ONE WEEK LATER-
The preliminary hearings were brutal....
She had us on the ropes... In our entire time with Ms. Yvette...we had never looked more vulnerable..
Our client Millicent saw that we were doing the best we could, but even she was feeling a bit apphrehensive at this point... Like it was a foregone conclusion that she was going to be convicted and wind up in prison for the rest of her life. Her depression grew and so did her morning sickness.. We brought a waste basket just for her. She threw up a lot....
"I certainly see enough evidence to bring this to trial... Trial will begin in this courtroom at 10:00 AM Tuesday Morning.. Be on time attorneys and be ready for trial." he said.
Lt. Tragg sat back and laughed...
"Good Job Kid...Good Job, I've never seen Yvette and her band of snot nosed kids look so impotent..be so back on their heels.. You're my new favorite prosecutor." he laughed and patted her on the butt.
with her legal briefcase and roller.
Back at our building...
in our conference room, Ms. Yvette gave us a glimmer of hope.
Ms. Yvette snapped her fingers.. "Timeline.. Give me a known timeline of events." said Ms. Yvette.
We looked at street cam footage..
''What Neighbors? None of her neighbors liked her...Even if they did know, which they didn't...They wouldn't have told...They more than likely would have been laughing about it.. Tell him Little Mamasita." said Ms. Yvette.
"She spoofed his phone weeks ago and picked up his texts... She knew they were planning to meet there that day ...She followed Millicent, unknown to her.. The Private Investigator she hired had given her all of the details..And you'll never guess who the P.I. was...Our good friend, Bert Vandenberg..One of his last clients, before he left town...He wasn't just working for Lt. Tragg." said Sofia.
"Damn, this guy was in everybody's bedroom." I said.
"There was a verbal confrontation...A loud confrontation heard by the neighbors...Millicent retreated,
Andrea Btantley grabbed her..This explained her DNA on Millicent's jacket..Millicent knocked her down.. She got up...the screaming continued and Millicent left at 2:15 pm... "said Yvette.
We looked at more street cam footage...
"Now you're asking the jackpot question.. I think she stabbed herself in frustration...She was that triggered ,that mentally unbalanced." said Yvette.
"Yeah, that is another mystery." said Sofia.
''Which brings us to this Doctor...This Hostile Witness that was dropped in our lap." said Ms. Yvette with a wiley smile.
We looked like we had a shot and we looked like we had played our cards right.. Close to the vest...We had seen what the prosecution had thrown at us...but the prosecution had no idea what we had cooking.
II-
FRIDAY MORNING!Millicent lie on the bed in her hotel room talking to us on the Portal...
"Andrea Brantley had a drinking problem..she had Cirrosis of the Liver." said Ms. Yvette.
"Two surgeons said that a stab wound such as that would bleed out immediately , which is why she died so fast." I said.
"We've got two Doctors, two forensic specialists who say and will show the jury that her wounds in all likeness were self inflicted.." said Bee Bee.
"That means her death was a suicide... A suicide. Neith one of you killed her.." said Sofia.
"Her Psychosis was such that if she couldn't have her way, she killed herself, kind of like the spoiled child that holds his or her nose when angry."said Kahlil.
"Right now this is the only thing that makes any sense." said Ms. Jade.
We discussed our new trial strategy to prove that she was gone according to the timeline before Mrs. Brantley died.. and our radical theory that Andrea Brantley stabbed herself.. We told her about us getting surgeons who would explain how she bled out so fast and if her wound was self inflicted..
Then Millicent asked the jackpot question...
"If she stabbed herself , where is the weapon?"
We didn't have an answer for that... That remained a mystery... She certainly didn't have it.. and neither did Damon Brantley.... Where was it? Who had it??
"That is a mystery...We are working on it!" said Ms. Yvette.
Millicent lie across the bed... She cried.. She knew we were working hard for her.... She knew she hadn't given us much to work with...and yet there we were ,working hard... She would hate to have a case like this herself, with so little to work with... She leaped up and ran into the bathroom, vomiting into the toilet.. What was she going to do about this morning sickness? Was she going to keep this baby?
And at our office, a little later-
''Good that is what I'm going for.. I don't know who dropped this in my lap or why..but I'm going for it."said Ms. Yvette.
"It was done twice... In Pennsylvania Vs. Jackson, in which a dead client's therapist was questioned about her client's mental well being..."said Bee Bee.
''And in Ohio vs. Peterson..Same thing...a dead client's therapist was questioned about her client's mental well being..."said Kahlil.
"That was thrown out...but in a re-examination.. The evidence was held.. and used." said Sofia.
"Vettie, you've got some damn good attorneys working for you." she said.
