Harlem Girl Lost 2

by Blue, Treasure E.

Lynn began to cry louder.

  “No, my lawyer said—”

  Before Jessica could finish, Tiny snapped, “What, your high paid lawyer?” She stared Jessica down. “We got a court appointed lawyer because none of our families is rich like yours, Jessica.”

  Jessica turned and put her head down. “Shit, who knows, your lawyer might cut you a better deal and our asses are fucked, and you was the one who killed her. We didn’t do shit and we still got caught up in the murder charge for just being there.”

  Just hearing Tiny remind her that she actually killed someone made Jessica cringe.

  Vonda had had enough and finally said, “Tiny, we wouldn’t even be in this situation if you had kept your fucking mouth shut in the first fucking place. Don’t forget we was trying to save you when they tried to get you on your knees. Also don’t forget you ran and left us hanging. Don’t think I forgot that shit!” Vonda snapped.

  “I came back to help!” Tiny screamed.

  Jessica held her attitude in check and tried to keep order, despite the accusation from Tiny. “Yo, we don’t have time to point fingers, y’all. We got to make sure we come out of this shit as if our lives depend on it or we are all fucked, plain and simple.”

  Tiny took a seat and put her chin to her chest.

  Seeing everybody calm, Jessica continued, “Now, the only thing I’m worried about is when my lawyer asked me to tell him everything that went down that night leading up to the incident.”

  Vonda looked up and asked, “What did you tell him?”

  All three girls looked at Jessica for an answer and she said, “I told him everything that we did, except the hotel part.”

  All the girls seemed relieved. Vonda spoke, “So did we.”

  Jessica questioned, “But, do you think that was a good idea to leave it out? Because my lawyer said that if I left anything out it may turn around and backfire on us.”

  Tiny answered, “How the fuck can it backfire on us? I, mean what do us getting fucked that night got to do with what happened, Jessica?” They all thought about what Tiny said. “Shit,” Tiny continued, “I don’t want my moms knowing I was out fuckin that night, do you?”

  Everyone seemed to agree with her rationale.

  Vonda looked at Tiny and Lynn. “So we all agree, we stick by what we said, ok?”

  One by one they all nodded in agreement.

  “Besides, they would never find out where we were if we don’t tell them,” added Vonda. She stuck out her fist and said, “Agreed?”

  The girls all stood up and stuck out their fists and said, “Agreed.”

  **********

  Kenny and Jessica met up later that day and went to Times Square to catch a movie. They were now in a barbecue restaurant having dinner. For the most part, Jessica figured Kenny was abstaining from talking about the incident until she was ready, so she decided to get it out in the open.

  “Kenny,” Jessica said nervously, “I know you’re wondering what’s going on with everything, and you have the right to know.”

  He looked her in the eyes and she put her head down, searching for the right words. He took her hand to show her comfort and support.

  She slowly lifted her head and said, “Kenny, they charged all of us with murder, for the incident that went down that night, and we’re going to take the case to trial.” Jessica searched his eyes to see his reaction before continuing. “I want you to know what happened that night was not our fault and it was an accident. They pulled these knives on us and—”

  “No, Jessica, you don’t have to explain. I just want to let you know that I will be by your side all the way and that if you need me I will be right there for you. All you have to do is call.”

  Jessica just looked at Kenny with amazement. To have a man like him to still be in her corner overwhelmed her and soon she became teary eyed.

  “Jessica, I love you, and if you are going through something I want to go through it with you. But you got to believe that everything is going to work out for you and the other girls. I pray for you every night since it happened, and I want you to do the same because prayer really works, but you got to have faith.”

  Jessica attempted to hold back her tears, but failed pitifully. Kenny stood up and sat next to her and put his arms around her for assurance. Jessica felt a deep sense of security as his strong arms filled her with warmth and confidence. She closed her eyes, hoping the moment would never end.

