Atticus Finch On Trial (To Kill A Mockingbird Fanfic)

Trial Part Two

Judge Cruncher- That is a valid point Mr...,Mr... ,Sorry, how rude of me, I cannot seem to recollect your last name young man.

Finny- Oh don't bother with that Judge, I don't normally go by it, it sounds too goofy, just call me Finny.

Judge Cruncher- Alright, Finny, but as I was saying while your point is valid, we have no real proof of her being an unreliable witness, so until otherwise noted, she is reliable.

Madam Defarge-[GLARES AT FINNY] Dear citizen Dubose, by testifying you would be doing your country an honor, and on top of that, it will take much longer to go to jail than it will to testify.

Mrs.Dubose-[GRUNTS BUT SITS BACK DOWN]

Madam Defarge- Alright now tell us what you witnessed on the night of the 24th.

Mrs.Dubose- Well if I must! The 24th let me see. Oh, yes I had just walked outside the Carton Fabric shop. And let me tell you its no easy job for an aged woman such as I to walk down all those flights of stairs to leave the shop! [GLARES AT CARTON] I'v never heard of a fabric store that's on the third story of a building! Was no consideration put toward the sick and elderly customers upon deciding the location of the shop?! Well don't expect me to be coming back there again! While I am sick and elderly, I still make perfectly good business!

Jerry Cruncher- Mrs.Dubose would you please only state relevant information to the case?

Mrs.Dubose- [GLARES AT JERRY] I witnessed the crime as I was walking past the alley between the store. It happened fairly quickly. I heard someone scream "Atticus Help!" then I heard "Hey!" and saw three figures right next to the window of the store, one smaller than the other two. He looked like a child, very scrawny. But being my age and in my condition, I couldn't make them out very well. Then in the blink of an eye I saw one of the taller men push the other towards the window. Before I knew it, a dead man was lying on the ground surrounded by shattered glass and I saw Atticus staring down at him from inside the empty window pane. He had a real Guilty look on his face as well -- considering he just killed a man.

Madame Defarge- Then what did you do Mrs.Dubose?

Mrs.Dubose- What do you think I did Madam "I'm the wrath of Justice"!? I did what any good citizen would do, even one past their prime! I hobbled down the street screaming Atticus Finch just killed a man. Then of course proceeded to call the police as quickly as I could.

Madam Defarge- As a witness of the crime, do you believe that the murder was intended?

Mrs.Dubose- Intended, ha! Madam Defarge I don't see how someone could "accidentally" push another person out of a three story window. So yes, I do believe that the murder was intended.

Madam Defarge- Thank you Mrs. Dubose, that is all for now judge.

Finny- Your honor, may I now question the witness

Judge Cruncher- Yes you may Finny.

[FINNY GETS OUT OF HIS SEAT AND WALKS TOWARD MRS.DUBOSE]

Finny- Mrs.Dubose, In your testimony you stated that you saw Atticus was staring down at the body from the window, suggesting you already knew Atticus. What was your relationship to to him before the incident?

Mrs.Dubose- I don't see what relevance this has to the case, but I had a previous relation to him because were once neighbors. That was before I moved into my current residence in Heavenly Apartments, a lovely place. And thank the heavens I no longer have to deal with such dreadful neighbors!

Finny- One more question Mrs.Dubose and that will be all. You stated that the accused had a guilty look on his face? Could that possibly be instead a look of concern or worry?

Mrs.Dubose- I suppose, it could have been, the window was atop a three story building after all and I was in the alley. Given the circumstances including my own eyesight, I could've easily mistaken his facial expression.

Finny- Your honor may I now call to the stand my first witness Jem Finch, son of Atticus, who witnessed the whole event.

Judge Cruncher- Yes, Jem Finch is called to the stand.

[MRS.DUBOSE STEPS OFF THE WITNESS STAND AND JEM TAKES HER PLACE ]

Finny- Jem, could you describe to us exactly what happened on the 24th?

Jem- [ LOOKS SHAKEN AND SCARED BUT TRIES TO ACT BRAVE WHEN HE TALKS] Yes sir, well er its kind of a long story. So me, Atticus, my little sister Scout and our cook Calpurnia were new in town, we had experienced a traumatic event recently then in our home town and decided a little time away would be healthy. One day while my sister and Calpurnia stayed at home while me and Atticus went on a walk.

We happened to pass by the Carton fabric store and thought it would be a real nice thing to buy some new fabric for my Aunt Alexandra. We were in the general store room looking for fabrics when Mr.Carton here told my father that the shop had a few old books for sale in back. My father, interested in his offer, followed him to the other room to have a look at them. But, before doing so, he assigned me to the job of searching for fabrics.

Though I, not feeling the desire to do so, found a place to sit between a few fabric boards near the window to read a book. After a few moments a man appeared from a hiding place behind some fabric swatches. In a rush he ran over to the cash register and pried it open with some kind of tool. He carried a bag with him which he used to shove the cash in. Before I could decide what action I should take he saw me. I tried to scream for help but before I could he had his hand over my mouth and a scarf around my neck. But, being on my high school football team, I managed to pull my mouth away to scream for Atticus.

Within a moment he was in the room. Atticus pushed the man off me. The man stumbled back but got up again. Because this man was younger then Atticus, he managed to punch him in the stomach. Atticus stumbled back then as the man came at him again. Atticus reacted faster and shoved the man hard. It was self defense of course, though it just happened to take place right next to the window. The man fell back into the window, break it and plummet to his death. Atticus did not intend for this to happen. He was actually the one to call the police first about what had just taken place.

Finny- Thank you Jem, that will be all. This murder was no cold blooded killing at all but merely a case of self defense as witnessed by the only person who saw the whole crime in its entirety.I rest now your honor.