Author:
McRose - the writing team of highplainswoman and janlaw
|
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: 08:55:29 04/27/07 Fri
In reply to:
McRose
's message, "Doppelgänger" on 19:52:35 04/06/07 Fri
Doppelgänger Chapter Ten
Same day
0950
Corridor outside the main courtroom
“Damn,” Harm muttered as he and Mac turned into the corridor leading to the lobby where the “courthouse” half of the building took over. “The Fourth Estate, so called, aren’t all inside. They’ll be all over us if they spot us…”
No sooner said than done. Despite the clear prohibition against photos inside the building, flashbulbs were popping, as the media pounced on the couple, well known to be husband and wife.
“Colonel! Captain! The word is that Petty Officer Morrison is going to plead guilty! Has there been a deal? Has the Indianapolis D.A. consented?? Is he here? Has the family agreed?? Captain, are you related to the D.A., James Conlon?? Did anyone tell you that you look like identical twins??” Even if Harm or Mac had been inclined to answer a single question, there was no way they could have gotten a word in between the media clamor!
“Quiet!!” Mac’s bellow was worthy of any Marine – from D.I. to General. Harm was immediately reminded of a scene many years ago on a submarine – a Marine Major in skivvies reaming out a couple of Sailors.
Until they entered the “Courthouse” spaces, Mac controlled the building’s common areas as JLSO CO. “You all attended the background brief last Friday and were clearly advised, no photographs inside. There’ll be no statements or questions answered until court recesses for the day. Then, and not until, a statement will be made and questions will be answered – outside. Now, it’s nearly 10, so I suggest you enter the courtroom if you wish to observe the proceedings – quietly please.”
The reporters might have complied, even as they spotted Vic and Annabeth entering the corridor, except for the next to arrive.
In their late-90’s, but still tall and regal in bearing, Ekaterina and Vasily Olevenowski had escaped Russia as children when the Revolution threw the country into chaos. Their families made their way to France, where they settled. Ice dancing stars in the 1930’s and 1940’s, Tatiania had been their only child and Rina their only grandchild. Attending every day of Juice O’Malley’s trial, they had gotten to know Annabeth and Mo.
Spotting Annabeth, Madame Olevenowski was delighted to see her.
“Madame Chase!” Both Ekaterina and Vasily spoke quite fluent English, but preferred French, the language of their adopted country. They hadn’t spoken a word of Russian in nearly 90 years. They’d returned to their Paris apartment in the 6th arrondissement after Juice’s conviction, but decided that coming to San Diego would give them final closure. They would then return to France for whatever time they had left on earth.
“Êtes-vous ici avec Mademoiselle Scofield? Pourriez-vous nous dire ce qui va se passer? Nous n’avons jamais compris pourquoi ce militaire a menti.” (“Are you here with Ms. Scofield? Can you tell us what is going to happen? We have never understood why this military man lied.”)
Annabeth welcomed the couple warmly, drawing them to the side and quickly introducing Harm and Mac, motioning Vic to go on ahead. Mindful of the gawking members of the “Fourth Estate,” he strode forward, but paused as he heard Annabeth address the elderly couple in fluent French.
"Je aurais aimé savoir que vous aviez décidé de venir à San Diego pour le procès, Madame, Monsieur. S'il vous plait, asseyez-vous avec le Colonel, le Capitaine et moi. Nous vous présenterons au Procureur militaire et vous expliquerons ce qui se passe la première fois que le juge laisse tout le monde faire une pause." (“I wish I had known you had decided to come to San Diego for the trial, Madame, M’sieur. Please sit with me and the Colonel and the Captain. We will introduce you to the military prosecutor and explain what is happening the first time the judge lets everyone have a break.”)
"Merci. On ne pouvait pas rester à l’écart. Nous devons être ici pour Tati et Rina. Nous savons que cet homme ne les a pas tuées, mais dans nos cœurs, il a aidé celui ce qui l’a fait." ("We could not stay away. We need to be here for Tati and Rina. We know this man did not kill them, but in our hearts he helped the other one who did.”) Vasily had been determined to come to San Diego, even as Ekaterina had hesitated to make another long trip.
Harm spoke passable French; Mac had picked up some in her travels. “Madame et Monsieur Olevenowski, nous sommes désolés pour votre perte.” (“We are so sorry for your loss.”) Harm met their sorrowful gaze firmly, his sympathy and sorrow visible in his expressive eyes and on his face.
“Lieutenant – do you wish to be held in contempt by Judge Reynolds? It’s 0959!” Mac hurriedly motioned everyone into the courtroom.
****************
A short time later
Courtroom
“How do you plead?” CAPT Glenn Reynolds had completed nearly 30 years active duty; on his "twilight tour" as Circuit Military Judge, he ran his courtroom with a firm voice and judicious use of his gavel. He was determined that none of the young counsel would be allowed to “play” to the media packing the courtroom.
“To Charges II, III, and IV, and their specifications, guilty, Your Honor. To Charges I and V, and their specifications, not guilty.” Both the defense and trial counsel were satisfied with what each was getting out of the deal. LT Jeffries’ goal had shifted from the “Findings” to the “Sentencing” phase of the trial – his “job” now was to “beat the pretrial agreement” that is, have Petty Officer Morrison end up with less brig time than the sentence limits negotiated with the Convening Authority and trial counsel. A “bad conduct” rather than a “dishonorable” discharge was his secondary objective.
************
Several hours later.
Courtroom
“OBJECTION, Your Honor!” Defense counsel was on his feet in a flash, almost bellowing his indignant objection.
