jg.atimetokill-第25部分

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。　〃The　witness　does　not　have　to　answer。〃
　Crowell　turned　and　shouted　at　Buckley；　〃You　sit　down　and　shut　up！　We　don't　take　orders　from　you。　We　can　indict　you　if　we　want　to；　can't　we？〃
　Buckley　sat　and　looked　blankly　at　Ozzie。　Crowell　was　a　ringer。　He　was　too　smart　to　be　on　a　grand　jury。　Someone
　must　have　paid　him。　He　knew　too　much。　Yes；　the　grand　jury　could　indict　anyone。
　Crowell　retreated　and　returned　to　the　window。　They　watched　him　until　it　appeared　he　was　finished。
　〃Are　you　absolutely　sure　he　done　it；　Ozzie？〃　asked　Le…moyne　Frady；　an　illegitimate　distant　cousin　to　Gwen　Hailey。
　〃Yes；　we're　sure；〃　Ozzie　answered　slowly；　with　both　eyes　on　Crowell。　；
　〃And　you　want　us　to　indict　him　for　what？〃　asked　Mr。　Frady；　the　admiration　for　the　sheriff　obvious。
　〃Two　counts　of　capital　murder；　and　one　count　of　assault　on　a　peace　officer。〃
　〃How　much　time　you　talkin'　about？〃　asked　Barney　Flaggs；　another　black。
　〃Capital　murder　carries　the　gas　chamber。　Assault　on　a　deputy　carries　life　with　no　parole。〃
　〃And　that's　what　you　want；　Ozzie？〃　asked　Flaggs。
　〃Yeah；　Barney；　I　say　this　grand　jury　should　indict　Mr。　Hailey。　I　sure　do。〃
　〃Any　more　questions？〃　interrupted　Buckley。
　〃Not　so　fast；〃　replied　Crowell　as　he　turned　from　the　window。　〃I　think　you're　tryin'　to　ram　this　case　down　our　throats；　Mr。　Buckley；　and　I　resent　it。　I　wanna　talk　about　it　some。　You　sit　down　and　if　we　need　you；　we'll　ask　you。〃
　Buckley　glared　fiercely　and　pointed　his　finger。　〃I　don't　have　to　sit；　and　I　don't　have　to　stay　quiet！〃　he　yelled。
　〃Yes。　Yes；　you　do；〃　Crowell　answered　coolly　with　a　caustic　grin。　〃Because　if　you　don't；　we　can　make　you　leave；　can't　we；　Mr。　Buckley？　We　can　ask　you　to　leave　this　room；　and　if　you　refuse；　we'll　go　ask　the　judge。　He'll　make　you　leave；　won't　he；　Mr。　Buckley？〃
　Rufus　stood　motionless；　speechless；　and　stunned。　His　stomach　turned　flips　and　his　knees　were　spongy；　but　he　was　frozen　in　place。
　〃So；　if　you　would　like　to　hear　the　rest　of　our　deliberations；　sit　down　and　shut　up。〃
　Buckley　sat　next　to　the　bailiff；　who　was　now　awake。
　〃Thank　you；〃　said　Crowell。　〃I　wanna　ask　you　folks　a　question。　How　many　of　you　would　do　or　wanna　do　what　Mr。　Hailey　did　if　someone　raped　your　daughter；　or　maybe　your
　wife；　or　what　about　your　motner/　now　many：　i。cu〃t　^UUi　hands。〃
　Seven　or　eight　hands　shot　up；　and　Buckley　dropped　his　head。　Crowell　smiled　and　continued；　〃I　admire　him　for　what　he　did。　It　took　guts。　I'd　hope　I'd　have　the　courage　to　do　what　he　did；　'cause　Lord　knows　I'd　want　to。　Sometimes　a　man's　just　gotta　do　what　he's　gotta　do。　This　man　deserves　a　trophy；　not　an　indictment。〃
　Crowell　walked　slowly　around　the　tables；　enjoying　the　attention。　〃Before　you　vote；　I　want　you　to　do　one　thing。　I　want　you　to　think　about　that　poor　little　girl。　I　think　she's　ten。　Try　to　picture　her　layin'　there；　hands　tied　behind　her；　cryin'；　beggin'　for　her　daddy。　And　think　of　those　two　outlaws；　drunk；　doped　up；　takin'　turns　rapin'　and　beatin'　and　kickin'　her。　Hell；　they　even　tried　to　kill　her。　Think　of　your　own　daughter。　Put　her　in　the　place　of　the　little　Hailey　girl。
　〃Now；　wouldn't　you　say　they　got　pretty　much　what　they　deserved？　We　should　be　thankful　they're　dead。　I　feel　safer　just　knowin'　those　two　bastards　are　no　longer　here　to　rape　and　kill　other　children。　Mr。　Hailey　has　done　us　a　great　service。　Let's　don't　indict　him。　Let's　send　him　home　to　his　family；　where　he　belongs。　He's　a　good　man　who's　done　a　good　thing。〃
