The Woman Behind the Eradicator

The Start of the Trial

Since Jordan pushed for a speedy trial, time for the first court date has already come, and the defense is calling Sam as their first witness.

Sam sits behind the DA next to Rhea. She bites at her thumbnail and her leg starts to bounce as people file in. Once everyone is seated, they bring Jordan in. She watches as he shuffles in in an orange jumpsuit, his feet shackled together with a chain running up to his hands in which are also shackled together.

Rhea places a hand on Sam's thigh to help calm her down. She stops bouncing it, but her nerves are still there as Jordan makes eye contact with her and pretends to slice his throat when he sees Rhea.

"This was a bad idea I can't do this we have to go." Sam whispers.

"Do not let him intimidate you. Nothing will happen to you I promise."

"It's not me I'm worried about." Sam replies.

Rhea looks at her then back at Jordan, who now makes a gun figure with his hand and pretends to shoot her.

Bang. He mouthes.

She shakes her head and turns back to Sam.

"Don't worry about me either. He can't do anything. Not with the guard there." She says.

Sam nods.

"All rise for the honorable Judge Davis." The court officer says.

Everyone stands as the judge enters the room, and sits when he does.

They wait and listen to the opening arguments before the judge asks the defense who their first witness is.

"The defense calls Samantha to the stand."

Sam takes a deep breath as Rhea kisses her cheek before she stands and walks to the stand. They make her put one hand on the bible, the other in the air and ask her if she swears to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

"I do." She says before sitting in the seat.

When Jordan starts to stand, it's only then she realizes he doesn't have an attorney. He's representing himself!  He'll be asking her all the questions. Her heart pounds and she starts to feel lightheaded.

"Samantha. Good to see you."

"Stick to the questions." The judge warns.

"Samantha. Do you remember the night we married?"

Sam thinks back and nods, "Yes."

"Do you remember how you told me you would never lie to me, never betray me never hurt me?" He asks.

"Those were my vows. Yes." She says, unsure of where he's going with this.

"Do you remember slapping me in front of my friends?"  He asks.

Sam frowns. "After you pushed me into-"

"Just answer the question." He says.

"Objection!" The DA says.

"Overruled. Answer the question." The judge says.

"Yes." She replies. "But you-"

"And three weeks after that, do you remember shoving me into the road where I had to jump out of the way of a car?" He asks. 

Sam knows where this is going. He's trying to paint her as the instigator.

"After you-" she starts.

"That wasn't the question Sam." He says in that tone she knows well.

The tone that means answer or you're dead.

"Yes." She chokes out, tears running down her face.

"So you have a history of violent behavior towards the man you swore to never hurt. Never betray. Never lie to. Is it true that on the night in question, I only came to beg you to come back to me, but you didn't want to hear it so you attacked me, I defended myself and then you had your buddies attack me?" He asks.

"No! That's not how it went!" She shouts.

"No further questions." He says before shuffling back to his seat at the defense table.

There's a slight smirk on his face as Sam cries on the stand. Looking at the DA for help, who is now approaching her with tissues. She thankfully takes one.

"Samantha. What actually happened the night you married?"

"That night was when it all started. He had his friends over afterwards and they were laughing and mocking the dress I wore. Saying it made me look fat. When I told them to cut it out, Jordan shoved me into the china cabinet and told me not to disrespect him in front of his friends. So I slapped him."

"What happened after that?"

"His friends left and he.." she sniffles before continuing, "he dragged me to our room by my hair, took his belt off and started beating me with it. He used the end with the buckle and I had cracked ribs."

"Prosecutors Exhibit A, your honor. XRays, photos and reports from that night when Samantha was admitted to the hospital. It's documented that Samantha was severely beaten, had two cracked ribs and bruises all over her body that resembled that of a belt buckle."

He puts photos on the TV screen of Sam's cracked ribs and bruises from that night. She cries silently as she watches Rhea's face turn from soft pity to hard anger. Her fists ball as she looks back at Sam.

Sam knows if this continues all hell will break loose in the courtroom. She has to calm her down.