Justin Time (Chapter 14) An Original Novel

                                 

 

Link to beginning of story:

  https://steemit.com/fiction/@justephen/justin-time-chapter-1-an-original-novel

Link to Chapter 13: The Trial

https://steemit.com/fiction/@justephen/justin-time-chapter-13-an-original-novel

Chapter 13 Review:

Katherine Time is in jail. The prosecution proves that she willingly broke the law. The defendant argues that she had to brake the law to save her son. The prosecution argues nobody is exempt from braking the law.  The Millionaire Moguls tell William that if Katherine is found guilty he will lose their account. His restaurant is tied too closely to the trial and The Millionaire Mogul's will have their reputation tarnished if they were to stay. Judge Jacoby told Larry Van Morrison who is the owner of the Bel De Flur Country Club Restaurant that he will get The Millionaire Mogul's account back. Judge Jacoby has been very influential for the prosecution to find Katherine Time Guilty. 

Chapter 14: The Verdict

As the Jury stepped into the deliberating quarters, they immediately started to whisper and murmur to each other, while Mark Hannity sat there quietly.

Janet White, the newly elected jury foreman announced,"Okay people! Okay people! Let's all settle down and get to work. Please everyone take a seat."

They all sat down at a big elliptical wooden table. Janet continued, "We have all just spent the last three weeks hearing the testimonies of both the plaintiff and the defendant. After we put on our name tags, what I would like us to do first, is to get a general idea of where everyone stands. This will be an unofficial vote, but it will give us all an idea of what everyone is thinking. I know there are six separate accounts and you may feel differently depending on the account, but I just want a general idea. At the count of three, I would like everyone who feels that Katherine Time is guilty, to raise your hand. Ready? One, two, three."

At that time all jurors with the exception of Mark Hannity raised their hand. One other juror, Melinda Mason, hesitated as if she was waiting to see what others would do before she raised her hand. Everyone just stared at Mark.

Suddenly breaking the silence young jury member Jerome Hircsh sarcastically yelled, "Come on Mr. Foreman wanna be, what part of she broke the law do you not understand!?"

Mark just covered his face, he put his head on the table and just started shaking his head.

"That was uncalled for!", immediately rebutted Janet. "Everything must be discussed with respect. We will take a ten minute recess and then continue."

As Mark Hannity was sitting in his chair with his head down, he quietly thought to himself. 'Wow. What a terrible start. I am not cut out for this. I curse the day I met Madam Clearvision. Okay. Pull yourself together. But, why me? Okay, you can do this. You need a game plan. Think. Think.' 

 After ten minutes, Janet White began, "Okay everyone, we need to hear from Mark. I don't want anyone to interrupt. Please go ahead Mark.”

Thinking for a moment Mark said, "This is quite overwhelming and I am not sure how I want to proceed as I am outnumbered. I need time to think."

"Think about what?", shouted Jerome, "At no point during the testimony did they say she didn't commit those crimes! You are just being ridiculous."

"Yeah!", shouted Chang Wu, another juror. "This is a no brain-er. Let's just find her guilty and then we can go home."

"I need until tomorrow to think.", said Mark. What he wanted to think about, he had no clue, but he did know he had to buy time.

"Come on Mark, what is your problem?", said the high school coach, Duke Blakes.

"Just give me until tomorrow.", persisted Mark.

"Fine.", said Janet, but you better be prepared tomorrow with real explanations rather than. 'I need time to think'.

"Since we have four hours to waste today, does anyone here want to talk about sports or politics?", said juror Juan Herrera humorously.

When Hannity woke up the following morning. He came up with an idea. He wasn't sure how he arrived at this idea. Maybe it came up in a dream. What he did know is that he woke up with a refreshing brand new attitude. His plan was not one of his normal grandiose ideas he normally has nor was it a cleverly devised swindle. He will be taking an approach he has never used before.

As Mark Hannity stepped into the jury chambers, he may of had a new attitude, but everyone else did not. They obviously were annoyed with him and had no issues showing it. Mark, on the other hand, was smiling and feeling very content. Janet White got straight down to business.

"Good morning everyone. Good morning Mark. Are you ready?", she said.

"Good morning Janet. Good morning everyone else.", Mark said with a smile.

A few jury members said, "Hi.", while most of the others sorta grumbled.

Mark began, "First I would like everyone to make themselves comfortable as this may take a while."

