasmine..
"Me too, She's been teaching me my whole life.." said Beverly, kissing her aunt..
''Ditto that." said Josie, kissing and hugging Olivia..
"Well Liv, thank you for cultivating such sexy women."said Dabnis..
"I'll second that.." I said..
"Motions closed.."said a smiling Nelson..
Our food arrived..
New York Strip Steaks
Omelettes made to order
Hash Browns
and hot coffee...
"Liv , the women and the guys adore you..Count me as a fan.." said Susan as we chowed down..
"Stop, you all are making me blush.."said Olivia.
We actually managed to finish our meal in peace... Olivia gave Nelson
our company credit card and he was paying it..when Lt. Tragg walked in..
He spied us all sharing a booth and a half..
"Oh Joy...Here comes Mr. Indigestion."said Beverly..
"Be Nice Baby!"said Olivia, patting her niece's hand..
"Yes and you behave yourself too." said Jazzy to her husband Dabnis, who seemed to be a magnet for Lt. Tragg's anger.
"Jazzy, you know I love you more than life itself...but so help me god...One word from him to me and it's on and poppin...but I promise you...I won't start anything.." said Dabnis.
Josie smiled..
Lt. Tragg went straight for Susan...
"How you holdin up kid?" he asked.
"That's funny coming from you...The man responsible for me being in this predicament.."said Susan..
"I'm very sorry about all this...but I have to do my job..."said Lt. Tragg...
"Batman said that to the Catwoman."Beverly said..
"You watch wayyyy too much late night television."Nelson said..
Dabnis cracked up....
Lt. Tragg angrily glared at both of them...Beverly and Dabnis. He had had his fill of both.
Olivia was sitting on my lap with her arms around my neck..She leaned on my shoulder and laughed quietly at what Beverly said...
Lt. Tragg observed us..
"Could I at least pay for your meal?" he asked Susan.
''Already taken care of.. I'll tell you what you can do.....Write me and come visit me if I should go to prison because of you!" said Susan Goode, not trying to hide her anger.
"That's not gonna happen baby...Trust and believe..With the slip shod work he did on this case...a first year attorney could win this thing."said Dabnis..
"Why don't you shut up? I'm just three seconds from knocking you the hell out." snarled Lt. Tragg..
"You know what I told you....You feelin froggy, just jump, You corny Keystone copper." snarled Dabnis...
"Babbbbyyyyyyyyyyyyy you promised..."said Jasmine..
"Come on everybody...We are done in here..Other people need these seats..." I said as we all got up..and began to leave.. I was defusing this situation right away....
"Come on man...We need you...Can't afford having you arrested." said Nelson..
Nelson hustled Dabnis out of the diner and away from Lt. Tragg...
"I'll be right out...There is my coffee to go."said Susan...
as Sam Mother passed it to her..
"Sam it's on me!"said Lt. Tragg..
"It's paid for Artie...Cool your jets and your hormones...You aint getting none of that...You busted her for cryin out loud..She hates your guts..."said Sam Mother..
III-
THE NEXT DAY-
We began a robust defense...Olivia gave a blistering opening argument , blasting an unfair and unrealistic and unfathomable arrest based on a whole lot of nothing she said..
She said that fingerprints and DNA of her client would be there...She was his personal assistant, She said that if they weren't there, she would have been suspicious...
"Liv is doing her thing...She is the best when it comes to this...She just flipped three jurors..It's 9-3 our way....2 undecided still and only one to convict..."laughed Nelson..
"She is very persuasive...She can persuade me to do just about anything."I said.
"Well, that has nothing to do with her skill in the COURTROOM!"joked Jazzy...
We both laughed sheepishly....Olivia and Beverly
Called Suzette Enright..
She was asked about the events on the boat, the night Ashley Enright fell off the side of the boat to her death...
Nancy Wong tried to have this suppressed...
but Olivia and Beverly argued that it was key to everything, key to the basis of the Blackmail and all the events that led to the murder..
The Judge allowed it..
Suzette testified that she had been very intoxicated..and that she heard Ashley Enright castigating both her Nephew and her great Nephew about them squandering money, chasing women and just being hedonists...She said she was writing a new will and was going to write them both out of it..
Josie produced a second will that had never been made public... I found it....This will was not the notarized letter found in the bottle ..
but a lengthy will notarized just one week before her death...
Suzette said that the week leading up to her death, Ashley had told her to seek divorce from Hugh..."He isn't going to have a dime left when I'm done with him...Get out and get what you can."she said.. "She knew he was cheating on me with several women...He was a pig...
