Through Pain We Survive

Chapter 92

***TRIGGER WARNING- Violence and drugging mentions***

"Baby, are you ready?" Gwen came downstairs in a dress and flats. She checked her reflection in the bathroom mirror.

Turning off the bathroom light, she turned to see AJ in a shirt and tie and long pants on. He crutched over to her and she helped him straighten his tie.

"Well, hello handsome." Setting her hands on his chest, she leaned in and kissed him.

"You look beautiful." AJ smiled to her. "I'm ready when you are."

Gwen sighed. "Let's get this over with."

At the courthouse, they met with Dove Turner, Nate, Becca, Sara, Mira Lynne, and Cat in a side room.

"Good morning you two. How are you feeling AJ?" Dove asked.

"I'm doing better every day, thanks." AJ smiled.

"How are you doing, Gwen?" Dove looked to Gwen.

"I'm nervous, actually. But doing alright."

"Glad to hear." Dove went over what to expect in the courtroom and the evidence they would be presenting.

"Everyone on the same page?" Dove looked around and they all nodded. "Alright. Let's head out there and keep this scum behind bars where he belongs."

They all walked into the courtroom, Dove leading. She had an air of confidence all around her. She was quite a force to be reckoned with.

Becca, Nate, Gwen, Cat, and Mira Lynne broke from the group and sat in the first row.

The others sat down at the table. AJ sat beside Dove, with Sara beside him. Dove pulled out the paperwork and took a deep breath.

Damien came in from a side door. His lawyer, Azazel Hoffman, lead him to their table. Damien sat down, looked over to Cat, then looked down at his shackled hands and legs.

"All rise." The courtroom attendees rose. "Court is now in session. Honorable Judge Johnston now presiding," the bailiff called out.

The judge walked in from her chambers. "Please be seated."

Gwen looked at Judge Johnston as she sat. She could tell that she was a no nonsense type, that she would get the job done as needed. Gwen sighed. She looked over to Cat. Cat smiled at Gwen, then both ladies looked to the judge.

"First up on the docket is case number 060711, Andrew Pinkerton, Gwendolyn Pinkerton, Nathan Morse, Sara Applegate, and Caterina Lopez against Damien Grant. Mr. Grant, how do you plead?"

"Not guilty, your honor," Azazel spoke for Damien.

Cat and Gwen exchanged looks.

"So noted." Judge Johnston shuffled some papers around. "Ms. Turner, you may proceed with your opening statements."

"Good morning ladies and gentleman. I am Dove Turner, and it is my pleasure to represent these fine individuals in the state of California on this case. There are many dates associated with this gentleman, however the most heinous being a month ago on April 27th, 2023 when he attempted to shoot and kill Ms. Applegate and Mr. Pinkerton. At the conclusion of this case, and after you have heard all the evidence, we are confident you will return the verdict of guilty." Dove looked around to the jury.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this case is about an abusive, obsessed man who attempted to kill for what he felt was his, when the people he attempted to claim never were his possessions," Dove continued, summarizing the crimes against Damien.

"She's good," Gwen murmured to Cat. "I'm glad we chose her." Cat nodded.

"Members of the jury, we will call up many different witnesses, starting with Officer Jane Mobus, who has been on this case since Mrs. Pinkerton was first drugged. Officer Mobus will account to you each and every time she was contacted by Mr. Pinkerton, Mrs. Pinkerton, or Ms. Lopez. We will call Dr. Katelyn Mahdi, who treated Mrs. Pinkerton, Ms. Lopez, Mr. Morse, and Mr. Pinkerton at different times after Mr. Grant attempted to injure them. We also will call Mr. Andrew Pinkerton, Ms. Caterina Lopez, Mr. Nathan Morse, and Mrs. Gwendolyn Pinkerton to the stand to give their accounts of the charges." She gestures towards the group.

Dove looked to the jury again. "Jury members, the defense may claim Mr. Grant acted in self defense. Or that he was provoked, or not in his right mind. Remember he is only trying to get sympathy from you. He is on recording admitting to shooting the victims. He deliberately attacked multiple of my clients. He is at fault for all of this. We are here because of his actions and abuse."

Dove took a breath and looked to the group. "After you have heard all the evidence, we would ask that you find the defendant," she motioned to Damien, then turned to the jury, "guilty as charged on all counts. Thank you."

Dove sat down with AJ and Sara.

Azazel stood up and took a deep breath. She faced the jury and began. "Good morning ladies and gentleman of the jury. I am Azazel Hoffman, and I have the delectation of representing Damien Grant in this very important case. The defendant has multiple charges brought against him, the worst being two counts of attempted murder. At the conclusion of this case, we will ask you to find the defendant not guilty."

Azazel looked to the audience, then back to the jury. "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, this case is about supposed stalking, drugging, and attempted murder. However, when my client was arrested, he was not even holding the gun that supposedly shot the two victims. He was coerced into a confession by his ex-fiancée, who was holding a gun- the same gun that was proven to have been fired into the two victims- towards him."

Cat paled and whimpered. Gwen looked to Cat. "You okay?"

Cat shook her head slightly.

"Remember, Dove told us they would try to use the fact you got the gun away from him against us, and they would try to put doubt in the jury's mind that he is the one who shot them. Dove knows what she's doing, we have to trust her."

Cat nodded, but still felt sick.

"The prosecution hopes the witnesses will say how horrible my client is, and how he was abusive to two of the plaintiffs. How he supposedly drugged Mrs. Pinkerton. You will hear how he supposedly hit Mr. Morse with a vehicle. Those charges are all speculation. There was no proof my client actually was the one responsible for any of that."

Azazel looked to the room, then back to the jury. "The defense will call up the defendant himself to rebut all that he is accused of, and Ms. Applegate who is not as innocent in all this as the prosecution would have you think."

Azazel took a deep breath. "At the conclusion of this case, we would ask you to find my client is innocent. The prosecution has not met it's burden of proof, and we would ask for a verdict of not guilty. Thank you." Azazel sat back down next to Damien, not looking his way.

Gwen looked over to Cat and knew she was worried. Gwen was too, for that matter. I need to have faith in Dove, but with how Azazel is spinning this, can we really win?

Cat looked over to Gwen. She could tell Gwen was starting to doubt. She gently took a hold of Gwen's hand. Cat's hand was clammy and shaking, seeing as her actions were mostly what Azazel was using against them. "We have to win this..." Cat whispers. "We will win this..."