Still, more jury members mumbled.

"Just get to the point!", yelled Jerome Hircsh impatiently.

"I will, but this will take a bit.", said Mark with unwavering confidence.

Mark continued, "First, I want to discuss Katherine Time."

"Well, that is what we are here for genius.", piped in Chang Wu.

"Stop interu...", began Janet, when Mark said, " Interrupt as often and as long as you like fellow jurors, I have all day. In fact, I have all month, as you need a unanimous decision!"

A sudden silence came across the room until finally Coach Blakes said, "Okay, go ahead. Take your time."

Mark smiled and then forged ahead, "I first want to discuss Katherine Time and her overall competency. Is there anyone here who believe that Katherine Time is stupid?"

Nobody raised their hand or said anything.

"Good, does anyone here believe she is an incompetent scientist?"

Still nobody said anything.

"Okay. Good. Can we all agree that not only is she not stupid, but she is quite smart?"

"I don't know where the hell you are going with this.", said Jerome, but this is a total waste of my time.

"You are right Jerome.", said Hannity. "I suggest we have a vote."

"What?" said Janet White, Duke Blakes and a few others simultaneously.

"That's what I am talking about." said an enthusiastic Jerome.

"Everyone who believe Katherine Time is guilty, please raise your hand.", said Hannity.

Janet quickly interrupted, "I am the foreman here and I will say when or when we do not vote."

"No it's okay.", said Hannity. "I have changed my mind. Let's vote.

Many of the jury members started cheering and smiling while Janet was suspicious.  "Really?, she said.

"Yes.", Mark said with confidence.

"Fine." said Janet, "All who believe Katherine Time is guilty, please raise your hand."

Everyone raised their hand with the exception of Mark Hannity.

"What kind of a game are you playing Mark?", barked the coach. "You said you changed your mind."

"I did change my mind." Mark said, "Yesterday, I wasn't 100% sure of Katherine's innocence. Now I am! Oh and by the way, I really appreciate Jerome interrupting. I do have quite a bit to go over and my throat will get dry from time to time. I don't want to lose my voice, so I do need the rests in between."

With that sarcastic remark, Janet White knew that this jury had problems and she wasn't sure how to approach it. Mark just sat down and calmly started picking some left over breakfast from his teeth.

"Ten minute recess.", said a frustrated Janet.

After the recess, Foreman Janet White asked if everyone was ready to listen to Mark Hannity. She was also giving Jerome Hircsh a stern stare.

Everyone said okay while Jerome said, "whatever".

"Okay Mr. Hannity; please continue.", politely said Janet.

"Thank you.", said Hannity. "Like I was saying does anyone here believe that Katherine Time is stupid?"

Immediately Jerome interrupted, "You said that already."

"I know.", said Hannity smugly, "I just thought I would ask again as some jurors may of forgotten.”

"We have not forgotten!", yelled Jerome.

"Shut up Jerome!", yelled a hand full of jury members as they knew his interruptions would slow down the process even more.

"Am I ready to continue Ms foremen?", he said to Janet nonchalantly.

"Please do.", she said.

"Thank you." he said slowly. "Does anybody here believe that Katherine Time is stupid?", Mark said again and this time staring at Jerome.

Jerome did everything he could not to erupt.  Everyone was looking at him, but Jerome managed to stay quiet.

"Good.", continued Mark, "Does anyone here believe that Katherine Time is an incompetent scientist?" Again Mark looked directly at Jerome while he purposely asked the same question.

Nobody said anything. Although the odds were substantially against Mark, he knew that he had the control.

"Can we all agree that Katherine Time's scientific competency is above average?", asked Hannity.

Most of the jurors were nodding their head except for Jerome.

"Well Jerome? Would you say that Katherine Time's scientific competency is above average?", ask Hannity.

"No. Maybe regarding the brain, but not in general.", said Jerome.

"Very good.", said Hannity.

"Let me rephrase the question Jerome. Can we agree that Katherine Time's scientific competency regarding the brain is better than average?", asked Hannity staring at Jerome and enunciating the word 'brain'.

"Well, Jerome?", Hannity interrogated.

"Fine. Yes.", said Jerome.

"Good. I am going to go out on a limb here. Could we all agree that she is not only above average in the scientific field of neurology, but among the best. In fact, as the prosecution said, "The World Famous Katherine Time.", asked Hannity.

