Saving Justice
Page 18
“What exactly did you ask her?”
“I can’t remember exactly what I said, but I said something like, ‘Are you alright?’ or ‘Can I help you?’ Something like that.”
“Did she say anything in reply?”
“No, she didn’t. She turned away from me and kept walking down the road.”
“What happened then?”
“I watched her walk away crying, then I went into the medical clinic to talk with Dr. Mackie.”
“And did you talk with Dr. Mackie?”
“Unfortunately not. The receptionist said he was busy.”
Rollins nodded and looked across to the jury. His testimony had built a clearer picture of Miss Jennings’ reaction to the event, and confirmed everything that came before.
“Thank you for your time, Mr. King.”
Rollins sat down and looked over at the defense table. She struggled to hold her smile in, as the case was tipping in their favor. It was difficult to prosecute sexual assault cases, and even harder when there was no direct evidence on the victim, but the witnesses of the case had built a convincing story.
Judge Reed asked Hunter if he would like to cross-examine the witness, and Hunter accepted. He stood, and took his time to walk over to the lectern. He placed his legal pad on the podium in front of him, fixed his tie, and then looked to the witness. It was time to make a play.
“Mr. King, previous to November 5th, had you met Dr. Mackie?”
“Yes.”
“And when had you met Dr. Mackie?”
“He owns a medical clinic, and I was attempting to buy his business at the time. He also owns the building which houses the clinic, and I saw a business opportunity to expand my company, and help the clinic grow. Dr. Mackie and I had numerous discussions over a period of around fifteen months before that day. He was reluctant to sell, so there’d been a lot of negotiation. I met with Dr. Mackie many times.”
“You said Dr. Mackie wasn’t available that day?”
“That’s correct. The receptionist told me he was busy.”
“Did you have an appointment with Dr. Mackie?”
“No.”
“So you thought you could just walk into a busy medical clinic, with a practicing doctor, and he would be available to chat?”
“I like to talk face to face with people. I find it easier to negotiate when I can see the person.”
“Were you surprised that Dr. Mackie wasn’t available?”
“Not really.”
“Did you wait for Dr. Mackie to become available?”
“No. Once the receptionist told me he was busy, I left a message and went back to my office.”
“A waste of your time then?”
“Not exactly. It’s good to let people know you’re available if you’re negotiating with them.”
“So it was a coincidence that you arrived at the medical clinic at the same time as Miss Jennings was leaving?”
“I guess so.”
“Hmmm.” Hunter paused and tapped his finger on the edge of the lectern. Some of the jurors made notes, others looked blankly at the witness. “Would you benefit from the purchase of the medical clinic?”
“Possibly.”
“Did Dr. Mackie give you a reason why he hadn’t sold the medical clinic to you?”
“He did.”
“And why was that?”
King drew a long breath, pulling his jacket towards the middle of his shirt. “He said he wanted to continue to treat his patients in the area.”
“And if you owned Dr. Mackie’s clinic, you’d have a monopoly over the surrounding area, is that correct?”
“I suppose.”
“Then you could raise your prices, couldn’t you?”
“That’s not part of the business plan.”
Hunter paused, and turned to look at Esther, who was sitting in the front row of the court seats, behind Dr. Mackie. Hunter nodded, and Esther stood and moved out the doors of the courtroom.
It was time.
“Mr. King, can you please tell the court if you knew a man named Joe Fielding?”
“I knew him, but I hadn’t seen him for many years.”
The court doors opened at the back of the room. Hunter held King’s eye contact for a moment and then turned and nodded towards the entrance. Detective Regina Heart walked in first, and following was her cousin, Heather Monroe. She looked towards King, and then walked to an available seat in the front row. Esther Wright walked in next, followed by Becky Bennett. They sat in the second row of the courtroom, in full view of Christoph King.
King’s mouth dropped open.
Hunter looked to the jury.
The pressure was on.
