𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐎𝐔𝐁𝐓

𝐟𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

      Robyn held Psalm's hand for comfort, their palms pressed together. When Psalm was called to take his seat on the stand, their hands slowly pulled apart, but Robyn kept her thumb raised as a sign of support. Taking a deep breath, Psalm sat down, and the judge started the trial.

"Psalm, a video has come to light showing an incident between you and Aaliyah on the night she passed away. Can you explain why you were physically interacting with her?" the prosecutor asked as he began his questioning.

Psalm spoke, "In the video, it's clear that I hit her once. But if you look closely, you'll see she was also putting her hands on me. I just want to make it clear that I only hit her once."

"But, Psalm" the prosecutor pressed, "why did you feel the need to physically confront Aaliyah? Did she threaten you in any way?"

Psalm kept his voice calm as he answered, "No, she didn't threaten me. I was just trying to defend myself. She was upset and getting in my face, and I reacted without thinking."

The prosecutor raised an eyebrow. "And what were you and Aaliyah arguing about that night?" Psalm looked at Robyn, unsure of what to say, but she gave him a reassuring nod and mouthed, "It's okay." With a deep breath, Psalm started, "It was about our relationship."

"What about your relationship?" the prosecutor asked, but Robyn quickly interrupted, "No further questions about their relationship." The prosecutor shot her an angry glare.

"You said you were with her all night, then suddenly left and came back. Did you leave after committing the crime?" the prosecutor demanded, making Psalm feel uncomfortable. Robyn noticed his unease and spoke up, "Your Honor, I'd like to stop the questioning here." However, the judge responded, "Ms. Domango, we can't stop now. We need answers."

"Your Honor, I understand you want answers, but I believe the prosecutor is unfairly trying to blame my client based on guesses and assumptions" Robyn argued, suddenly defending him. Psalm looked at her, confused. He thought she wanted him to confess. He was ready to take responsibility for his actions, though it was hard for him.

In a quiet voice, Psalm said, "I did commit the crime." The prosecutor pressed him, "Could you say that louder, Mr. Orion? Are you admitting that you killed Aaliyah Parker?"

Psalm nodded, his head still down, and repeated, "Yes, I was the one who killed Aaliyah."

The courtroom was quiet, and Robyn could feel the weight of their shared pain. It was hard to hear Psalm confess, but she knew it was necessary, and he knew that too. The judge nodded seriously, acknowledging Psalm's confession, and the room stayed still. Robyn's eyes were on Psalm. The prosecutor spoke up, "I believe we should hold him accountable and declare him guilty."

Robyn quickly responded, "Not so fast, Your Honor. My client has confessed, but you haven't heard his side of the story yet." The prosecutor waved her off. "What more is there to explain, Robyn? He's already admitted to the crime."

  Robyn stood firm. "While my client has admitted to the crime, that doesn't define who he really is. Psalm has said that both he and Aaliyah were physical with each other that night. He was trying to protect himself. Aaliyah had a gun, and in a desperate attempt to save his life, the tragic result was her death. I'm not saying Psalm shouldn't be held responsible, but it's important to understand that he was acting in self-defense. He could have easily been the one to die."

   Robyn continued, "I ask the court to look deeper into this case and not just label Psalm as a murderer. Aaliyah had harmful intentions towards him, and this was a matter of self-defense. Psalm is not the only one to blame."

The judge thought carefully about what Robyn had said, weighing it against the prosecutor's arguments. "After considering the evidence, I agree with Robyn's point. This incident will be treated as self-defense"the judge announced.

However, she added, "Even though this is considered self-defense, Psalm will still face consequences for taking Aaliyah Parker's life."

  She continued, "I will decide on the proper sentence later, but for now, this trial is over." With a firm bang of her gavel, the judge ended the trial, and Psalm was free for now. As the courtroom started to clear, Psalm turned to Robyn, and she smiled at him.

  He mouthed a sincere "Thank you" to her for her support. As they walked outside, they were surrounded by reporters and paparazzi, their cameras flashing and microphones shoved toward them.

"Psalm, do you have a message for Aaliyah's family?" one reporter shouted. Another asked, "Do you have anything to say at all, Psalm?"

The black SUV pulled up, and Psalm took Robyn's hand, helping her into the car before getting in himself and closing the door, leaving the reporters behind. Inside the car, Psalm slouched in his seat, his hands covering his face, feeling overwhelmed. Robyn gently placed her hand on his knee. The SUV sped off, tires screeching.