"I know... I just love them..All four of em." said Ms. Yvette.,
That night Myself, Bee Bee, Sofia and Kahlil were at Stoleys and Aqua Bar with our friends.. Jessica, Chip, Jazzy, Dabnis, Kayla and Ray, Beverly, Nelson, Josie and Paris and Bresha and Tony... It was the first time all of us had been out together dancing in weeks.. We loved it.. We line danced..and we danced as couples and washed it all down with multiple drinks. Both clubs had multiple D.J.'s spinning.
Jetty showed up and joined them... Virgina was glad he was there.. He put his arms around her and kissed her on the cheek.. He was drunk..
Around 1:00 AM , Virginia took his keys..
Within an hour...
All of us were safely at home and in bed..
He pulled her to him gently once he was inside her apartment and the door was closed.
"How about some sugar baby?" He asked her..
This led to a lot of kissing..
The taking off of clothing and more deep throat kissing...
The slipping off of panties....
"OH MY GOD!!! VIRGINIA!!!" he moaned..
"What?" she giggled.
"OUUUUUUUUU!" he moaned.
Screwing like mad on her living room floor for over an HOUR.....
Bending her over the living room sofa for yet another HOUR! The man had stamina.....
Her favorite position, Him holding her in his arms and lifting her up and long stroking her... She had two intense orgasms while he was holding her like this..
and her riding him on the bed... his eyes nearly rolling into the back of his head..
finally making love for the NEXT NINE TO TEN HOURS in her bed....until they both came and came hard.. He wasn't that drunk, she concluded.. He was never too drunk to pass up an opportunity for sex with her..
She finished her night having one of the most peaceful sleeps of her life, lying on his chest.
"OUUUUUUUU Jetty, I'm still cumming...OUUUUUUUU!" she cooed, her body still trembling as she drifted off to sleep. Jetty held her and had a big smile on his face!
A very relaxing Friday Night.. Two weeks in a row.. Most of our nights ended the same way.
III-
TUESDAY-
Trial began today... Voir Dire...
Assistant District Attorney Vanessa Stevens was good at everything she did and she got the first five jurors she wanted and shot ours down!But Kahlil and I kept calm..
7-5.
"That's Okay kid....They had help... Yvette was whispering instructions to them... You had those two snot nosed kids beat." said Lt. Tragg.
He didn't put his hands on her, but he couldn't help ogling her perfectly shaped , perky breasts..
"VA VA VA VOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!" he mused to himself. She had Shapely cocoa brown legs as well, he noticed,.
There were no surprises and in three days ..She closed her case and asked the Jury to return a verdict of Guilty...
At this point the Jury was 11 to convict and 1 undecided...
We put Millicent on the stand..
Bee Bee and Sofia led her through the days events. They asked her why she relocated her law firm to Philadelphia and to explain her relationship with Damon Brantley..
He wanted to be partner and he didn't see that happening he said. I told him that I had a small boutique law firm and the chance of him being partner was even more feeble with me.. but he insisted he'd be fine... Really, he just wanted to be close to me.
I didn't know he was married.. Apparently , he is the father of two children too. A Boy and a girl. he never mentioned them..No photos of them in his little condo either. He didn't wear a ring..(His ring is on a chain he wears around his neck,)
Every morning he brought me coffee and pastries and he sent flowers to me... My other two attorneys and Para-Legals called him a brown noser behind his back.
He took me to Flyers Games, Sixers Games, To See the Phillies and then Lunches and Dinners.. We talked a lot and got to know each other ...He seemed nice, comfortable..Then I , we broke the ultimate
taboo...We slept together." she explained.
"I arrived at the condo at a little after two..Maybe 2:01...we had planned to meet up at 2:00, Damon texted me and told me he was running late and to sit tight. " His wife arrived minutes after I got there..about 2:15...I was shocked..I tried to talk to her. The news that their marriage was over and hadn't been good for years was NEWS to her.. She screamed and yelled at me.. I tried to calm her down and explain to her that I had just found out about her a week ago... and she screamed obscenities at me, called me a stupid little whore and a bitch and threatened to kill me.. I had had enough.. I decided to leave.. She grabbed my jacket and I pushed her away and we tussled a bit and I knocked her down..She got up and continued to call me names and I just left. She was very much alive when I left." said Millicent.
Kahlil and I used a 64 inch monitor to show that Millicent arrived at 2:01 pm and that Andrea Brantley arrived at 2:05 ,Millicent is shown leaving at 2:15 pm....At 2:20 pm , Millicent was shown entering this RITE AID and buying a home pregnancy tester....at 2:27..according to her credit card...She stopped at this gas station, blocks away and gassed up her car... Time of death was 2:27 pm. We have a neighbor who heard Mrs. Brantley screaming obscenities minutes after Millicent left the condo."we said.,
Ms. Yvette, Bee Bee and Sofia vigourously objected, accusing Vanessa of badgering the witness.
Millicent was crying and grabbed a waste basket and vomited.
