A Time for Mercy (Jake Brigance #3) - John Grisham Page 0,176
wider shot and clearly revealed the sprayed blood and matter across the pillows, headboard, and wall.
Most of the jurors had seen enough and were preoccupied with their feet. The entire courtroom was stunned and felt as though it had been assaulted. Noose, sensing that everyone had seen enough, said, “That’ll do, Mr. Dyer. Please remove the image. And let’s take a fifteen-minute break at this time. Please take the jurors to the jury room for a little recess.” He rapped his gavel and disappeared.
Portia had found only two cases in the last fifty years in which the Supreme Court had reversed a murder conviction because of gruesome and hideous crime scene photos. She had argued that Jake should object, but only for the record and not too strenuously. An overabundance of blood and gore might actually save their client on appeal. Jake, however, was not convinced. The damage was done, and the damage, at that moment, seemed insurmountable.
* * *
—
JAKE BEGAN THE cross-examination of his former friend with “Now, Sheriff Walls, does your department have a protocol for internal affairs?”
“Sure we do.”
“And if a citizen has a complaint against one of your men, what do you do about it?”
“The complaint has to be in writing. I review it first and have a private conversation with the officer. Then we have a three-person review panel—one current deputy, two former ones. We take complaints seriously, Mr. Brigance.”
“How many complaints were filed against Stuart Kofer during his time as your deputy?”
“Zero. None.”
“Were you aware of any problems he was having?”
“I have—had—fourteen deputies, Mr. Brigance. I can’t get involved in all of their problems.”
“Were you aware that Josie Gamble, Drew’s mother, had called 911 on two prior occasions and asked for help?”
“Well, I was not aware of it at the time.”
“And why not?”
“Because she did not press charges.”
“Okay. When a deputy is dispatched after a 911 call to the scene of a domestic disturbance, does he file an incident report afterwards?”
“Supposed to, yes.”
“On February the twenty-fourth of this year, did officers Pirtle and McCarver answer a 911 call at the Kofer residence, a call made by Josie Gamble, who told the dispatcher that Stuart Kofer was drunk and threatening her and her kids?”
Dyer jumped to his feet and said, “Objection, Your Honor, calls for hearsay.”
“Overruled. Continue.”
“Sheriff Walls?”
“Not sure about that.”
“Well, I have the 911 recording. You want to hear it?”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
“Thank you. And Josie Gamble will testify about it.”
“I said I’d take your word for it.”
“So, Sheriff, where is the incident report?”
“Well, I’ll have to go through the records.”
Jake walked to three large storage boxes stacked together beside the defense table. He pointed to them and said, “Here they are, Sheriff. I’ve got copies of all of the incident reports from your office for the past twelve months. And there’s not one here filed by Officers Pirtle and McCarver for February twenty-fourth in response to a call by Josie Gamble.”
“Well, I guess it was misplaced. Keep in mind, Mr. Brigance, if no charges are filed by the complaining party, then it’s really no big deal. Not much we can do. Oftentimes we’ll answer a domestic call, settle things down without taking any official action. The paperwork is not always that important.”
“I guess not. That’s why it’s missing.”
“Objection,” Dyer said.
“Sustained. Mr. Brigance, please refrain from testifying.”
“Yes, Your Honor. Now, Sheriff, on December the third of last year, was Deputy Swayze dispatched to the same house after a 911 call from Josie Gamble? Another domestic disturbance?”
“You have the records, sir.”
“But do you have the records? Where is the incident report filed by Deputy Swayze?”
“It’s supposed to be in the file.”
“But it’s not.”
Dyer stood and said, “Objection, Your Honor. Does Mr. Brigance intend to introduce into evidence all of the records?” He waved at the boxes.
Jake said, “Certainly, if necessary.”
Noose removed his reading glasses, rubbed his eyes, and asked, “Where are you going with this, Mr. Brigance?”
The perfect opening. Jake said, “Your Honor, we will prove that there was a pattern of domestic abuse and violence perpetrated by Stuart Kofer against Josie Gamble and her children, and that it was covered up by the sheriff’s office to protect one of its own.”
Dyer responded, “Your Honor, Mr. Kofer is not on trial and he’s not here to defend himself.”
“I’ll stop you at this time,” Noose said. “I’m not sure if you’ve established the relevance.”
“Fine, Judge,” Jake said. “I’ll just call the sheriff back to the stand during our defense. No further questions.”