Waiting frantically Hadiya looked straight at the door where the man that killed her sister would be coming out of. They were in court and it was his hearing she just wanted to see him and look him in the eyes, she wanted to show him the pain he caused.Looking at her parents only made her more worried her father had been mumbling some gruesome things that he was going to do once he came in the courtroom and Chelly was trying to get him to stop but he wasn't having it.
Most of the pain that he was feeling was replaced with anger. Anger because he couldn't believe he allowed some man to beat his daughter to death. Serenity was very beautiful and smart she had a great life ahead of her and he ruined it for her. Her parents didn't even get a chance to have grandchildren Hadiya was too young and that wasn't any where near her agenda. As Stevenson thought more and more he couldn't help but sigh frustratingly.
Hadiya almost sunk in her seat when the door suddenly opened revealing a man that looked like he was at least in his mid-thirties. He was pretty big his face was well structured and from the looks of it he didn't have any tattoos. His hair was faded and she couldn't help but notice the bruise that laid along his left eye. A shiver went down her spine when he looked their way with no expression in his face.
A lone tear slipped from her eye followed by more when he sat down. She was looking at the man that killed her sister, the man that caused disruption in her household from the sudden lose yet, here he was with no look of regret in his face. At this very moment Hadiya wanted to get up and walk out of this courtroom she wanted something from him some sort of emotion. Hadiya wanted him to feel bad, she wanted him to get on his knees and beg for forgiveness but here he was with his hands on his lap moving side to side in the chair as if this was some type of game, as if this day was a waste of his time.
After the judge entered the courtroom everything went on from their. Hadiya listened intensely as the mans attorney argued, trying to prove his innocence.
"My defendant, Mr. Cartwright has put multiple restraining orders against the deceased that all got overlooked" he picked up papers from his desk showing the jury before passing it over to the judge. "There was one incident where Ms. Jones, the deceased, followed my defendant all the way to his mothers house and attacked him I have witnesses that can tell you the same thing. May I add that there's no sustained evidence to prove that my defendant had something to do with Ms. Jones passing if anything he was the victim" what he was saying was all the truth sunny had put multiple restraining orders against Serenity to get away from the relationship but the police never took it serious because he's a man. One incident they got into Sonny had just got through beating her and left but she followed him because she was tired of him beating on her so she retaliated that was her first time fighting back.
"I want to give you all a background on Ms. Jones she was a young woman who had just graduated from college to pursue her dreams of becoming a nurse and that's exactly what she did" Serenity's attorney said as he got up and looked towards the now family of three before walking over to the jury. "She attended church almost every Sunday and helped the homeless any chance she got, she was the lady that was known for paying for all the cookies and lemonade at the stands" stopping in front of the jury the well dressed man looked at Sonny who looked back at him intently like he wanted to say something.
"Until one day she met Mr. Cartwright a well known respected man through his neighborhood who is known for beating on women"
"Objection" Sonny's attorney shouted while standing up the judge looked at him honestly tired of this whole thing. She had her mind set when she was approached with this case, she knew Mr. Cartwright was guilty but it wasn't up to her to decide it was the jury.
"Get to your point, Mr. Wright" he grabbed his tie and picked up a load of papers off his desk.
"It says here Mr. Cartwright was accused on several occasions for beating on women in there twenties. Not only does he have a specific age that he goes for but he has never been thrown in jail because there was not enough evidence to prove otherwise. Your honor I have a witness that I would like to bring to the stand" she approved before Dr. Ramsey showed up and took an oath before sitting next to the judge causing Hadiya to feel a little better. She was starting to feel a little hope that this man was going to be put away for the rest of his life.
"Dr. Ramsey would you care to explain some of the injuries that Ms. Jones suffered from" Mr. Wright said doing something with the remote in his hand, showing the courtroom of a bruised Serenity. Covering her mouth Hadiya's eyes grew watery her back was completely covered in bruises like someone had stomped all over her.
"In this picture Serenity suffered a bruised back I don't know what exactly caused it but if I had to guess I would say it was from continuously being hit with an object" Dr. Ramsey said glancing at them.
"Do you think a person could've possibly done this with their bare hands" Mr. Wright asked.
"Objection, your honor"
"Overruled"
"Dr. Ramsey, do you think a person could've possibly done this with their bare hands" he asked again as Hadiya's hands began to shake. Her nerves were starting to get bad and that wasn't good she had been able to not have seizures in a month.
"Yes, if the person used enough force but from the patterns and how the bruises are shaped it seemed as if she was beat with a cord or something heavier like a cooking pan" he started showing more and more pictures causing a few people in the courtroom to whisper amongst each other. After they argued more and more they had did their closing arguments and now we were waiting for the jury to decide.
"I been real patient" Stevenson said aloud more to himself making a few of the officers grip their tasers preparing for an outburst. They were all too familiar with these types of cases and knew how people acted out when they were angry. The jury came back and the room was tense everyone could feel that energy.
"How do you find the defendant?"
"We find the defendant, Guilty" Hadiya's eyes got clouded with tears as she let out a cry that she wanted to let out since they found out. The judge gave him twenty five years and a year probation it wasn't what they wanted for him but if that's what they had to settle for than so be it. Sonny walked passed them and shot Stevenson a small smile. It happened so fast Stevenson plunged over to him and tackled him to the floor. The courtroom ended up in an uproar as officers tried to get her father off of Sunny.
Hadiya watched the altercation before feeling that familiar feeling she got whenever a seizure was approaching. She wasn't able to control her breathing as the officers tased her father. Chelly looked at her daughter who suddenly collapsed to the floor, rushing over to her she quickly put her on her side and cried when she started to seize.
