A Trial? - Part 5

The murder took place in November, 2008. I hadn't heard anything from anyone after I gave my statement so I didn't know if they caught the guy and if they had did he agree to a plea? If he hadn't, would I still be needed? The whole episode went off my radar. Every so often I would look out the living room window and think about it, but that lasted all of 1 to 2 seconds.


One day this past January I got home from work and there was a message from Det. Lewis. Please call him back as it is in regard to blah, blah, blah. Great. I guess this thing wasn't over yet. I was also called by the Assistant State's Attorney (ASA). She told me how important by testimony was as it backed up what Shirlonda said in her statement. What a good witness I was because of the details I remembered. By the time I got off the phone with her I was dripping flattery.


After a couple of trial dates came and went it became real. There was an assigned courtroom on an assigned day with a real jury, judge, lawyers, and defendant. Det. Lewis would again be my chauffeur. It's actually a part of his job I never would have thought was the norm for a homicide detective. I suppose babysitting the witnesses is important, too. We don't want them to run off, now, do we?

Every Monday and Friday is casual day at work. On Monday, April 26th, I went to work dressed not in jeans but business casual. That's always fun getting sideways glances from other employees. Was I being snooty? Was I too good for jeans today? Why is Nancy not following the rules?

I was waiting on Det. Lewis' call letting me know a jury was picked and he would meet me out front to take me downtown. This was supposed to take place around lunchtime. As I slogged through the morning the minutes moved in slow motion punctuated by frequent trips to the bathroom. I hadn't heard a thing so at 12:30 I called the Assistant States Attorney to find out what was happening. The call was spotty so the ASA ended up texting me. Apparently it was proving to be difficult picking a jury. I would be picked up by Det. Lewis tomorrow morning from home. I don't think I visited the bathroom again that afternoon.

That evening I spoke with Det. Lewis to firm up the next day's plans. The issue was some kind of big accident somewhere that impeded the jurors from making it in. The court's switchboard was lit up all morning. Det. Lewis would be calling me some time between 11 and 12ish to pick me up. Okey dokey! It's not like this dragged on before so this was different!

Let's turn the page to the next day and Det. Lewis has pulled up. After I get in the same crummy car from almost two years ago, Det. Lewis and I fall into the same easy chatter. We ended up talking about his kids and his life. I think I've said it before, but he really is a nice man. We have formed an easygoing rapport that is very enjoyable.

After we pull up to the courthouse and park, he texts the ASA to find out the current status as that morning someone scheduled our courtroom for a bail hearing. What? Yes. It's true. Do you think the jury has been picked yet? You are correct. It hasn't.

Instead of waiting in the witness room, Det. Lewis takes me to, I think, the ASA office area. It is comfortable with a couch and TV. Det. Lewis sat on the far end of the couch and I sat on the other end. The secretary has the TV tuned to one of the soaps. It hasn't been since 1982 that I have watched one of those. I saw a couple of actors that I recognized from General Hospital even though I don't think we were watching General Hospital. I could not believe the cheesiness and started interjecting my own lines into the script. I was sure I was the only one enjoying my one-sided banter so I decided to read the book I had taken with me instead. Det. Lewis did a sitting up recline and quickly fell asleep. He snores.