"We've got a case." He said. Adjusting his tie which could have loosened if not for the discreet manner he did so, he sat on the desk waiting for responses from his team mates.
"What kind of case?" A young yet matured lady who had been known to be Tanya, asked.
"Murder."
"What? I thought we agreed not to carry on any murder cases" A man, in his fifties known as Mike, who was a prosecutor, but retired to be a lawyer, alarmed.
"The defendant is my sister." He replied.
"So? That is not enough reason to go against our principles." Tanya retorted.
"We've accepted the case. That is it."
"Alright." A silent yet outstanding legal advisor known to be Dora, approved. "Leave our principles out of this, we've got a case, and we cannot change that." He continued.
"But…"
"The defendant was molested by her suitor. She told him off to his parents, this made her suitor upset. Under the fear of getting killed, the defendant hit the suitor's head with a vase. As a result, the suitor died. The defendant refuses to plead the fifth and claims it was an act of self-defense." He explained.
"I don't understand this case. Did the victim try to kill the defendant?" Tanya asked.
"No. She was frightened of what will come. According to her, she knew her suitor would definitely kill her if she did nothing." John added.
"I am not sure if we can rule this as self-defense. The victim did not do anything to the defendant that day, how was the defendant sure that the victim was going to kill her? I believe she should plead the fifth." Mike added.
"But the defendant refuses." John snapped.
"Do we believe the defendant is the victim?" Dora asked.
"I don't. The defendant is the assailant here, there is clearly no way she is the victim." Tanya replied.
"What about you, John? Do you believe your sister is the victim?" Dora asked.
"Yes."
"We are on our client's side. To us, she is the victim. We should not refer to her as the assailant." Dora added.
"Stop with your coaching, what's your take in this?" Mike asked.
"We should meet with the defendant." Dora replied as he left.
"He is always like that, isn't he?" Tanya asked.
"Let's call this meeting off. I will set an appointment with the defendant tomorrow." John said.
The case was about Mira Clifford. Under several influences, she had been living with her suitor. They were practically married but since the suitor had often had anger issues, he would sometimes inflict harm to her. Sometimes, he would beat her to pulp for no specific reasons. A simple argument led to the incident. Mira Clifford, frustrated by her suitor's behavior, told him off to his parents whom he served as gods. With the full realization of her suitor's temper, she knew she was going to get beaten. With the aim of hurting her suitor, as soon as he entered the home, she hit him on the head with a vase. As a result, her suitor died. She pleaded not the fifth.
The lawyers went to meet the defendant where she had been held.
"Are you all going to defend me? I'm honored." She said as she smiled.
"You do not have time to smile. Defendant, are you remorseful about your suitor's death?" Dora asked.
"No. I think he deserves it." She said as she raised her eyebrows.
"What?" Tanya asked but before she had the chance to continue, Dora said, "Let me do the talking."
"Why do you think he deserves it?" Dora further asked.
"He beats me. I often had chest pains, he would still hit my chest on the wall and beat me. I persevered, there was a time he almost killed me. I was saved all because of my neighbor. I knew he was going to kill me that day, so I hit him but I didn't know he's going to die." She said.
"Do you ever love him?" Mike asked.
"I did, not until I was tired. I wanted to break up but he would say I dare not break up with him. He was a beast, he would forcefully sleep with me even when I had period cramps. I could not take it any longer." She snapped.
"I am not you, but I can feel the pain." Tanya said with pity.
"Why didn't you report him?" John asked.
"I was scared. I thought I would meet my doom if I did." She replied as she fixed her eyes on the desk.
"So, how do you feel now? Are you happy?" Dora asked.
"NO. I regret."
"You regret killing him?" Tanya asked with concern.
"No, I regret not beating him to pulp. I regret not pouring hot water on his face, I regret not making him suffer severe pain before he died. But he is dead now, what can I do?" She replied smiling softly.
"Do you have any evidences on how he hit you?" Mike asked.
"My medical report."
"That is not enough to rule that he hit you." Dora replied.
"He sent me a text message stating I will die if he returns home. I was scared to death, so I hit the vase on his head. At first, I just wanted him to pass out, so I could escape before he could do anything. But before I knew it, he died." She explained.
"The neighbor of yours who stopped you, where is she right now?" Tanya asked.
"She is dead. She was old, like 97?"
"Do you have any other witnesses?" John asked.
"Is it not for you lawyers to find out?" She said with a grin.
"Your case is really rare. If you do not help yourself, you will end up in jail." Tanya retorted.
"I do not have any other witnesses. I did not even tell my brother when he hit me, I was secretive."
"Is there any other thing you would like to add?" John asked.
"No."
"Alright then, we will get going." Mike concluded as they stood up.
"Wait." She slowly said.
"Do you have any other thing to say to us?" Tanya asked.
"His uncle is the Assembly Man. He is the one who started the case. I know you are capable of winning, so help me." Mira Clifford begged.