Chapter 35
Christoph King squirmed in his seat. He ran his hand through his hair, fixed his tie, and his eyes darted all over the room. He didn’t know where to look. Hunter allowed the pause to sit in the room. The jury members looked confused. They had seen the women walk into the courtroom, and watched King’s nervous reaction. Even Judge Reed looked confused.
“Mr. Hunter?” Judge Reed called out after a few moments. “Do you care to continue questioning this witness?”
“Yes, Your Honor.” Hunter looked to the jury. They were waiting with bated breath for Hunter’s next move. “Mr. King,” Hunter’s voice was firm. “You said that you hadn’t seen Joe Fielding for years. Is that correct?”
“Objection. Asked and answered.”
“Withdrawn.” Hunter was quick in his response. “Mr. King, can you please tell the court if you have ever gone to a bar called the Whiskey Five?”
“I’ve been known to go there on occasion.”
“And did you meet with Joe Fielding in the Whiskey Five on November 1st, only five days before the alleged incident?” Hunter held up a still image of the video footage inside the bar. He didn’t introduce it as evidence. Becky Bennett coughed loudly and caught King’s attention.
“Ah. I probably did meet with Joe Fielding then. I forgot about that time. Must’ve slipped my mind.” King responded. “That happens. I have a lot going on.”
“And on November 2nd?” Hunter held up another photo. Again, he didn’t submit it as evidence. Becky Bennett stood, fixed her dress, caught King’s eye, and then sat back down. “Did you meet with him again?”
“I guess…” King looked at the two women who had entered the courtroom. “I guess that’s me and Joe Fielding again. I’m a busy man. I meet with lots of people.”
“Did you know the other person seated at the table with you?” Hunter pretended to look at the photo, placed on the lectern and shielded from King’s view.
“It might’ve been Becky Bennett. She was a friend of Joe’s.”
“Do you know how Joe and Miss Bennett became associates?”
“I don’t.”
“Mr. King,” Hunter’s voice rose. “Did you purchase a medical clinic in Wisconsin five years ago?”
“Yes.”
“What happened during the negotiation of that purchase?”
“Objection.” Rollins stood up. “Relevance. Where is the defense even going with this line of questioning?”
“I assure you, Your Honor, this is very relevant.”
“Then get to it, Mr. Hunter. The objection is overruled for now.” Judge Reed leaned forward.
“Mr. King,” Hunter’s voice rose. “What happened during the purchase of the medical clinic?”
“I don’t know.”
“Let me refresh your memory. As the negotiation for the sale was happening, Dr. Lighten, the owner of the medical clinic in Wisconsin that you purchased, was charged with sexual assault. Do you remember that?”
“What doctors do on their own time is none of my business.” King grunted. His mood had changed. The charming, smiling act was gone, replaced by a cold, grumpy snarl.
“Do you remember that Dr. Lighten’s sexual assault charge was also withdrawn once he sold the business to you?”
“Like I said, what he do
es on his own time isn’t my business.”
“Did you have anything to do with organizing the accusation of sexual assault?”
“Objection!” Rollins rose to her feet again. “Accusation! Your Honor, the defense cannot be allowed to badger the witness like this.”
“Sustained.” Judge Reed said. “Move on, Mr. Hunter.”
Hunter paused, made eye contact with King, and then turned to look back at Heather Monroe. King couldn’t sit still in his chair, and looked like he wanted to be anywhere else but the trial.
“Mr. King,” Hunter’s voice rose again. “Have you ever employed, or paid money to, a person named Miss Heather Monroe?”
King looked up to the judge. “Your Honor, can we have a break?”
“What for?” Judge Reed leaned down.
“I just… well, I’d like a break to sort out my answers.”
Judge Reed raised his eyebrows. “No, Mr. King. You can’t ‘sort out your answers.’ You need to answer the questions truthfully.”
“Prosecution moves for a recess.” Rollins stood again. “The witness is under undue stress.”
“The request for a recess is denied.” Judge Reed stated. “Mr. King, please answer the questions truthfully.”
