jg.atimetokill-第23部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


he　clerks　and　court　reporters　stood　behind　the　large　red　docket　books　on　the　workbench；　and　with　everyone　else。watched　intently　as　Ichabod　situated　himself　in　his　chair　upon　the　bench；　straightened　his　robe；　adjusted　his　hideous　reading　glasses；　and　peered　over　them　at　the　assemblage。
　〃Good　morning；〃　he　squeaked　loudly。　He　pulled　the　microphone　closer　and　cleared　his　throat。　〃It's　always　nice　to　be　in　Ford　County　for　the　May　term　of　court。　I　see　most　members　of　the　bar　found　time　to　appear　for　the　opening　of　court；　and　as　usual；　I　will　request　Madam　Clerk　to　note　those　absent　attorneys　so　that　I　may　personally　contact　them。　I　see　a　large　number　of　potential　jurors　present；　and　I　thank　each　of　you　for　being　here。　I　realize　you　had　no　choice；　but　your　presence　is　vital　to　our　judicial　process。　We　will　empanel　a　grand　jury　momentarily；　and　then　we　will　select　several　trial　juries　to　serve　this　week　and　next。　I　trust　each　member　of　the　bar　has　a　copy　of　the　docket；　and　you　will　note　it　looks　somewhat　crowded。　My　calendar　reveals　at　least　two　cases　set　for　trial　each　day　this　week　and　next；　but　it's　my　understanding　most　of　the　criminal　cases　set　for　trial　will　go　off　on　negotiated　plea　bargains。　Nonetheless；　we　have　many　cases　to　move；　and　I　request　the　diligent　cooperation　of　the　bar。　Once　the　new　grand　jury　is　empaneled　and　goes　to　work；　and　once　the　indictments　start　ing　down；　I　will　schedule　arraignments　and　first　appearances。　Let's　quickly　call　the　docket；　criminal　first；　then　civil；　then　the　attorneys　may　be　excused　as　we　select　a　grand　jury。
　〃State　versus　Warren　Moke。　Armed　robbery；　set　for　trial　this　afternoon。〃
　Buckley　rose　slowly；　purposefully。　〃The　State　of　Missis…
　sippi　is　ready　for　trial；　Your　Honor；〃　he　announced　gloriously　for　the　spectators。
　〃So's　the　defense；〃　said　Tyndale；　the　court…appointed　lawyer。
　〃How　long　do　you　anticipate　for　trial？〃　asked　the　judge。
　〃Day　and　a　half；〃　answered　Buckley。　Tyndale　nodded　in　agreement。
　〃Good。　We'll　select　the　trial　jury　this　morning　and　start　the　trial　at　one　P。M。　today。　State　versus　William　Daal；　forgery；　six　counts；　set　for　tomorrow。〃
　〃Your　Honor；〃　answered　D。R。　Musgrove；　〃there　will　be　a　plea　in　that　case。〃
　〃Good。　State　versus　Roger　Hornton；　grand　larceny；　two　counts；　set　for　tomorrow。〃
　Noose　continued　through　the　docket。　Each　case　drew　the　same　response。　Buckley　would　stand　and　proclaim　the　State　ready　for　trial；　or　Musgrove　would　quietly　inform　the　court　that　a　plea　had　been　negotiated。　The　defense　attorneys　would　stand　and　nod。　Jake　had　no　cases　in　the　May　term；　and　although　he　tried　his　best　to　look　bored；　he　enjoyed　the　call　of　the　docket　because　he　could　learn　who　had　the　cases　and　what　the　petition　was　doing。　It　was　also　a　chance　to　look　good　before　some　of　the　local　folks。　Half　the　members　of　the　Sullivan　firm　were　present；　and　they　too　looked　bored　as　they　sat　arrogantly　together　in　the　front　row　of　the　jury　box。　The　older　partners　of　the　Sullivan　firm　would　not　dare　make　an　appearance　at　docket　call；　and　they　would　lie　and　tell　Noose　they　were　in　trial　in　Federal　Court　over　in　Oxford　or　perhaps　before　the　Supreme　Court　in　Jackson。　Dignity　prevented　their　mingling　with　the　ordinary　members　of　the　bar；　so　the　firm's　younger　lieutenants　were　sent　to　satisfy　Noose　and　request　that　all　the　firm's　civil　cases　be　continued；　postponed；　delayed；　stalled；　or　acted　upon　in　such　a　way　that　the　firm　could　drag　them　on　forever　and　continue　to　bill　by　the　hour。　Their　clients　were　insurance　panies　who　generally　preferred　not　to　go　to　trial　and　would　pay　by　the　hour　for　legal　maneuvering　designed　solely　to　keep　the　cases　away　from　the　juries。　It　would　be　cheaper　and　fairer　to　pay　a　reasonable　settlement　and　avoid　both　litigation　and　the　parasitic　defense　firms　like　Sullivan　&　O'Hare；　but　the　insurance　panies　and　their　adjusters　were　too　stupid　and