  Chapter 8

  The Trial

  Ten months later - April, 1982

  The girls were so nervous about the trial, none of them had slept for days leading up to their court date. The only good news they’d received since the time of the arrest was that their charges were downgraded from murder in the second degree to involuntary manslaughter, which made a significant difference in years if sentenced. This was only because Cookie had a robbery charge before as a juvenile, but her record was sealed.

  They got through the first day without any problems because it was only jury selection. Their lawyers were happy about the jurors that were selected because most were parents and that could work in their favor. But, they were warned that it could also work against them because the jurors, as parents, would be sympathetic to any parent that lost a child.

  Seated at the defendant’s table, before a judge, fighting for their life seemed so surreal for the girls. They felt uncomfortable as all the potential jurors eyed them with disdain, probably wondering how these four young girls could have possibly committed such a heinous crime. No one but their parents occupied the rear seats as spectators, giving them a sense of security for some reason. They adjourned the trial for the next day and would be ready for opening statements.

  The second day of the trial was night and day from the first because the entire courtroom was now filled to capacity as spectators and court staff milled about, waiting for the judge to enter the courtroom. Councilman Jackson was at the entrance of the courtroom just as he said would be along with a small army of reporters who took his picture as he gave his opinion of the case. Councilman Jackson purposely grandstanded the case not as a politician, but as a grieving father who was only seeking justice. Behind closed doors, he reached out to everyone who owed him a favor to ensure that the judge and district attorneys knew they were not dealing with your average murder case. Everything now would be scrutinized down to the smallest detail, and the defense knew that all the evidence and statements would play critical roles in the case. In other words, if they made one mistake, the girls would go to jail for a long time.

  It didn’t make the girls feel any better when Councilman Jackson shook hands with the district attorneys like they were old friends before the start of the trial. The girls looked around at all the people in the courtroom—the reporters, spectators, and court officers—and began to feel very small. Jessica’s nerves were so shot that she hadn’t been able to hold down an ounce of food in three days.

  Finally, the judge exited his chamber as one of the burly court officers barked, “Please rise for the Honorable Harry S. Gillard.”

  The no-nonsense judge simply waved his hand and said in a low tone, “Be seated.” He sat down in his oversized chair and went straight to his docket and opened it. He surveyed the courtroom briefly and saw that the defense and district attorneys were in place. “Are we ready to proceed?”

  The D.A. smiled. “Yes, your Honor. The State is ready to proceed.”

  “Yes, Your Honor. Defense is ready,” Vonda, Tiny and Lynn’s lawyer said.

  “Yes, Your Honor,” repeated Jessica’s lawyer, Donovan Butler.

  “Ok,” said the judge, “bring out the jurors.”

  One of the court officers went through one of the doors and seconds later, all the jurors marched out and into the juror’s box to take their seats. The judge introduced himself to the jurors and briefly explained their duties as a juror and the matters surrounding the case.

  After the matters were explained, the judge went straight to the case and
said, “Is the counsel ready to proceed with opening statement?” He looked down at the prosecutors’ table.

  “We are, Your Honor. The State is ready to proceed,” said the tall, thin state prosecutor, Andrew Steinberg.

  By the time the prosecutor finished with his opening argument, all the girls were looked upon as monsters. He didn’t hold his tongue as he sarcastically spewed his verbal venom, calling Jessica and her friends time bombs waiting to explode. He totally switched everything around and made it look as if the girls were seasoned troublemakers who went around causing havoc on anyone or anything that crossed their paths.

  Jessica turned around and looked at her parents’ strained faces and felt even worse as he called their daughter a killer with no regard for life. She looked to the left of her parents and even saw her man, Kenny, with his head down. It was then that she realized the state was playing for keeps and that she could really lose and go to prison for a long time. Her stomach began to bubble loudly.

  Jessica’s lawyer delivered his opening statement, but it did little to make her feel better. This was only the quiet before the storm, she thought.