“Counsel opened the door, Your Honor.” LT Becca Fielding’s response was made calmly, belying her intense awareness of the presence of her CO, XO, the Colonel’s famous husband, and of course, the rows of media. On her feet facing the judge, what she didn’t know was that “Snowflake A’s” white blond hair and pretty features, next to Vic’s dark good looks, had caught the eye of the media’s sketch artists, who were quickly working in both color and black and white. Back in Kansas, proud parents, aunts, uncles and cousins were already set to tape every newscast that evening – the next day’s papers would give them something to frame!
The sentencing phase of the trial had proceeded as expected. Vic had introduced transcripts of Morrison’s direct and cross-examination at Juice’s trial in Indiana into evidence. No one in his chain of command had anything bad to say about him – he had been a good Sailor, personable and well-liked by his shipmates, considered a team player who had the makings of a future enlisted leader. They were dumbfounded by what he had done in Indiana. Questioning of his friends by the ship’s NCIS agent as to what he might have done as a teenager to lead him to use his deceased cousin’s identity when he enlisted proved fruitless.
Harm had swallowed his pride and re-contacted Conlon, who had Ed and Ray scour both City and State criminal records and interview his and the cousin’s family and friends. Neither the cousin nor Morrison had a juvenile record and the family and friends were marginally cooperative, claiming they didn’t have a clue. Discussing it with Vic and Becca, Harm speculated. “The typical reason to use someone else’s identity is that you have something to hide. In the case of an 18 year old wanting to enlist, you’re afraid something you did will come to light when the recruiter makes the required checks: HS diploma, drugs, shoplifting, assault, DUI, something…..” Becca and Vic were stymied. “Conlon’s investigators are sure there isn’t a sealed juvie record, he graduated from HS with okay grades, it seems like he was eligible to enlist with his own identity.”
Morrison’s explanation, part of his tearful unsworn statement, was a shock – but at least it wasn’t anything they had overlooked: the two cousins had grown up together, and had decided in their sophomore year of high school to enlist together. The trouble was, Tim wanted to be a Sailor, and Donny wanted to be a Marine. The night Tim was killed in an auto accident, they’d flipped for it. Tim won, and they agreed to enlist in the Navy first and after that enlistment was up, get an inter-service transfer or get out and enlist in the Corps as “Osvets” – other-Service veterans. With Tim’s death, Donny somehow decided to “honor” his cousin by using his name and ID!
‘Unbelievable!!’ Becca scribbled to Vic as the story came out. ‘If he’d ‘fessed up at some point, he might have gotten a waiver and been allowed to stay in!’
***********
During the break, Vic and Becca had a hurried conversation with Annabeth, and with her help, they’d tactfully asked the grieving parents/grandparents to testify if the judge could be persuaded to allow it. Having already testified at Juice’s trial, they readily agreed, and offered a treasured memento for trial counsels’ use. Vic and Becca had decided to gamble that Morrison would say something in his unsworn statement about how sorry he was for contributing to the Olevenowski’s grief – anything along those lines, they felt, would give them the opening they needed.
“The defense most strongly objects, Your Honor,” counsel repeated, his voice moderated only slightly, as he frantically tried to think of a way out. “There is no question that my client was not involved in any way, shape or form in the deaths of Tatiania or Rina Olevenowski. To allow her family to testify, let alone to show a video of them, is prejudicial, inflammatory, and not within the scope of permissible rebuttal. Petty Officer Morrison only said that he is sorry for the family’s grief. He didn’t cause it – their testimony would not be proper rebuttal.” This was a nightmare for LT Jeffries- the CO and XO of the command he desperately wanted to transfer to were watching, the press was watching, and the emotional impact of the Olevenowski’s testimony could add years to his client’s sentence, he figured.
“Counsel?” Judge Reynolds’ cocked an eyebrow at Trial Counsel.
“It’s permissible rebuttal, Your Honor. He said he’s sorry for their grief, we want to show the extent of their grief, which his perjury added to!” Becca and Vic really wanted vindication, closure, something for this sorrowing couple. At 97, they should have been enjoying the September of their lives, watching their granddaughter prepare to follow her grandparents and mother to stardom on the ice, not watching their murderer’s trial and now that of the man who’d tried to help him get away with it!
“If members were hearing the case, I would be more hesitant, but under the circumstances, I’ll allow it for the limited purpose. We’ll take a ten minute recess for you to set up a VCR and monitor.” His Honor’s gavel banged smartly.
************
Later
Mac’s office.
“Merci. Merci beaucoup. Merci pour votre courage. Je ne regarderai jamais..uh-h-h .. ‘dancer sur la glace’ sans…um-m-m…elles seront toujours dans ma mémoire - Rina et sa mère." ("Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you for your courage. I will never watch ice skating [‘dancing on the ice’] without .....ummm....they will always be remembered [in my memory] – Rina and her mother”)Vic stumbled through his nearly forgotten high school and college French as he gave the Olevenowski’s a copy of the precious tape that had had the courtroom filled with spectators and the media mesmerized, many in tears. In an exhibition program after the not-quite 10 year old Rina won the gold medal in the Junior Division at the Midwestern Sectionals, first Tatiania, and then her grandparents joined her on the ice. Their pride and happiness as a family was evident to the viewers as they danced and exchanged partners, whirling gracefully across the ice in costumes old-fashioned by today’s standards. Petr Zolokoff’s camera had panned to the crowd on its feet, roaring their approval, as his wife, daughter and in-laws dodged between the roses and other flower bouquets, the stuffed animals and mementos thrown from the stands. The final image was of a beaming, joyful Rina leaping to catch a stuffed bear. The original tape would forever be a piece of evidence.
End Chapter Ten.
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
|
Feedback: 