Guilty Read Online Free PDF Page A

just out of school so we all have to cut you some slack, but for future reference that's usually up to the jury to decide," Curry said. As Moran's focus shifted to Kate, Curry gave her a snarky smile.
    "That's right," Moran said before Kate could reply. He nodded gravely, and Kate saw just how he had earned his nickname: The man clearly didn't know when he was being had. She also realized that Curry knew Moran far better than she did, and was using that knowledge to his advantage. It didn't matter if his tactics were blatantly out of order. All that mattered was how they played to this particular judge on this particular day. Now Moran was frowning at her. "Remember, Ms. White, we are here to find out the truth, whatever that may be. Potentially exculpatory testimony cannot be ruled out simply because the timing is inconvenient for the prosecution."
    Moran's lecture had the patronizing tone of a professor to a student, and Kate's hackles rose even higher. She pursed her lips. The defense's tactics were becoming as clear as glass to her: Curry knew he couldn't win today in court, so he was trying to delay. Delay was a defense attorney's best friend. Put a trial off long enough, and anything could happen, with most outcomes favorable to the defense: Witnesses could move away or die, evidence could be lost, memories could fail. Prosecutors could move on to other jobs. Judges could retire. Even in the absence of any of those, with each day that passes the case loses priority. There is so much crime, so many criminals, out there that a case not tried in a timely manner could easily get lost in the judicial system shuffle.
    Debbie Berman—the store clerk whose cheekbone and eye socket had been broken by the defendant—deserved better than that. She was there, in the courtroom, losing more time from work, for which she wouldn't be paid, waiting to testify, to bring her attacker to justice. So was the customer who had been in the store at the time. So was the man who had been out front pumping gas at just the right moment to see Soto run out. So was the cop who had analyzed the videotape. So was everybody connected to the case, all brought together in the courtroom today as a result of her, Kate's, painstaking work, all relying on her guarantee that showing up and doing the right thing would be worth it, that this time one of the bad guys was going to get what was coming to him. She had organized everything, assembled everyone, dotted every pretrial i and crossed every pretrial t. The prosecution was set up to run like clockwork, with the case going to the jury by the close of the day, probably less than a day for deliberations, late tomorrow or Wednesday at the worst for the verdict to come in. And it would be guilty.
    Guilty, guilty, guilty. There was absolutely no doubt in her mind about that. A solid conviction, justice done all around, one less bad guy on the streets, and everybody could go home happy.
    Only now Curry was screwing with the plan. She scowled at him before she could stop herself. Luckily, Moran's attention had already swung back to the defense attorney.
    "Mr. Curry, you want to give Ms. White and me a quick idea of who this witness is and what he is prepared to testify to before I rule on admissibility?"
    Curry glanced at her again. Kate could see the craftiness at the backs of his eyes. He knew his witness was full of crap. He knew that there was no way anyone could testify truthfully that Soto was not at the scene of the crime, because Soto was there, had committed the crime, and all the evidence proved it. Her gaze shot to the judge, whose expression was solemnly unctuous.
    Doesn't he see it? Doesn't he see that Curry knows this is bullshit? Doesn’t he get that he's being had?
    Apparently not.
    "My witness—and I don't want to give his name here in open court, for his protection, but he is a longtime acquaintance of the accused and his family—says Mr. Soto has a cousin who ..."
    The cheerfully funky notes