Sebastian Hernandez's Point of View:
"Thank you your honor, I call to the stand Adrianna Rodriguez"
Well I was not expecting that and based on the look on Ria's face she wasn't expecting it either. I squeezed her hand and she stood walking confidently to the front and sat where all the witnesses would.
"Will the witness please stand to be sworn in by the bailiff"
Ria stands and the bailiff walks up to her and asks her to raise her right hand," do you swear to tell the truth the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?"
Ria took a deep breath, "I do"
"How do you know the defendant?" She asked after Ria had sat back down.
Ria gulped, "we dated each other more than a year ago"
She nodded, "and in that time did you ever feel threatened by him?
"Objection!" Jeremy's lawyer yelled.
"On what grounds Mr. Oakley?"
"These questions have nothing to do with why we are here today"
Ms. Watson interjected, "I assure you your Honor it will all make sense, I am simply trying to show the jury the character of Mr. Wilson"
Judge Hudson seemed okay with that, "overruled"
Mr. Oakley sat down defeated, "you may answer the question Ms. Rodriguez"
Ria nodded, "he got angry a lot when I didn't do what he said, he would say that he knew better and I should listen to him"
Ms. Watson looked to the jury and then back at Judge Hudson, "no further questions your Honor"
"The defense may cross examine the witness"
Mr. Oakley stood and walked up to the stand, "you've dated each other for what less than a year?"
"W-well yeah but-"
He cut her off, "do you think that's a reasonable amount of time to really know somebody?"
"Well no but-"
"Objection!" Ms. Watson yelled "he's badgering the witness"
"Wrap it up Mr. Oakley"
He acknowledged the judge before continuing," did he hurt you physically when you dated?"
"No," Ria said quietly.
"No further questions your Honor"
She looked to Ria, "you may step down"
She quickly got off the stand and walked over to us. I let her sit in between her father and me to offer her support.
"What a ruthless son of a bitch," she whispered to us.
I smiled for a second there I thought he had really rattled her. We looked on as the judge told the prosecution to call their second witness and that was when Jules took to the stand. She was sworn in by the bailiff and took her seat.
"How do you know the defendant?" She asked her first question.
"We go to school together"
She nodded in understanding, "can you please tell the court why you were asked to be a witness today?"
"Its because I was one of the girls he tried to blackmail into having sex with him"
I looked over at Jeremy who had gotten a bit pale upon seeing Jules. As if he could feel me looking he looked in my direction and smirked. What's with this guy and smirking?
I missed the other questions Ms. Watson asked and tuned back into the case just as Mr. Oakley was about to cross examine Jules.
"If you were so sure you were being blackmailed why didn't you go to the police?"
Jules didn't hesitate to answer, "because he failed and I didn't have sex with him, I didn't see the point"
"Or was it because he wasn't actually blackmailing you and it just came off that way"
"Are you calling me stupid? I came forward when I found out that he was doing this to multiple young girls"
"I could protect myself from him but they couldn't"
"That's because there wasn't any need for protection," he stated smugly. I hate this guy.
"No further questions your Honor"
"Do you have anymore witnesses?" The question was directed to the prosecution.
"No your honor"
She looked to Mr. Oakley, "defense you may call your first witness"
"The defense calls Margaret Wilson to the stand"
The defense began to ask her questions to wish she shed a few tears and told the court she was shocked that her son was even being accused of such things. She went on to say that she raised him to respect women and didn't believe that the accusations against him were true.
While I believed that she raised him better I think she knows fully well that her son was guilty of everything he was being charged with. I noticed that someone had walked in to tell Ms. Watson something, she immediately became more eager and didn't even bother to cross examine Ms. Wilson. When Judge Hudson instructed Oakley to call his second witness she didn't even bat an eye.
"The defense calls Jeremy Wilson to the stand"
Great their calling the idiot to the stand. He was sworn in and sat waiting to be questioned.
"My question is simple, did blackmail anyone so they would engage in sexual activities with you?"
"No, no of course not," he looked around the room "I was just messing around I didn't think they'd take me seriously"
"I have a girlfriend for pete's sake I don't need to blackmail anyone"
Mr. Oakley nodded pleased with Jeremy's pitiful act of righteousness. He was lying through his teeth. The prosecution could see it, we could see it, I just hoped the jury saw it too.
"Your witness," he gestured to Ms. Watson.
She stood and walked over to Jeremy, "you said it was all a game, why play the same game with so many girls?"
