Chapter XXIX

A Chapter by Calypso

“College? When most of us think of this we imagine freedom for the first time, maybe falling in love, maybe having fun, but in the case of my client January Rossi this experience was robbed from her.

“How did this happen? Well this gifted artist was at her first art show. For the first time in her life she was turning her passion into money.

“Also at that art show was Mr. Jared Brown. He looked handsome …and loving. What women wouldn’t trust him?

“Because of this Mr. Brown took advantage of Miss Rossi by going her drinks spiked with Rohypnol, also known as Roofies, or the date rape drug.

“After my client became too drugged to fight back Mr. Brown took her to a near by forest and raped her!” Mr. Key sounded emotional and angry in this opening statement. January assumed this was nothing more then an act to get everyone on her side; thankfully it was all true.

“Persecution rests.”

“Thank you Mr. Key.” Said the judge.

Joseph Key sat between January and Maxine Herrick (the other girl who was raped). He squeezed her hand as if he was her father. “This shouldn’t be bad. Mr. Brown’s attorney will make opening arguments and then the questioning will start and you don’t have to worry about that being hard.”

Mr. Key was serving as the persecution lawyer in this case.

When they first came into the courtroom everyone sat down in the seat in an unspoken fashion.

The lawyers sat at the far right of their tables. The jury members sat almost in order of age. January’s family sat on the left side of the benches and Maxine’s family sat on the right. It was as if everyone had called each other a head of time to set up seating agreements.

The only person who really looked out of place was Maxine, but January had always heard she was awkward and rarely understood subtle clues.

Mr. Key had opened up talking about Maxine’s situation, and January zoned out, but when he came to January’s situation she could stop herself from listening.

Ever since the trial started January wanted to steal glanced from her mother, but was afraid it would be awkward.

Around Lily were George, Amadeo, Isabel, Jamie and Celia.

January was surprised to see Jamie come since she wasn’t family, but according to Celia Jamie cried when she found out what had happened.

Jared’s lawyer stood up. She was a young woman who looked strong willed. Her brown hair was pulled back tightly in a bun and her make-up make her look fierce.

It made January sick to think a woman was defending a rapist.

“Mrs. Doors you may start the questions.” The judge said.

“The defense would like to call Robert Riojas to the stand.”

A man came out of the back of the room looking uncomfortable and awkward in a suit and tie. His hair looked messy and his beard barely shaved.

When he walked by January he turned his head and looked her in the eye. That was when she realized it was man who found her after she was raped.

There was a grapefruit sized lump in her throat and she wished she could excuse herself from the room. The man sat on the bench and she still couldn’t think of something good enough to get her out of there. She thought about lying but then assumed she was already in enough deep s**t with God.

“Mr. Riojas could you please state your full name and occupation to the jury.”

“My name is Robert Riojas, no middle name. I’m a janitor at the teen center on Ameba Street.”

“What kinds of things are offered at the teen center?”

“Sometimes they have after school tutoring, during the week and there are bands…”

“So then this is a place for teens to hang out and have fun?”

“Yep.”

“And is there an age when kids have to stop coming?”

“After 12^th grade.”

“What were you doing on the morning you found Miss Rossi?”

“The gutters need to be cleaned out. Leaves were clogging up the whole thing was full. I had just finished dumping the leaves when I came upon her.

“I shook her a few times, on the shoulder of course. When she woke up I asked if she had been partying.”

“What did she answer?”

“It was hard to tell. She slurred her words go bad. She did ask to go to the hospital. Granted I did pick up on a few words, but you could tell there was something odd going on.”

“And what was your first assumption? What did you assume was ‘odd’?

“My first assumption was that she was drunk.”

The women turned on her high heels and said to the judge. “Defense rests.”

“So you said you were clean out the leaves?” Mr. Key looked in control and for the first time January relaxed a little bit. Maxine and January held hands the whole time.

“Yes sir I was.”

“What type of activism where being held that night?”

“Nothing. They were going on repairs on the toilets and lighting. Both were so old I’m surprised they waited so long to fix them.”

“Did people know about the repairs before hand?”

“A month in advance in fact.”

“So then it was odd to find anyone there?”

“Very.”

“Could you please describe Miss Rossi when you found her that morning? How was she dressed? How did she act?”

“Well she was wearing a red dress, and no shoes. She was covered in busies and talking like she was high or something.”

“How much of Miss Rossi could you see?”

“More then I should have. Her dress was tore.”

“Based off of your personal opinion, why would there be a injured girl with a ripped dress alone in the woods by herself?”