“Mr. King.” Hunter’s voice boomed through the courtroom. “Have you ever employed, or paid money to, Heather Monroe?”
King stared at Heather Monroe for a long moment, and then turned back to Hunter. “Yes.”
Hunter nodded and then turned to the jury. They looked at him with confusion, waiting for him to connect the dots. “Did you meet Heather Monroe before the purchase of the medical clinic in Wisconsin?”
“You know the answer to that question.” His growl had become deeper.
“Answer the question, Mr. King.”
“Yes.”
“Were you aware that Heather Monroe accused Dr. Lighten of sexual assault before the sale of the medical clinic?”
“Yes.”
A number of the jurors squinted as they stared at King. Hunter walked back to his table and picked up a photo, printed at A4 size. He waved it at King before he returned to the lectern and placed it down. “Did you meet with Miss Katherine Jennings before November 5th?”
King drew a breath and held it for a long moment. He had no idea what was on the photo that Hunter had in front of him. When he finally released his breath, he squirmed in his chair again.
“Mr. King,” Hunter’s voice rose. He tapped another photo on the lectern. “Did you meet with Miss Jennings before November 5th?”
“I don’t recall.”
“You don’t recall?! You’ve told this court, in this statement, that you hadn’t met her before, and now you’re changing your mind?!”
“I might’ve met her; I might not have. I can’t recall.”
“Mr. King! Did you ask Joe Fielding to hire a paid actor to file a sexual assault case against Dr. Mackie?”
“Objection! Accusation!” Rollins slapped her fist on the table. “Badgering the witness!”
“Sustained!” Judge Reed boomed. “Mr. Hunter, you will be charged with contempt of court if you continue this line of questioning!”
“Mr. King! Were you aware that Joe Fielding paid women to lie and claim they’d been sexually assaulted?”
“I…” King turned to Judge Reed. The intensity had broken him. “How do I avoid answering that question?”
“Mr. King, are you saying that you can’t answer that question for fear of self-incrimination?”
His mouth hung open for a moment. “Yes.”
“Then you need to take the fifth amendment.”
King turned back to Hunter. “I take the fifth amendment.”
A gasp went through the jury box.
“Mr. King,” Hunter continued. “Were you aware that Joe Fielding met with Miss Jennings before she accused Dr. Mackie of sexual assault?”
“I take the fifth.”
“Mr. King!” Hunter continued. “Were you aware that Joe Fielding met with the eyewitnesses in this case before Dr. Mackie was accused of sexual assault?”
“I take the fifth.”
“Mr. King!” Hunter’s voice boomed. “Were you aware that Joe Fielding made payments to these people to lie to the court?”
“I take the fifth.”
“Mr. King!” Hunter slapped his hand on the lectern. “Were you aware that sexual assault charges against the doctor would result in him losing his medical license?!”
“I take the fifth!” King slammed his hand on the arm of his chair. “Listen to me! I take the fifth! How many times do I have to say it?!”
Hunter stared at the witness, before taking a deep breath and looking to the jury box. Most were sitting with their mouths open, and the ones that weren’t, were shaking their heads.
Hunter picked up the photo from the lectern, moving it so King could see that it was nothing more than a stock photo of the seedy bar. King’s mouth fell open when he saw the photos were nothing more than a bluff. He’d been played.
Chapter 36
Tex Hunter, Esther Wright, and Dr. David Mackie were waiting in a meeting room near the exit to the courtroom. The room was cold, as was the atmosphere. The air conditioner pumped cool air into the room, rattling above their heads, providing at least some distraction. The round wooden table that took up most of the space was stained through years of use, and rocked a little when someone leaned on it. The chairs were uncomfortable and equally as uneven. The cushions were full of bumps. The air smelled stale. Still, no one was leaving the room.
“What’s taking so long? It’s been two hours since Judge Reed called the recess.” Dr. Mackie’s brow was deeply furrowed. “What are they doing? Shouldn’t this be over already?”