"But another letter was written...One telling of her fear of death and of possibly being murdered.."said Olivia.
"Yes...and on the boat they had a vicious quarrel...a vicious quarrel...but I was drunk and I fell asleep...I was awakened by screaming...Hugh and Hugh Jr. were screaming , saying she had fallen off the boat...."said Suzette..
Nelson and Josie questioned the Case Detectives and the Coast Guard about the death and presented the Autopsy which ruled her death an accident..
But Dabnis brought home that she could have been pushed... Since there are no credible witnesses, how would anyone know? he asked..
ADA Wong argued relevance...but was overruled. She then argued speculation...That was sustained.
Dabnis called Lt. Tragg...
The courtroom was tense...Everybody knew their history....
He asked him how he could determine our client was guilty ,based on the say so of a witness, or so called witness who several people stated wasn't at the scene.?
"He's the man's son...I think his son would know." said Lt. Tragg..
"He was not at the scene...He didn't know! He didn't know anything."said Dabnis.. "Did you also know that three years ago he drugged and sexually assaulted Ms. Goode and she won a hefty sum of money from him and got to keep her job....No, you didn't know that because as usual, you did no research....He had a major grudge against her.. So other than his say so...You had no real evidence that she committed this crime ,did you? You had no eyewitness..You had no physical evidence..Just lazy police work as can be expected from you!"said Dabnis.
"I OUGHT TO KNOCK YOUR TEETH OUT OF YOUR MOUTH!" growled Lt. Tragg..
"Lieutenant!!! WATCH YOURSELF! Counselor...Don't make this personal" said Judge Allison Wu...
Olivia shook her head...Dabnis did a good job, but he grilled Lt. Tragg a little too hard and risked a courtroom brawl..Nobody wanted that! Tragg was already on edge.
Olivia and Beverly called Hugh Enright Sr. to the stand...
He was equally as arrogant as Lt. Tragg..
''Why did you say my client killed your father? You didn't witness it did you?" asked Olivia..
"No." he said..
"So you made a false statement to the Police."said Nelson..
"Yes..." he said silently..
The Jurors gasped....
Josie brought the bottle out with the note in it and placed it on the witness table.
"You said that my client broke into your father's office and stole that bottle with that note in it detailing your aunt's claim that she was murdered by your father correct?"asked Olivia..
"That is what she stole and she ran and tripped the alarm." he said.
"How would you know that ,if you weren't there?..That wasn't even in the newspapers...?" asked Beverly...
"You were there!!!,,,Defense Exhibit C is your access card record...It shows you were there in the suite a whole 30 minutes before my client entered..."said Josie.
"But you got it wrong! ….My client took a letter, a copy of the original note out of your father's office..Defense Exhibit 1. You wouldn't have known that because you weren't there when the late Mr. Deadwyler was blackmailing your father.. He kept the original in the bottle...but you didn't know that...My client didn't know about any bottle either...Only you and Deadwyler knew because you were both in on the blackmail together...Only you decided to ace him out of the deal!"said Olivia..
"That's why when you killed Mr. Deadwyler, you didn't search for the bottle with the original letter because you didn't know it was still there..You thought my client had it.."said Beverly..
"Somehow, someway....A more thorough investigation, by a more thorough and intelligent detective will show that you and your father did indeed murder your Aunt Ashley and that you murdered Deadwyler and your Father ,so that you could inherit everything...Hoping that second will was never made public...and you fingered this poor girl for a murder she didn't even know was committed at the time."said Dabnis..
Lt. Tragg was furious at the obvious jab at him...
ADA Wong restrained him....
"Control yourself.." she said sternly.... She agreed with everything Dabnis said.
"One last thing..She had an access card..She wouldn't have tripped the alarm...Only you could have done that...Knowing she was there. Giving you time to escape"said Olivia..
"We found YOUR FINGERPRINTS on the manual alarm!" said Nelson...
We rested our case..
"Don't Say anything else until you have conferred with counsel." said his lawyer...Brenda Jordan
Hugh Enright dropped his head in his lap....
"That is excellent advice.You should take it." said Dabnis.
IV-
FOUR HOURS LATER-
Judge Allison Wu looked at the verdict..
"Baillif, read the verdict."she said.
"WE THE JURY FIND THE DEFENDENT, SUSAN GOODE ON THE CHARGE OF MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE...NOT GUILTY!" he said.
She polled the jury...All 12 jurors said "NOT GUILTY!"
"I LOVE YOU....I LOVE YOU...THANK YOU SO MUCH!"said Susan Goode, hugging us all.
"All in a days work.."said Olivia.
"They didn't have much of a case.."said Beverly..
