Chapter 216: Conclusion #216
The courtroom
"Ladies and gentlemen Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I am now going to read to you the law that you must follow in deciding this case..." The judge said after watching the last witness leave the stand.
"For the prosecution to prove the crimes against the defendant, they must prove three things to you beyond any reasonable doubt," The judge added as he turned to the jury, who were listening with rapt attention.
"First, that the alleged organization, referred to as task force X or the Suicide Squad, exists," The judge said, raising one finger, to which the jury members nodded in agreement.
"Second, that the defendant, Amanda Waller, was indeed the director and main influence behind the said said organization's criminal activities," The Judge continued, raising another finger as he turned toward Waller.
"Third, that the defendant's actions were of her own free will and not influenced and forced by a third party," The judge remarked, raising the third finger as he turned back to the jury.
"If each of you believes that the prosecution proved all three of these things beyond a reasonable doubt, then you should find the defendant guilty," The judge said, his tone firm and grave as he gave the jury members a warning look.
"If not, then you must find the defendant not guilty," The judge calmly concluded, emphasizing some parts of his speech as he paused for a second and waited till the jury members conveyed their agreement.
"Are the prosecution and defense ready with their closing arguments?" The judge asked as he turned to the DA and the defendant's tables, to which both replied with a brief confirmation.
"Your Honor, Ladies and gentlemen of the jury..." The deputy DA said as he stood before the judge and prepared to give his closing speech. "To convict Amanda Waller, we had to prove three things," He went on, gesturing towards the task force director as he turned to the jury.
"The existence of task force X and Amanda Waller's involvement in it as its director," The deputy DA said. His tone was firm as he paced around with confidence in his stride.
"We have provided ample evidence supported by testimonies from victims and former agents..." The deputy DA said, halting his steps as he turned to Waller. "...That proves the existence of the task force and Amanda Waller's involvement as its director beyond any reasonable doubt," He continued, grandly gesturing toward the stack of files and physical evidence at the DA's table.
"Anything beyond those two points is entirely irrelevant. The defendant's lawyer argued such actions might be the result of the immense pressure brought by her position or the orders of her superiors," The deputy DA calmly said, shaking his head as he turned back the jury.
"Which is an admission of guilt, if you ask me, but that is not the case either way," The deputy DA said, chuckling as he paused at the end of his sentence and took a deep breath to calm himself.
"We have provided ample evidence to prove that the defendant, Amanda Waller, was the sole authority over the task force," The deputy DA added, clearing his throat as he stopped chuckling.
"And that the defendant's superiors have given her full autonomy," The deputy DA continued, shaking his head. "In conclusion, I only have one request from you, honored ladies and gentlemen of the jury..." he went on, turning to the jury members.
"Ask yourself this, does the flimsy excuses and rhetoric the defandant's attorny gave you justify all the atrocities this woman has committed? All the destruction? All the deaths?" The deputy DA shrugged his shoulders carelessly as he pointed at the task force director.
"According to the judge's instructions and the evidence presented to you, you must find the defendant guilty," The deputy DA concluded, emphasizing the last part of his sentence, giving the jury one last hard look before walking back to his seat.
"Your honor, ladies and gentlemen of the jury..." Waller's lawyer said, clearing his throat as he stood up and walked in front of the judge, preparing to give his closing speech.
"Amanda Waller is an unfortunate woman. Before her rise to her current station, she was a regular civilian, a mother of six, living in one of the worst neighborhoods imaginable," The lawyer said, putting on a calm expression as he spoke in a soft tone.
"My client and her family lived in constant financial struggles and had to rely on support programs, but they were happy until..." The lawyer said, letting out a tired sigh as he trailed at the end of his sentence.
"Her son, Joe Jr, a brilliant young man set to go college on a scholarship, was killed in a mugging gone wrong," The lawyer explained, pausing for a second to allow everyone time to process his words.
"Not only that but her daughter, equally young and promising, was raped and murdered in some dark alley," The lawyer said, his tone growing more and more sympathetic as he spoke.
"My client and her husband, the late Joseph Waller, knew the man responsible for their daughter's murder," The lawyer said, his eyes narrowing as he turned to Deborah, who was spectating the trial.
"Naturally, they went to the police with their findings, but they were ignored," The lawyer said with a sigh as he turned away from the police captain and back to the jury.
"My client's husband, the late Joseph Waller, couldn't accept it and confronted the killer, which caused their mutual demise," The lawyer said, shaking his head. "Only then did the police force gather the evidence to convict the man responsible," He continued, trailing off again to let everyone process his words.
"It was such tragedies and losses that gave my client the drive to protect her remaining family members..." The lawyer said, his tone growing louder, firmer, and more impactful.
"Not only did my client work herself to the bone to send the rest of her children to college as a single mother..." The lawyer added as he turned to the task force director, giving her a look of admiration.
"But she went to college as well to receive an education and rise to her current station," The lawyer explained, balling a fist and raising it in front of his fist.
"Ultimately, everything my client did was for the sake of her children and others like them, to create a better future for them," The Lawyer said, shaking his head in resignation.
"I beg this of you before you pass your judgment, honorable members of the jury," The lawyer said as he turned to the jury with a beseeching expression.
"Please ask yourselves what would you do if you were in her place?" The lawyer concluded, nodding to the jury members one more time before returning to his seat.
...
"She's done for..." I said as I relaxed my body and lay on the ground, deactivating my personal computer power. I couldn't help but smile as I looked up and felt the breeze hit my face, which I didn't notice earlier due to how tense I was.
Waller's lawyer was undoubtedly good, despite a couple of mistakes here and there. The closing argument he gave was the best thing he could have done, considering the circumstances.
He knew the jury members could easily relate to his client's struggles since they lived in Gotham.
They knew what it was like to lose family members and friends to street crime and to deal with an incompetent police force, but what he didn't know was that a majority of the jury lost loved ones to Brimstone.
It was the final card I had in my sleeve in case the unexpected happened; a prejudiced jury. No matter how much the jury members related to the task force director's tragedy, it wouldn't matter because she played a part in theirs.
And even if they decided to overlook their personal grudges, the evidence was compelling enough. They can't simply disregard hard proof and vote in Waller's favor even if they wanted.
Ultimately, Waller's attorney, despite his competence, was fighting a losing battle from the beginning, and there was absolutely nothing he or anyone else could do about it.
I spent countless hours working to ensure that was the case after all.
"It's finally over..." I muttered, letting out a tired sigh accompanied by a smile as I raised my hand toward the sky. "Now I can finally focus on my goals and building a replacement arm for Richard..." I concluded, relaxing and allowing my arm to flop into the ground.
Soon my eyes closed. And perhaps for the first time since I came to this world, I slept without any cares or concerns.
...
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