  **********

  The district attorney called upon witness after witness, mainly the police officers and detectives who showed up to the murder scene the night of the incident. Then finally, the state called Constantine Wallace. None of the girls knew who she was, but when they escorted her out, all four girls’ jaws nearly dropped to the floor. It was the one and only Cookie, who’d started it all. They barely recognized her because she now wore an ankle-length dress and glasses. Her cornrowed hair was now unbraided and hung neatly down to her shoulders. She had a white prayer cap placed on top of her head. All the girls sat up in their chairs and looked at each other, baffled. They could not believe what they were seeing and grew more uneasy by the second. If they’d had any shadow of doubt on how serious it had become, it was instantly removed by seeing what length the state had gone to get a conviction. Cookie was escorted to the witness chair and sworn in by the bailiff.

  “Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”

  “I do,” she said, almost in a whisper.

  Mr. Steinberg walked over to where she sat and smiled. “Good afternoon.”

  Cookie returned the smile and repeated, “Good afternoon.”

  He nodded. “Can you state your full name for the record, Ms. Wallace?”

  “My name is Constantine Wallace,” she answered politely.

  “Ms. Wallace, can you tell us what you do for a living?”

  She cleared her throat. “I work at St. Mary’s Church on 127th Street in Harlem.”

  “And what do you do at the church?”

  “I organize a lot of events for the youth program we have at the church, like trips, local events, and bible study classes.”

  Mr. Steinberg looked at the jury to get a greater impact on the revelation. Shortly after the murder of his daughter, Councilman Jackson had strategically found the unemployed Cookie a job at the local Catholic church, thanks to a favor from a priest in his district.

  Steinberg continued. “Ms. Wallace, do you know Denise Jackson?”

  Cookie put her head down and played a powerful performance in front of the crowd. After a long pause, she finally answered. “Yes, she was my best friend.”

  Mr. Steinberg paused to let the jurors feel the volume of her words. “Are you ok, Ms. Wallace?”

  She nodded.

  “Do you recall an incident happening on the night of June, 10th, 1981 that involved you and Ms. Jackson?”

  Cookie cleared her throat and slowly answered, “Yes.”

  “Can you recount to us everything that happened leading up to that incident Ms. Wallace?”

  Cookie put her head down as the court sat in complete silence. When she lifted her head a tear could already be seen falling from her eye. “Me and my best friend Denise were returning home from bible study class at the church where I now work. We were getting home a little later than usual because we stayed behind and helped the sisters clean up and stack the chairs.” She paused again. “Well,” she continued, “we were walking home on 7th Avenue, talking, and that’s when we were confronted by four girls.”

  Mr. Steinberg shifted his eyes toward the jurors. “Ms. Wallace, do you see any of the girls who confronted you that night in the courtroom today?”

  “Yes.”

  Mr. Steinberg looked at the jurors as if he was astonished. “Ms. Wallace, can you point out to the court where they are sitting at?” For the first time she looked at the girls and raised her hand slowly and pointed them out to the court.

  Mr. Steinberg snapped to attention and turned to the judge. “Let the record reflect, Your Honor, that the witness pointed out the defendants.”

  “Noted,” said the judge.

  Mr. Steinberg continued. “Ms. Wallace, was that night the first time you ever came in contact with the defendants?”

  Cookie shook her head. “No, they have been harassing us for years. They even took our money before and said they going to make us pay them every time they see us.”

  The girls could not believe their ears. They moaned their displeasure as they listened to Cookie tell an incredible lie. Tiny could not hold back her contempt any longer, so she stood up and yelled, “She’s lying!”

  The court officers immediately approached her and placed her back in her seat.

  The judge then warned, “Young lady, if I hear one more outburst like that I will have you removed from this court and thrown in a cell. Do you understand?”

  Her lawyer spoke for her. “Yes, Your Honor. She understands.”