"I'm scared to think that they might have pulled this off if I hadn't of done some extra digging."I said.
"You're our MVP Donnie Ray."said Nelson, smiling and patting me on the back.,
"Yes indeed."said Josie.
"Lt. Tragg is your MVP, with his sloppy police work and slip shod investigations.."laughed Dabnis.
"Baby, be cool." said Jazzy.
Judge Allison Wu walked over to us..
"Let me say...It was an honor seeing you practice in my courtroom...This is my niece...I told her she can learn a lot from you.."said the Judge.
ADA Wong smiled..
"I've always wanted to meet you two...I was honored to try a case against you...Just wish I had a better case."she said.
''A better detective would have made a better case. But you were very good...Better than the case you were handed."said Dabnis..
"I've had it...I've had it with youuuu!" screamed Lt Tragg charging toward Dabnis...He had heard another sly slam at him and was charging mad.....
The Only thing that stopped him was the Press corps covering the story that flooded the hall way..
"HUGH ENRIGHT JR! Just took a header out the window!!! He killed himself!!" They yelled...
The courtroom emptied...Giving all of us a chance to slip out through the side door..
Outside, Dr. Hazel Baylor was telling her boys to pack the body in a body bag , when Lt. Tragg showed up..
''What are you doing packing up a body when I have not checked it out?" he bellowed with cameras rolling..
"Cause of death is apparent, a suicide..."said Hazel.".He jumped." she said.
"Got any witnesses?" he asked..
"Over there talking to the two DETECTIVES ON THE SCENE!"
she said. Pointing to Detectives Duke Baylor, her husband and Angie Belton-Barlow , who had testified in another case earlier..
Then she dismissively turned away from him...Ohh how she despised him!
His body was wrapped up in a body bag and packed into the M.E.'s van...
"What a fool!!... A Well paying fool, but a fool never the less." said Attorney , Brenda Jordan, standing there watching.
Lt. Tragg looked Brenda Jordan up and down and smiled..
"Welll hellllooooo!" he said..
"How are you?" she said and walked away..
The Mystery of the Enrights would remain just that....a mystery... While I'm sure Junior killed his father and Ted Deadwyler…Who killed Aunt Ashley? Junior alone or Junior and Senior??? Or was that really an accident? There was no one alive or sober, who could answer that.....
EPILOUGE
We wanted to celebrate this victory with no interference from Lt. Tragg, so we went back to Blue Bar..
"I'm so glad you could come..We wanted to celebrate our latest victory in court without having to joust with you know who..."said Olivia.
"He had the nerve to be sweet on Susan, despite arresting her and trying to ruin the rest of her life."said Beverly...
"I've never heard of anything like that in my life.."said Nelson.
''Attraction is a strange thing...Who knows what the heart wants.?" I said.
"Wow Donnie Ray...I never figured you as being soo deep." Said Josie.
"Neither did we?" said Olivia..
'
''Neither did we?"said Beverly...
"Pay them No mind Donnie Ray." said Paris..
"That's right man...We deep men often go un noticed and un appreciated."laughed Dabnis, who once again had been a great help to us..
"Listen at him...."laughed his wife, Jazzy.....
"Ugh, Lt. Tragg and me?? No way...He's not my type...Too much make up." said Susan Goode..
We all busted out in raucous laughter...
We invited our friends to party with us...
"Liv, you guys always find the nicest places....I love this bar."said Yvette Jones.
"I've been here before, with some cop buddies of mine...This is a cool spot."said Gary.
"I'll definitely be back...I like these prices."said Keith Jones.
"I like the whole look..."said Bee Bee Evans..
"Me too!" said Sofia.
"I was looking for a new place to go for a drink."said Kahlil.
"I was too!"said Jade Lee..
"Well now we've found it.." said Danny Ho.
"This is sooo nice" said Jessica Sanchez..
''Yes indeed, thanks for inviting us."said Chip.
''Short drive from Philly....Private, Quiet.."said Karen Page.
"My kind of place after a rough week..."said B.L.
Like us, they loved the bar...
The Citris Martinis
Mango Martinis
and cold beers that flowed....
As for Lt. Tragg, he was drinking in a dive bar near the waterfront...
Someplace, he wasn't known..
Where the beer was cheap and ran cold...
Once again, damned defense attorneys had cleared a suspect he had arrested..He had failed in an attempt to get a date with her and there had been a suicide at the courthouse of the most likely murderer...
His name was mud … He didn't wish to be in any bar where he'd run into any of them ,celebrating,rubbing it in his face....
All he knew was that the law of averages said the one day....His ship would come in.....
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