Several people said, "Yes", out loud while others nodded in agreement.

"In fact", he continued, "She could easily be the most knowledgeable scientist in the world regarding comas as she had publications and discoveries in the New England Journal of Medicine.

"That's right. She thinks she is above the law because she is so famous.", said Jerome.

"We don't know what she thinks Jerome. What we do know and what we all agree with at this point, is that she is likely the most competent person in the world in the science of neurology in respect to comas. Right?", asked Hannity.

Most of the jurors were nodding in agreement.

The coach, Duke Blakes interjected, "Nobody ever disputed how awesome she is in that field. That does not give her the right to brake the law."

"Yeah.", said the others agreeing with Duke.

"Very true.", said Hannity. "But let me continue. Do any of you believe that Detective Armstrong understands neurology better than Katherine Time?", said Hannity rhetorically. Do any of you believe that the Head Nurse Decantor understands neurology better than Ms Time?, asked Hannity.

No one replied.

"Moving up the ladder," continued Hannity looking at Jerome again. "Do you think the attending physician who does not specialize in neurology understands 'the brain' better than Ms Time."

"Finally, it was the head neurologist Dr Pearce, who suggested that the Time's give up and take Justin off of life support and let him die. Do you believe that he knows more about neurology than Katherine Time?"

Everyone was silent including Jerome Hirsch.

Finally, Chang Wu said, "Okay. We all agree. She is a genius, competent and the best scientist in the universe. That doesn't change the fact that she broke the law!"

"Great. We all agree.", said Hannity, "So now I would like you to imagine the position that was thrown upon her. She didn't ask for her only son to be in a coma. It wasn't her fault that the head neurologist, Dr. Pearce gave up on her son. Nobody in the world knew more about awakening people who are in comas more than Katherine Time. Who can she turn to? Everyone else including the so-called experts had given up. Katherine Time, Justin's mother did what every person in this room would do if they had to. She saved her son. There was nobody else that could do that. In fact, I am surprised she waited nine months."

"Duke", said Hannity, "Do you have a son or daughter?"

"Yes. I have a 4 year old girl.", replied Coach Duke.

"If she was in peril and you were the only person who could save her, would you break the law to save your daughter?", asked Hannity.

"In a New York minute!", he said without hesitation.

"Wouldn't everyone in this room break the law to save their child?", asked Hannity.

Everyone started nodding their head with the exception of the foremen Janet White and Jerome Hirsch.

"This is a country of laws.", said Janet, "I have been shot, tortured and humiliated to protect these laws and the Constitution of the United States. I understand your point, however as soon as we start making exceptions to the laws, we then start traveling down a risky path of slowly deteriorating our laws and Constitution until they have no meaning. In the military, if we break rules or laws people die."

"Yeah!", chimed in Jerome.

"Do you have a daughter Janet?", asked Hannity.

"No. Not any more. She died when she was three. After that, I decided to pursue my military career."

"I'm sorry.", said Hannity.

Suddenly looking at the clock, Janet said, "Okay it is around 5:00 pm now. Let's continue this tomorrow morning.”

During that afternoon, Justin was taking his regular run home from school. He ran through the east side of town past some shops. Then he continued down a familiar alley behind some old abandoned warehouses. Running past a dog who was digging through some trash, he turned his head noticing some new graffiti on the walls which he thought looked quite artful. Not watching where he was stepping, he accidentally stepped in a small pothole, lost his balance and fell hard to the ground scraping his hands and knees and almost hitting his head on a trash bin.

"What was that?" Justin heard a whisper coming from a barred window above him.

"Go check it out. We can't afford to have anyone listening.", ordered another man who spoke in a deep baritone voice.

Although he was in pain, Justin didn't move. He deducted he may be at the wrong place at the wrong time. After a couple seconds he heard someone from the other side of the trash bin. Justin slowly and quietly squeezed himself between the trash bin and the warehouse wall as the man walked to the other side of the trash bin. Justin had tucked himself behind the bin just in time. The man didn't see anything or anyone around. He then walked back around the bin and through the warehouse door.
Justin got a very short glimpse of the man, but still was afraid to move.

"What was it?", asked the man in the baritone voice.

"I checked thoroughly Ben and there was nothing there except for a dog digging through a trash can a few stores up.", said the other man in a hoarse voice.