　cheap；　so　street　lawyers　like　Jake　Brigance　earned　their　livelihoods　suing　insurance　panies　and　forcing　them　to　pay　more　than　what　they　would　have　paid　had　they　dealt　fairly　from　the　beginning。　Jake　hated　insurance　panies；　and　he　hated　insurance　defense　attorneys；　and　he　especially　hated　the　Sullivan　firm's　younger　members；　all　of　whom　were　his　age；　and　all　of　whom　would　gladly　cut　his　throat；　their　associates'　throats；　their　partners'　throats；　anyone's　throat　to　make　partner　and　earn　two　hundred　thousand　a　year　and　skip　docket　calls。
　Jake　particularly　hated　Lotterhouse；　or　L。　Winston　Lot…terhouse；　as　the　letterhead　proclaimed　him；　a　little　four…eyed　wimp　with　a　Harvard　degree　and　a　bad　case　of　haughty　self…importance　who　was　next　in　line　to　make　partner　and　thus　had　been　especially　indiscriminate　with　his　throat　cutting　during　the　past　year。　He　sat　smugly　between　two　other　Sullivan　associates　and　held　seven　files；　each　of　which　was　being　charged　a　hundred　dollars　per　hour　while　he　answered　the　docket　call。
　Noose　began　the　civil　docket。　〃Collins　versus　Royal　Consolidated　General　Mutual　Insurance　pany。〃
　Lotterhouse　stood　slowly。　Seconds　meant　minutes。　Minutes　meant　hours。　Hours　meant　fees；　retainers；　bonuses；　partnerships。
　〃Your　Honor；　sir；　that　case　is　set　prime　for　a　week　from　Wednesday。〃
　〃I　realize　that；〃　Noose　said。
　〃Yes；　sir。　Well；　sir；　I'm　afraid　I　must　ask　for　a　continuance。　A　conflict　has　developed　in　my　trial　calendar　for　that　Wednesday；　and　I　have　a　pretrial　conference　in　Federal　Court　in　Memphis　that　the　judge　has　refused　to　continue。　I　regret　this。　I　filed　a　motion　this　morning　asking　for　a　continuance。〃
　Gardner；　the　plaintiffs　attorney；　was　furious。　〃Your　Honor；　that　case　has　been　set　prime　for　two　months。　It　was　set　for　trial　in　February；　and　Mr。　Lotterhouse　had　a　death　in　his　wife's　family。　It　was　set　for　trial　last　November；　and　an　uncle　died。　It　was　set　for　trial　last　August；　and　there　was　another　funeral。　I　guess　we　should　be　thankful　that　this　time　no　one　has　died。〃
　There　were　pockets　of　light　laughter　in　the　courtroom。　Lotterhouse　blushed。
　〃Enough　is　enough；　Your　Honor；〃　Gardner　continued。　〃Mr。　Lotterhouse　would　prefer　to　postpone　this　trial　forever。　The　case　is　ripe　for　trial；　and　my　client　is　entitled　to　one。　We　strenuously　oppose　any　motion　for　a　continuance。〃　。　Lotterhouse　smiled　at　the　judge　and　removed　his　glasses。　〃Your　Honor；　if　I　may　respond…〃
　〃No；　you　may　not；　Mr。　Lotterhouse；〃　interrupted　Noose。　〃No　more　continuances。　The　case　is　set　for　trial　next　Wednesday。　There　will　be　no　more　delays。〃
　Hallelujah；　thought　Jake。　Noose　was　generally　soft　on　the　Sullivan　firm。　Jake　smiled　at　Lotterhouse。