“Detective Heart is re-interviewing the witnesses, and she’s talking to Katherine Jennings at the moment.” Hunter was calm. “We should allow them to take all the time they need. Let’s not rush them.”
Dr. Mackie stood and began to pace the small room. He punched the wall gently. He repeated the action a number of times, before he started to tap his forehead against the drywall. “I can’t believe it. King wanted to set me up so I’d be forced to sell the clinic? That’s what you’re saying? And he’s done this before in Wisconsin?”
“That’s right.” Esther said. “Our theory is that King wanted the company so he could hold a monopoly over the area, and he saw the opportunity to expose you in your divorce. He seems like the type of guy to kick a man while he’s down.”
“So it was all to do with King.” Dr. Mackie shook his head as he began to walk around the room again. “Were the others in on it as well? Vandenberg and my ex-wife?”
“We’re not sure yet,” Hunter said. “But that’s the theory we’re working on.”
A knock on the door made them all jump. Hunter stood and opened the door. Detective Regina Heart and Prosecutor Rollins were waiting at the door. They didn’t smile.
Hunter opened the door wider and allowed them into the room. They didn’t say anything as they sat down on the two remaining chairs. Rollins opened her laptop, typed a few commands, and then looked up from the screen. Dr. Mackie leaned against the wall at the far side of the room, arms folded across his chest, head leaning against the wall.
“The prosecution is moving to withdraw all charges against Dr. Mackie.” Rollins began. “We’ve re-interviewed Katherine Jennings and she’s changed her statement. At this point in time, there’s not enough evidence to continue with this case.”
“She can do that?” Dr. Mackie became breathless. “She can just change it like that?”
“Our job is to find the truth.” Detective Heart said. “We’re not out to get people. We just want to find the truth. That’s our job. We’ve welcomed the new statement from Ms. Jennings. We told her that Becky Bennett, or Rebecca White as she was formerly known, had information about Joe Fielding’s activities. Ms. Jennings came clean when we said we would investigate the payments into her bank account. She a
dmitted she was paid by Fielding to make up the sexual assault allegation. It was all a lie.”
“So that’s it? I’m free? This nightmare is now all over?”
“Yes, Dr. Mackie.” Rollins responded. “All the charges have been dropped. You’re a free man.”
Dr. Mackie looked at the ceiling. He made the sign of the cross, and mouthed the words, ‘thank you.’
“Perjury for the witnesses and Katherine Jennings?” Hunter asked.
“The full force of the law will land on Katherine Jennings, Daisy Perkins, and David Denison.” Heart said. “The almighty dollar tempted them to lie about sexual assault. They won’t walk away from this. We have to make an example of them so other people aren’t tempted to do the same.”
“And once their charges are released to the media, their names are going to be splashed all over the country. They’re going to pay for what they’ve done.” Rollins added. “I’ll call my media contacts and make sure their heavy penalties are reported in the news. We have to discourage others from acting in the same way.”
“And what about Christoph King?” Dr. Mackie asked. “He was involved in this. He set me up.”
“Unfortunately, all he actually said was that he saw a woman crying after leaving the doctor’s office, which appears to be true. Katherine Jennings may have been acting at the time, but she did leave the medical clinic in tears.” Rollins looked at Hunter. “Unless you’ve got something else to link him to all this, something concrete, then King walks away untouched.”
Hunter shook his head.
“Dr. Mackie,” Rollins closed her laptop. “For what it’s worth, I’m sincerely sorry this happened to you.”
Detective Heart and Rollins stood, neither with a smile to offer. Esther nodded her thanks, and opened the door for them to leave. Dr. Mackie didn’t say goodbye.
Hunter followed them outside the meeting room and closed the door behind him. “Regina.”
Detective Heart looked across to Rollins. “I’ll catch up with you in a minute.”
Rollins walked away without another word. Once the prosecutor was out of earshot, Hunter leaned closer to the detective. “What’s going to happen to your cousin?”