  Mr. Steinberg proceeded. “Ok, Ms. Wallace, can you continue telling us what happened after you and Ms. Jackson were confronted by the defendants on the night of the tragic incident?”

  She closed her eyes and said in a slow, strained voice, “After they confronted us, they pulled out a knife and they shoved us in the building. They pushed us in the back of the building and demanded our money. I gave them mines, but Denise refused to back down to them.”

  The girls grew angrier by the second as they listened to her calculated lie. All of them wanted to yell out, scream, or just tell someone that she was lying, but they were helpless—again.

  “That’s when she,” Cookie looked over at Jessica, “put the knife to her throat and . . .” Cookie lips quivered as she began to cry.

  “Do you need some time, Ms. Wallace?”

  She wiped her eyes with her hand and shook her head. “No.”

  The judge handed her a box of tissues, and she took one and said, “That’s when she put the knife to her throat and pushed it in.”

  The courtroom let out a loud gasp.

  Mr. Steinberg waited until the courtroom died down to ask, “Let the record reflect that the witness pointed out Jessica Jones, one of the four defendants, who, for the record, is wearing a white shirt and red ribbons in her hair.”

  Mr. Steinberg went on to ask Cookie a series of questions that directly incriminated all the girls. By the time he finished with her, she was painted as an angel who’d never done any wrong.

  By the time the girls’ lawyers cross-examined Cookie, the damage had already been done as Cookie resorted to single answers and denied everything they asked. The lawyers were careful to not press her too much because a sympathetic juror could turn on the defense if they felt she was being harassed. Since all the girls had clean criminal records, it was still a matter of Cookie’s word against theirs, so the lawyers decided to let the girls’ creditability speak for its self.

  One by one, Vonda, Tiny, and Lynn told their side of the story to the jurors and answered all the questions asked by both the defense and the prosecution. The girls had done an excellent job on the stand so far, and Jessica was expected to be called last. Mr. Butler couldn’t help but wonder why the prosecutor let all the girls get off so easily during the questioning. The only things he’d asked them
was if they were drinking, did they do drugs, and where they were coming from prior to the incident, all which they answered.

  Finally, it was Jessica’s turn to testify.

  “Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God?”

  With her right hand in the air, Jessica confidently answered, “I do.”

  After Mr. Butler asked Jessica to run down her version of the story, Mr. Steinberg swaggered over to her and smiled. “Good afternoon, Ms. Jones. How are you?”

  Jessica smiled lightly. “I’m ok.”

  Mr. Steinberg nodded. “Good. Now, Ms. Jones, I have just a couple of question to ask you. Is that ok?”

  She nodded.

  “Prior to the incident on the night of June, 10th, could you tell the court where you were?”

  Jessica edged closer to the microphone. “I was at my prom.”

  Jessica’s lawyer had told her to keep her answers short and to the point only.

  “At this prom, were you drinking any alcohol?” Mr. Steinberg asked.

  “No,” she answered quickly.

  “Were you doing drugs at this prom?”

  “No,” she said, growing uneasy.

  He nodded and slowly walked closer to her. “Were you and your friends, your co-defendants, drinking or doing any drugs when you were at the hotel the same night of the murder, Ms. Jones?”

  The girls’ eyes lit up as their mouths fell wide open. Jessica suddenly felt sick as she stared at her parents and Kenny, who had his head down. She was speechless, but Mr. Steinberg would not let up.

  “Ms. Jones, I ask you again, were you and your co-defendants at a hotel, drinking and doing drugs the night of June 10th,1981 right before Denise Jackson was murdered?”

  Jessica could not move or speak. She looked toward her lawyer, who only stared back her with a dumbfounded look on his face.

  Mr. Steinberg walked over to his table and picked a plastic bag and removed the contents. “Do you recognize this, Ms. Jones?” He held up a book of matches, the same matches that were dumped from Lynn’s pocketbook to the floor when they were being robbed by Cookie and her crew.