　Two　of　Jake's　civil　cases　were　continued　to　the　August　term。　When　Noose　finished　the　civil　docket；　he　dismissed　the　attorneys；　and　turned　his　attention　to　the　pool　of　prospective　jurors。　He　explained　the　role　of　the　grand　jury；　its　importance　and　procedure。　He　distinguished　it　from　the　trial　juries；　equally　important　but　not　as　time　consuming。　He　began　asking　questions；　dozens　of　questions；　most　of　them　required　by　law；　all　dealing　with　ability　to　serve　as　jurors；　physical　and　moral　fitness；　exemptions；　and　age。　A　few　were　useless；　but　nonetheless　required　by　some　ancient　statute。　〃Are　any　of　you　mon　gamblers　or　habitual　drunkards？〃
　There　were　laughs　but　no　volunteers。　Those　over　sixty…five　were　automatically　excused；　at　their　option。　Noose　granted　the　usual　exemptions　for　illnesses；　emergencies；　and　hardships；　but　he　excused　only　a　few　of　the　many　who　requested　pardons　for　economic　reasons。　It　was　amusing　to　watch　the　jurors　stand；　one　at　a　time；　and　meekly　explain　to　the　judge　how　a　few　days　of　jury　duty　would　cause　irreparable　damage　to　the　farm；　or　the　body　shop；　or　the　pulpwood　cutting。　Noose　took　a　hard　line　and　delivered　several　lectures　on　civic　responsibility　to　the　flimsier　excuses。
　From　the　venire　of　ninety　or　so　prospects；　eighteen　would　be　selected　for　the　grand　jury；　and　the　rest　would　remain　available　for　selection　as　trial　jurors。　When　Noose　pleted　his　questioning；　the　clerk　drew　eighteen　names　from　a　box　and　laid　them　on　the　bench　before　His　Honor；　who　began　calling　names。　The　jurors；　one　by　one；　rose　and　walked　slowly　toward　the　front　of　the　courtroom；　through
　the　gate　in　the　railing；　and　into　the　cushioned；　swivel　rocking　seats　in　the　jury　box。　There　were　fourteen　such　seats；　twelve　for　the　jurors　and　two　for　the　alternates。　When　the　box　was　rilled；　Noose　called　four　more　who　joined　their　colleagues　in　wooden　chairs　placed　in　front　of　the　jury　box。
　〃Stand　and　take　the　oath；〃　instructed　Noose　as　the　clerk　stood　before　them　holding　and　reading　from　a　little　black　book　that　contained　all　the　oaths。　〃Raise　your　right　hands；〃　she　directed。　〃Do　you　solemnly　swear　or　affirm　that　you　will　faithfully　discharge　your　duties　as　grand　jurors；　that　you　will　fairly　hear　and　decide　all　issues　and　matters　brought　before　you；　so　help　you　God？〃
　A　chorus　of　assorted　〃I　do's〃　followed；　and　the　grand　jury　was　seated。　Of　the　five　blacks；　two　were　women。　Of　the　thirteen　whites；　eight　were　women；　and　most　were　rural。　Jake　recognized　seven　of　the　eighteen。
　〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　Noose　began　his　usual　speech；　〃you　have　been　selected　and　duly　sworn　as　grand　jurors　for　Ford　County；　and　you　will　serve　in　that　capacity　until　the　next　grand　jury　is　empaneled　in　August。　I　want　to　stress　that　your　duties　will　not　be　time　consuming。　You　will　meet　every　day　this　week；　then　several　hours　each　month　until　September。　You　have　the　responsibility　of　reviewing　criminal　cases；　listening　to　law　enforcement　officials　and　victims；　and　determining　whether　or　not　reasonable　grounds　exist　to　believe　the　accused　has　mitted　the　crime。　If　so；　you　issue　an　indictment；　which　is　a　formal　charge　placed　against　the　accused。　There　are　eighteen　of　you；　and　when　at　least　twelve　believe　a　person　should　be　indicted；　the　indictment　is　issued；　or　returned；　as　we　say。　You　have　considerable　power。　By　law；　you　can　investigate　any　criminal　act；　any　citizen　suspected　of　wrongdoing；　any　public　official；　really　anybody　or　anything　that　smells　bad。　You　may　convene　yourself　whenever　you　choose；　but　normally　you　meet　whenever　the　district　attorney；　Mr。　Buckley；　wants　you。　You　have　the　power　to　subpoena　witnesses　to　testify　before　you；　and　you　may　also　subpoena　their　records。　Your　deliberations　are　extremel