Beyond A Reasonable Doubt (2012 Watty Winner)

Witnesses

His first witness was the 911 operator who answered Spencer's phone call. Scott led her through a series of questions designed to recreate the phone call between her and Spencer by asking questions like, 'What was the defendants tone when she was describing her husband laying on the floor with blood seeping out of him.' She answered that Spencer seemed eerily calm and wasn't panicking, giving her details to the position of the body and the type of gun used and such. Then he submitted into evidence People's 'exhibit A' the tape of the phone call between Spencer and the operator. I'd listened to it a few times prior to the trial of course, but it still didn't change the fact that to others she seemed cold but I could hear the helplessness in Spencer's voice. No matter what others thought, I could hear the pain. The questioning went smoothly without any objections from me. When it was my turn to address her she visibly tensed. Was I that intimidating?

"Goodmorning Ms. Reevis, how are you today?" I ask her with a smile, trying to take away some of my intimidation factor I guess.

"I'm doing good." She nods and smiles right back. She was a pretty woman, in her early twenties. Probably doing this job as a way to pay for college. But she wasn't an essential part of the case so I didn't break out the Davies charm, not yet anyways.

"You testified that you received the defendants 911 call at exactly 4:49pm, correct?" I ask.

"Yes." She nods.

"And about how long into the call did you dispatch an ambulance and police officers to the Dennison residence?"

"Well, when we receive a call an ambulance is automatically dispatched to the residence once the person asks for one, so within a few seconds." She says.

"And what about the police?"

"Maybe a minute into the call." She says and I nod.

"So if my client placed the called at let's say 4:49pm, then the police wouldn't have received notice of the incident until 4:50pm, correct?"

"Right." She nods, a bit confused at my questioning.

"No further questions Your Honor. I say and take my seat.

"Counselor," Judge says addressing Scott.

"The state has no further questions for this witness your honor."

"You may step down, young lady." The judge tells her and she does.

Next Scott called the blood splatter expert to the stand. He explained what the different patterns and such meant. How the positioning of the body and other clues helped determine the succession of the gunshots. With this testimony, Scott entered into evidence the crime scene photos of Aiden's lifeless body laying in the foyer as well as all the blood on the walls. When it was my turn to question him I only had one question, "Did the positioning of the body and blood splatter tell you who committed the crime?"
"No." He shook his head and laughed along with some of the court room patrons.

"No further questions." I say and take my seat. I glance over at Spencer who shot me a smile.

After the blood splatter experts testimony Scott called in succession two neighbors who testified that they heard the gunshots but saw nothing, after that we recessed for lunch.

"You think he will call that cop to the stand today?" Jackson asks me as he takes a bite of his sandwich.

"Not sure." I shrug. I bite my sandwich and say, "I hope so." With a mouth full.

–

After lunch everyone waited in the courtroom for Judge Matthenson to return.

"You're doing amazing." Spencer leans over and whispers to me. "And you look good doing it." She adds and my head snaps in her direction. What the-