　Crowell　finished　and　returned　to　the　window。　Buckley　watched　him　fearfully；　and　when　he　was　certain　he　was　finished；　he　stood。　〃Sir；　are　you　finished？〃　There　was　no　response。
　〃Good。　Ladies　and　gentlemen　of　the　grand　jury。　I　would　like　to　explain　a　few　things。　A　grand　jury　is　not　supposed　to　try　the　case。　That's　what　a　trial　jury　is　for。　Mr。　Hailey　will　get　a　fair　trial　before　twelve　fair　and　impartial　jurors；　and　if　he's　innocent；　he'll　be　acquitted。　But　his　guilt　or　innocence　is　not　supposed　to　be　determined　by　the　grand　jury。　You're　supposed　to　decide；　after　listening　to　the　State's　version　of　the　evidence；　if　there　is　a　strong　possibility　a　crime　has　been　mitted。　Now；　I　submit　to　you　that　a　crime　has　been　mitted　by　Carl　Lee　Hailey。　Three　crimes　actually。　He　killed　two　men；　and　he　wounded　another。　We　have　eyewitnesses。〃
　Buckley　was　warming　as　he　circled　the　tables。　The　confidence　was　back。　〃The　duty　of　this　grand　jury　is　to　indict　him；
　and　if　he　has　a　valid　defense；　he'll　have　a　chance　to　present　it　at　trial。　If　he　has　a　legal　reason　for　doing　what　he　did；　let　him　prove　it　at　trial。　That's　what　trials　are　for。　The　State　charges　him　with　a　crime；　and　the　State　must　prove　at　trial　he　mitted　the　crime。　If　he　has　a　defense；　and　if　he　can　convince　the　trial　jury；　he　will　be　acquitted；　I　assure　you。　Good　for　him。　But　it's　not　the　duty　of　this　grand　jury　to　decide　today　that　Mr。　Hailey　should　go　free。　There'll　be　another　day　for　that；　right；　Sheriff？〃
　Ozzie　nodded　and　said；　〃That's　right。　The　grand　jury　is　to　indict　if　the　evidence　is　presented。　The　trial　jury　will　not　convict　him　if　the　State　can't　prove　its　case；　or　if　he　puts　a　good　defense。　But　the　grand　jury　don't　worry　'bout　things　like　that。〃
　〃Anything　further　from　the　grand　jury？〃　Buckley　asked　anxiously。　〃Okay；　we　need　a　motion。〃
　〃I　make　a　motion　we　don't　indict　him　for　anything；〃　yelled　Crowell。
　〃Second；〃　mumbled　Barney　Flaggs。
　Buckley's　knees　quivered。　He　tried　to　speak；　but　nothing　came　forth。　Ozzie　suppressed　his　joy。
　〃We　have　a　motion　and　a　second；〃　announced　Mrs。　Gossett。　〃All　in　favor　raise　your　hands。〃
　Five　black　hands　went　up；　along　with　Crowell's。　Sk　votes。　The　motion　failed。
　〃Whatta　we　do　now？〃　asked　Mrs。　Gossett。
　Buckley　spoke　rapidly：　〃Someone　make　a　motion　to　indict　Mr。　Hailey　for　two　counts　of　capital　murder　and　one　count　of　assault　on　a　peace　officer。〃
　〃So　move；〃　said　one　of　the　whites。
　〃Second；〃　said　another。
　〃All　in　favor；　raise　your　hands；〃　said　Mrs。　Gossett。　〃I　count　twelve　hands。　All　opposed…I　count　five　plus　mine　makes　six。　Twelve　to　six。　What　does　that　mean？〃
　〃That　means　he's　been　indicted；〃　Buckley　replied　proudly。　He　breathed　normally　again；　and　the　color　returned　to　his　face。　He　whispered　to　a　secretary；　then　addressed　the　grand　jury。　〃Let's　take　a　ten…minute　recess。　We　have　about　forty　more　cases　to　work　on；　so　please　don't　be　gone　long。　I　would　like　to　remind　you　of　something　Judge　Noose　said　this　morning。　These　deliberations　are　extremely　confidential。
　You　are　not　to　discuss　any　01　your　worK　ouisiue　room…〃
　〃What　he's　tryin'　to　say；〃　interrupted　Crowell；　〃is　that　we　can't　tell　anybody　that　he　came　within　one　vote　of　not　gettin'　the　indictments。　Ain't　that　right；　Buckley？〃
　The　D。A。　quickly　left　the　room　and　slammed　the　door。