"Fine. Like I was saying AJ", continued the deep voice. "This driver friend of yours. Can we trust him? Have you used him before?"

"Absolutely. He is the best. I would trust him with my life.", answered AJ.

"You better be able to trust him with your life because if he blows it, all of us will end up in jail. What is your driver's name?", asked Ben.

AJ replied, "His name is Mick, but he calls himself Wheels."

"Okay. The three of us will meet here again at 3:00 pm tomorrow. You and Wheels better not be late."

Justin still laid still as he heard footsteps walking away and finally a door slamming from inside. He figured they left our the front door. Still waiting five minutes longer he heard nothing and realized it was safe to continue home. With two nice sized holes in his pant legs, blood on his knees and hands, he got up and started running home. His mind was racing with so many  thoughts. His first thought was to immediately tell his dad. Then decided that his dad was under a tremendous amount of stress recently because of work and his mom, and thought he would wait and just speak to Blair.

The next morning in the jury chambers, all the jurors showed up on time and were ready to start. Mark Hannity noticed quite a difference on how he was received. It felt good to be noticed and respected. Although he knew Jerome Hirch disliked him, he was more concerned about Janet White as she was a military lady of principal. He knew in order to succeed he had to make this case more emotional for her. When they started deliberating, Mark could hear many of the jurors spewing out his words from yesterday. Mark Hannity sat in thought quietly. 'How do I reach Janet?', he thought. After 30 minutes of pondering, they had a short recess. During that time Mark approached Janet White privately.

"I don't know what our final outcome will be Janet, but I want to thank you for being such a fair and impartial foreman. You really took this job seriously and you gave me a fair break.", Mark said.

"You are welcome Mark. I believe everyone should get a fair shake, and although I disagree with you, I respect your opinion.", she said.

"Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?, Mark asked. Without hesitating, Mark continued, "How did your daughter die?"

"I've tried to block that part out of my life.", said Janet. "My ex husband was involved with some bad people. He owed a sizable gambling debt. The short of it is, that they felt the best way to get back at my ex husband was to get back at his family. They filmed us, so he could watch it later. They didn't mean to kill us. I don't want to be too graphic, but after they had their way with us, my daughter died of internal bleeding. At one point, I had an opportunity to grab the gun that was just lying on the coffee table, but I was too emotional and afraid. She died because I was afraid."

"I am so sorry.", said Mark, "That sounds so tragic and painful."

"I am over it now and I am much tougher.", she said.

"I don't see how any mother could get over that.", said Hannity.

Ignoring his last statement, Janet said in a loud voice, "Okay our break is over. Let's get back to work.
If you guys don't mind, I would like be the first to start this session.", Janet continued.
"I want to get back to basics although this may sound redundant. Katherine Time broke the law and should be punished. I am not saying severely as she felt she had to do what she did. But she knew what the consequences could be and chose to move forward on her own accord."

"May I interject", asked Hannity.

"Sure", said Janet.

"You and I had a little discussion during the last intermission. I won't go into detail, but is it okay that I discuss just the surface of it?", asked Hannity.

"Well...okay...if you think it is necessary, but I will interrupt you if I think you are going too far.", warned Janet.

"It's a deal." he said. "Janet shared with me that years ago, she tragically lost her three year old daughter. I am sharing this because she knows how it feels to have lost someone so precious. I would bet that if she could of saved her child, she would of. Even if she had to break the law, she would of chosen to save her child. Isn't that true Janet?"

"Of course." said Janet. "But I would be willing to pay the consequences of my actions."

"I understand and that is because you are noble. Katherine Time is noble too. I am not suggesting that she is not willing to pay the consequences. Katherine Time has a very unique situation regarding consequences. Unfortunately, it would not be just her who would be paying the consequences. I would like to remind all of you on how huge the scope of her discovery is. She literally, just came up with a full medical procedure include the drug to awaken people from comas! Imagine how many lives will be saved because of her discovery. If we find her guilty on just one account, she will probably lose her medical license. Imagine how many lives will not be saved.", concluded Hannity. Mark Hannity sat down and said no more.

After a long silence, Jerome Hircsh piped in. "That's not our problem."

"Oh quiet Jerome.", responded Janet.

"Whatever", said Jerome "I just want to get out of here."

"Okay. I think we should have another vote.", said the foreman Janet White.