"We cannot assure you that we are going to win, it depends on the court decision." Mike said.
"Who is defending me? Like, who is taking the stand?"
"All of us." They said altogether.
Just like that, they left.
"T
he more I think of it, the more confused I am. Is there a way we are not thinking of, there is clearly no way we can rule this as self-defense." Mike uttered. It had been three days.
"What if we try it this way? Since the victim is her assailant, we could say he was assaulting her, then by mistake, she took the vase and hit her." Tanya suggested.
"No. I have vowed never to lie in a court." Mike retorted.
"I get what Tanya is trying to say. The prosecution would also lie. In order to back up their statement, they have to include that the victim never assaulted the defendant. Why? It is going to be a boomer if the victim is tagged the assailant. It is no offense to follow their methods, is it?" Dora included.
"What if they have the CCTV footage? What if they have evidence that the defendant committed the crime, then what?" John asked.
"Then we'll back it up with our evidence." Dora replied.
"Which is?" Tanya asked.
"The victim's ex-girlfriend."
"What?" Mike asked.
"If what the defendant said is right, he must have assaulted his previous girlfriends. We have to find out who they are and bring them to court as witnesses. We could easily prove that the victim was the assailant, and the defendant was trying to save herself from assault which led to his death." Dora explained.
"What if he had no ex-girlfriends?" John asked.
"Then we have to find who he previously assaulted." Tanya said.
"Wait a minute…" Dora said. "The defendant claims that she was scared that the victim would kill her due to the text message. Then, the defendant also said that she hit him not with the purpose of killing him, but with the aim of making him pass out. The defendant was sure she was going to die, so acted first to save herself, not with the purpose of killing him. What if the victim died as a result of another case? If she hit him without the aim of murder, then she must not have hit him hard because she just want him to pass out. Then, it means the defendant acted self-defense. She knew the victim might kill her, as he was stronger than her. So, she acted out before he could make any move." He explained.
"That is a good point. Why did we not think of this earlier? We can rule the case as self-defense."
"We should request a jury trial. Then the judge won't rule the way he pleases. You heard the defendant, right? The owner of the case is the Assembly Man, he could just bribe the judges, will he not?
It had been three days since they got the case. The defendant, who is one of the lawyers, John's sister, claimed to have killed the victim accidentally with the fear of getting killed. The lawyers concluded that the victim must have assaulted other people. The jury trial began.
"The victim has been in a serious relationship with the defendant. The victim has often been assaulted by the defendant occasionally, sometimes the victim had to visit the hospital for treatment. The victim was traumatized and went on to tell the defendant off to his uncle. Hearing this made the defendant angry, as the victim was about to enter his home, out of anger, the defendant hit him on the head with a vase. This led to the victim's death. The prosecution hereby requests the maximum sentence to be given to the defendant." A tall young but cute prosecutor, gave his opening statement in the jury trial.
"There are really good at making up stories, aren't they?" Tanya whispered to John.
"Defense counsel, give your opening statement." The judge said. Dora stood.
"The defendant assaulted the victim? I was thinking all night about the excuses the prosecution would make, but this is it." He walked up in front of the jury members. "Hello innocent juries, I have come to realize during my ten years of experience in law, that some things can never change, some excuses can never be accepted. The defendant was assaulted by the victim. Are you confused? Let's look up these pictures."
"We can see here the scars. The victim had anger issues, he would beat up the defendant, molest her and cause other psychological harm to her. The defendant was frightened, she told off the victim to his parents. The victim had been known to respect his parents like gods. When he heard, he sent this text message, 'you are dead when I am home.' The defendant knowing the victim's capabilities, was scared and tried to escape. Before she could, the victim was already home. With the aim of making the victim pass out, the defendant hit a vase on the victim's head. Before she could realize, the victim died. The defendant claims self-defense. That is all." He explained and went back to his seat.
"Prosecution, you may question the defendant."
"Defendant, how are you?'
"Well, I am fine."
"How can you be fine when your suitor just died?"
"I hope you won't call him my suitor."
"Defendant, you assault the victim, is that correct?"
"No. The reverse is the case."
"Then, can you explain the scars on the victim's body?" He asked.
"I can't." She replied.
"Is it because you did it to him?" He said with penetrating eyes.
"N…"
"You were frustrated by the victim's behavior, so you hit him every day. You swore at him trying to shut him up, right?" He raised his voice.
"NO. I didn't." Tears came out of her eyes as she asserted.
"You did, you forced him to make out with you…" He continued but…
"Objection! The questions are leading." John said.
"Sustained. Prosecution, please be careful." The judge replied.
"Yes."
"I really did not harm him. Can you explain all the scars on me too? I did not assault him! He had anger issues and does not take things lightly."
"That is all."
"Defense Counsel, you may question the defendant."
"We have no questions." Tanya replied.
"We will take thirty minutes recess." The judge proclaimed.
END OF EPISODE