　Surrounded　by　dozens　of　cameras　and　reporters；　Buckley　stood　on　the　front　steps　of　the　courthouse　and　waved　copies　of　the　indictments。　He　preached；　lectured；　moralized；　praised　the　grand　jury；　sermonized　against　crime　and　vigilantes；　and　condemned　Carl　Lee_Hailey。　Bring　on　the　trial。　Put　the　jury　in　the　box。　He　guaranteed　a　conviction。　He　guaranteed　a　death　penalty。　He　was　obnoxious；　offensive；　arrogant；　self…righteous。　He　was　himself。　Vintage　Buckley。　A　few　of　the　reporters　left；　but　he　labored　on。　He　extolled　himself　and　his　trial　skills　and　his　ninety；　no；　ninety…five　percent　conviction　rate。　More　reporters　left。　More　cameras　were　turned　off。　He　praised　Judge　Noose　for　his　wisdom　and　fairness。　He　acclaimed　the　intelligence　and　good　judgment　of　Ford　County　jurors。
　He　outlasted　them。　They　grew　weary　of　him　and　they　all　left。
　Stump　Sisson　was　the　Klan's　Imperial　Wizard　for　Mississippi；　and　he　had　called　the　meeting　at　the　small　cabin　deep　in　the　pine　forests　of　Nettles　County；　two　hundred　and　thirty　miles　south　of　Ford　County。　There　were　no　robes；　rituals；　or　speeches。　The　small　group　of　Klansmen　discussed　the　events　in　Ford　County　with　a　Mr。　Freddie　Cobb；　brother　of　Billy　Ray　Cobb；　deceased。　Freddie　had　called　a　friend　who　called　Stump　to　arrange　the　meeting。
　Had　they　indicted　the　nigger？　Cobb　was　not　sure；　but　he　had　heard　the　trial　would　be　in　late　summer；　or　early　fall。　What　concerned　him　most　was　all　the　talk　about　the　nigger　pleading　insanity　and　getting　off。　It　wasn't　right。　The　nigger　killed　his　brother　in　cold　blood；　planned　the　shooting。　He　hid　in　a　closet　and　waited　for　his　brother。　It　was　coldblooded　murder；　and　now　there　was　talk　of　the　nigger　walking　free。　What　could　the　Klan　do　about　it？　The　niggers　have　plenty　of　protection　nowadays…the　NAACP；　ACLU；　a　thousand　other　civil　rights　groups；　plus　the　courts　and　the　government。　Hell；　white　folks　ain't　got　a　chance；　except　for　the　Klan。　Who　else　would　march　and　stand　up　for　white　people。　All　the　laws　favor　the　niggers；　and　the　liberal　nigger…loving　politicians　keep　making　more　laws　against　white　people。　Somebody's　got　to　stand　up　for　them。　That's　why　he　called　the　Klan。
　Is　the　nigger　in　jail？　Yes；　and　he's　treated　like　a　king。　Got　a　nigger　sheriff　up　there；　Walls；　and　he　likes　this　nigger。　Gives　him　special　privileges　and　extra　protection。　The　sheriffs　another　story。　Someone　said　Hailey　might　get　out　of　jail　this　week　on　bond。　Just　a　rumor。　They　hoped　he　got　out。
　What　about　your　brother？　Did　he　rape　her？　We're　not　sure；　probably　not。　Willard；　the　other　guy；　confessed　to　rape；　but　Billy　Ray　never　confessed。　He　had　plenty　of　women。　Why　would　he　rape　a　little　nigger　girl？　And　if　he　did；　what　was　the　big　deal？
　Who's　the　nigger's　lawyer？　Brigance；　a　local　boy　in　Clanton。　Young；　but　pretty　good。　Does　a　lot　of　criminal　work
　and　has　a　good　reputation；　won　several　minuet
　told　some　reporters　the　nigger　would　plead　insanity　and　get
　off。
　Who's　the　judge？　Don't　know　yet。　Bullard　was　the　county　judge；　but　someone　said　he　would　not　hear　the　case。　There's　talk　of　moving　the　case　to　another　county；　so　who　knows　who　will　be　the　judge。
　Sisson　and　the　Kluxers　listened　intently　to　this　ignorant　redneck。　They　liked　the　part　about　the　NAACP　and　the　government　and　the　politicians；　but　they　had　also　read　the　papers　and　watched　TV　and　they　knew　his　brother　had　received　justice。　But　at　the　hands　of　a　nigger。　It　was　unthinkable。
　The　case　had　real　potential。　With　the　trial　several　months　away；　there　was　time　to