''Are you pregnant Ms. Caldwell?" asked Vanessa.
"Yes...It's Damon's....That's why I was meeting him that day...I was going to tell him that I missed my period and I suspected that I might be pregnant...but I never got a chance to tell him." Millicent said tearfully..
"AWWWWWWWWWW LAWWWWD!" he said.
Baillif's helped him up off of the floor.
The Jury had changed. 9 to acquit, 1 undecided and 2 to convict.. We had done some damage.. Major damage.
We began the next part of our defense...proving that the victim was crazy....
Our first witness was Brianna Barnes, a former Masseuse...
"I was at my job at the Coca Cola bottling plant all day, from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm.. I clocked out for an hour and a half for lunch..12:00-1:30... I ate at the Diner down the street..You can check." she said.
Kahlil and I presented her time sheets and the testimonies of her co-workers.
School teacher, Carol Hutton was our next witness-
"I want to remind the jury that even if the murdered woman was not the nicest person in the world, she is not on trial.. She is the victim here.."said Vanessa.
Therapist, Dr. Maya Golden was put on the stand..She was Andrea Brantley's therapist... Since Andrea Brantley was deceased , she was no longer bound by a confidentiality clause.
She testified that Andrea Brantley was psychotic.. paranoid and at times violent..She also was vindictive and went out of her way to get even with anyone who she believed crossed her.. She had her on medication..Medication which she had stopped taking.
Ms. Yvette asked her if she believed Mrs. Brantley was capable of doing herself bodily harm..
She said most definitely...and that she had tried to commit suicide two years before.
Sofia and Bee brought the officer and the EMT officials who were at the scene the day Andrea Brantley attempted to commit suicide two years before..
Ms. Yvette, Myself and Kahlil brought in three surgeons, two of them forensic surgeons who testified that Mrs. Brantley's wound was consistent with a self inflicted wound. They showed the jury the graphic and the actual ,gory death scene photo and explained.
The Jury was now 11 to acquit, 1 to convict... We had changed the narrative..
"Where is the knife? Where is the Murder weapon??"
That was something we had yet to explain.
IV-
Yvette asked for a 24 hour continuation.....She assured Judge Thornton that she was nearly finished her defense and would rest after the continuation.
"Yeah, we were building momentum." I said.
"I know...but we've got to find that knife.. Hasn't it bothered you that that's the one piece of this puzzle that's missing?" asked Ms. Yvette.
"Yes, it has..but what can we do?" asked Bee Bee.
"We took this seemingly impossible case, this seemingly slam dunk case and possibly carved out a victory...or at best a hung jury...That's better than any of us expected." said Sofia."Yes we did and I'm so proud of you guys...You've blossomed right in front of my eyes into great attorneys...but we need to solve this mystery..We need to close the book!" said a weary Ms. Yvette. This trial had taken it's toll on her.. She looked exhausted.
Bee Bee and Sofia hugged her.
"Okay....I have an idea.. I'll take one more look." said Jade.
"You've got this kid.. They got nothing.. You got this in the bag." said a confident Lt. Tragg, who pretended to play the violin throughtout our presentation in court. He did not believe Andrea Brantley killed herself. He saw this as just one more stunt being pulled to take the spotlight off of Millicent Caldwell. He didn't believe she was pregnant either.
''Really? What trial have you been watching??.. They did a good job, they interviewed people YOU should have interviewed , they came up with evidence YOU should have come up with before making an arrest..They may have turned the jury in a whole different direction."said Vanessa.
"Nonsense, they got nothing.. All of the physical evidence points to one person and one person only, I don't care what those fancy doctors said." said Lt. Tragg, being stubborn as usual.
TWO HOURS LATER-
In the drive way behind the Condo....
''I kept looking at the crime scene photos and it bothered me that that window was open on an overcast, rainy day...Nobody caught it...It bugged me and I thought that that knife could have been tossed out the window either by Andrea Brantley after she fatally stabbed herself to set up her cheating husband or HE tossed it out to protect Millicent, who he thought might have done it." said Jade.
Ms. Yvette, Bee Bee, Sofia, Kahlil and I stood a safe distance from where Crime Scene Investigators were searching..
"WE GOT SOMETHING!!!" said one of them..
And there it was...The Chef's Knife.. The missing knife from the set.
"Gary, I'm soo glad you're on this and not You know who." said Coroner, Dr. Hazel Baylor.."Okay, bag it and tag it guys." said Yvette's husband, Gary Lockwood, Investigator for the D.A.'s Office.
"Yes, thank God.. We'll get the results back to your office , ASAP!" said Coroner, Dr. Marcy Martin.
TWO DAYS LATER-
Our final day of our defense.
"You entered your condo at 2:37 pm correct and you found your wife lying on the floor dead did you not?" asked Bee Bee.