"Well I-I-I don't know"
She nodded to herself and turned to face the judge, "with your permission Your Honor I would like to call one more witness to the stan"
"Objection!" Mr. Oakley yelled in an outrage "the prosecution clearly stated that they had no more witnesses"
"Yes well she only recently agreed and I believe you would like to hear what she has to say Your Honor"
"That's simply not possible," Oakley huffed frustrated "you aren't allowed to do this"
Judge Hudson took the gravel and slammed it down three times to get the attention of everyone in the courtroom.
"Your walking on a thin line Mr. Oakley," she said sternly "one more outburst out of you and you will be held in contempt"
Oakley wisely kept his mouth shut and Ria leaned over me to whisper, "I wanna be a judge now"
I stifled my laugh and focused on what Judge Hudson was saying, "this is my courtroom and I will allow another witness and you will speak nothing of it"
"Am I understood?"
Oakley looked absolutely embarrassed, "Yes Your Honor"
"Mr. Wilson you may step down and prosecution can call on their third witness"
"Thank you, your Honor. The prosecution calls Clarissa Donovan to the stand"
What the hell did she just say? Clarissa as in our school mate Clarissa? When the doors opened and she walked into the room Ria's hand tightened around mine. It was actually Clarissa. Was she here to stick up for Jeremy or was she here for other reasons . When she saw us she smiled slightly. Did that mean she was here to help? I really hoped so. She sits and the bailiff walks over to her.
"Will the witness please stand to be sworn in by the bailiff"
Do bailiff proceeds to ask her if she swears to tell the truth to which she says I do. She then sits and waits for the prosecution to question her.
"Who are you to the defendant?"
"I was his girlfriend," she stated plainly.
"And why did you come forward today?"
"Because," she took a really deep breath and looked to the judge who nodded for her to answer.
"Because he really did force us to sleep with him"
Loud gasps sounded around the room as Clarissa put herself out there as one of the girls that was forced to sleep with him. Jeremy grew red in the face as Oakley looked from him to Clarissa. For some reason he looked scared of what she had to say. I think he was finally realizing that he was in some deep shit.
"Can you tell us how it happened for you?" Ms. Watson asked gently.
She looked up to Judge Hudson as if waiting for her to say yes when she did she looked at the rest of us and started speaking.
"I-it started when we first started d-dating he was nice but then he started accusing me of cheating on him. One day morning my mom was bugging me and I went to school earlier than usual, Mr. Johnson who was an old friend of my dad's saw that I was upset and talked to me"
My heart tightened in my chest when a tear slipped from her eye.
"What happened next?" Ms. Watson softly asked.
"I-I hugged him and at that time Jeremy walked in and saw us. He didn't say anything at the time but he brought me home later he got so angry," she spoke slowly.
"H-he hit me and shouted that he didn't believe me and said that I was whoring myself out to guys b-but that wasn't true"
She let out a sob and Judge Hudson immediately asked for some tissues to be brought it. She handed them to Clarissa who took some and wiped the excess tears away.
"Are you okay to continue?" Judge Hudson asked unsurely.
Clarissa nodded and kept wiping at her eyes. The judge signaled Ms. Watson to continue.
"Can you tell us what happened right after he hit you?"
She nodded, "He...he...he r-raped me"
"Oh my God," Ria whispered in shock as everyone in the room grew stunned.
Mr. Rodriguez was silent as he gritted his teeth from what we were all hearing. I'm sure he was feeling the same rage that I was.
"That's bullshit!" Jeremy yelled "That's all lies and you know it"
"Order in the court," Judge Hudson shouted "control your client Mr. Oakley or I will throw him in jail for his insubordination"
"Why didn't you report the matter?" Ms. Watson was the courtroom was once again in silence.
"He said no one would believe me, I told my mom and she laughed to my face so I just took pictures and went to the hospital"
"A nurse there named Jemma offered to help me but I was too scared, when I tried to leave him he started blackmailing me"
I felt so sorry for her, she was going through the all of this and no one knew. Now I felt horrible for pulling that prank on her.
"Thank you for being so brave," Ms. Watson smiled "no further questions your honor"
Judge Hudson looked to be in deep thought before asking, "does the defense have any questions for this witness?"
Mr. Oakley looked numb and Jeremy looked like he was struck with lightening, "no Your Honor"
"In that case it is time for your closing arguments"
I was shook.