"Luminol suggests that you did..."said Kahlil showing a luminol photo of a trail of blood leading to the window.
"Our investigator and the D.A.'s office investigator found the knife two days ago in the bushes outside the driveway..." said Kahlil.
Lt. Tragg was stunned, hearing of this. He would find that the knife was entered into discovery and a report was placed on his desk. One of many he didn't bother to read.
ONE DAY LATER-
"Bailiff, read the verdict." said Judge Thornton.
In the matter of STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA VS Millicent Kim Caldwell , COUNT ONE, MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE, NOT GUILTY,
COUNT TWO, MURDER IN THE SECOND DEGREE, NOT GUILTY.
COUNT THREE MANSLAUGHTER, NOT GUILTY
COUNT FOUR ,USE OF AN INSTRUMENT OF CRIME, NOT GUILTY.
The jury had been convinced that Andrea Brantley , a deranged and troubled woman had committed suicide and her guilty, cheating husband had discarded the knife to throw suspicion off of his lover, who he initially suspected of the crime.
"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!!" scoffed Lt. Tragg, stomping his foot in anger.
"Nothing like a good Investigator and four great young attorneys assisting you." said Ms. Yvette.
Jade and I, Bee Bee, Sofia and Kahlil all smiled sheepishly.. Happy with our win.
"Have you made up your mind whether you're going to keep the baby?" asked Yvette.
"I am... This baby will make me grow up, be a better more mature woman. I'm going to raise it by myself.. and of course I'm firing Damon you know." she said...
EPILOUGE-
CURLEY'S BAR... A THURSDAY NIGHT!
It just happened that the night of our verdict was "Date Night"... Couples drank for half off.. Curleys ran this special at least twice a month and it got a lot of people out.
Me and Bee Bee, Kahlil and Sofia and Jessica and Chip found a nice size table for the six of us.
'It was a great confidence booster." said Bee Bee,
"I'll say.. Ms. Yvette gave us all off tomorrow...This will be a long weekend." said Sofia.
"Yesss..I'm looking forward to it." said Kahlil.
"I'm happy for you guys..Wanna take in a movie Saturday Night?" It will be a good time." said Jessica."Yeah, it'll be fun." said Chip.
Next to our table , Beverly and Nelson, Josie and Paris and Bresha and Tony had a simular sized Table to themselves.
"I'm going to the Barber Shop.. I guess you ladies will be getting your hair done." said Nelson.
"Bev, Bresha, Jazzy and Kayla and I are getting Mani-Pedis at the Spa... I think Bee and Sofia are going too!" said Josie.
"Wow must be nice to have a Friday off.. I have to work.." said Paris.
"Well you won't be alone. Tony, Dabnis and Ray are working too." said Bresha, smiling.
"Don't rub it in." said Tony,laughing.
And Next to them... Jazzy, Dabnis, Kayla and Ray sat at a small table.
"I gotta half day tomorrow."said Dabnis.
"Good You can join us at the spa." joked Kayla.
"Go ahead, rub it in." laughed Ray.
Beers and Waters were plentiful for all of our tables
Ms. Yvette, Gary, Olivia, Donnie Ray, Jade and Danny filled up a booth to the side of us.
Her husband Gary hugged her and kissed her on the cheek.
"It'll be nice to be off tomorrow." laughed Olivia.
"Yeah..we've all been working hard. We deserve a nice long weekend, to just do nothing."said Donnie Ray.
"Awww I thought you guys would have something planned, Laundry Day, A trip to another restaurant,something, Come on." laughed Jade.
"I'm off tomorrow too..You and I are going to spend some "Me time" together..We may not come out of our house." said Danny as their booth erupted in laughter.
And sitting at the bar, kissing more than drinking was Alfreda and Rockland and Ms. Virginia and Jetty Dukes.
Both couples were kissing passionately.
We had been there THREE HOURS and were having a good time when Lt. Tragg walked in.
Naturally, seeing all of us in "HIS" bar made him livid.. He scanned the room and naturally walked over to the booth Ms. Yvette was in.
"Once again ,Once again you pulled one of your stunts and let a murderer go free.. You know good and gotdamn well that woman didn't commit suicide.. She was murdered!" bellowed Lt. Tragg.
''The evidence says different, The Case is over, The Jury has spoken and I don't intend to argue it again."said Ms. Yvette.
''And you don't have to Yvette. The Good Lieutenant realizes that he has 3 seconds to leave your area or Philadelphia Sherriff's deputies will drag him into what is becoming his second home now of days.. I believe you guys call it the "Cooler" said Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Dellums who was there with his new girlfriend, Assistant District Attorney, Vanessa Stevens.
"You weren't so bad yourself." said Yvette.
Lt. Tragg was livid..He stormed out of the bar, got in his car and drove off.
Now it would be a good night!