"Joseph Delaney - Brainchild" - читать интересную книгу автора (Delaney Joseph)

Ruth was on her feet at once with an objection. "That's a misquote.
Your Honor, and it constitutes unfair comment calculated to mislead and
prejudice the jury. We move for a mistrial.'' Monte had turned to listen. тАЬI
believe the statute uses the word person, Your Honor, but the average
man, and this jury panel, understands that it's a distinction without a
difference."
"I'll sustain the objection, counsel, but your motion for mistrial is
denied. The jury will disregard Mr. Monte's remarks and be instructed
that constitutional protections apply to persons. You may proceed, Mr.
Monte."
"Thank you, Your Honor," Monte said, making it sound as though he
were accepting an apology from the judge. "We will introduce evidence to
show that the creature known as Adam is, in fact, a person within the
meaning of the 13th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States;
that he has been forced to labor against his will, as the indictment
charges, restrained in his liberty, deprived of his freedom of choice to stay
or to go.
"I'll go further than that; I'll suggest to you what the defendant may
and, I believe, will attempt to prove. I expect he will challenge the
humanity of the creature he brought into this world, to attempt to
convince the twelve of you that Adam is an animal not protected as you
and I are. I can only urge you to listen carefully to the evidence you see and
the testimony you hear and decide for yourself what it is he made. Thank
you for your attention."
The judge looked at Ruth. "Miss Purley?"
"If it please the court, the defendant would ask leave to reserve the
opening statement until the Government has finished its case in chief."
"Any objection, Mr. Monte?"
"None, Your Honor."
"Very well, so ordered. Call your first witness, Mr. Monte."
"Your Honor," Monte asked, "May counsel approach the bench?''
"Come forward, please."
When the two of them reached the bench, Monte said, "The
Government plans to call Dr. Blatchley as its first witness, Your Honor,
and although we have no present intention to indict him, his testimony
may result in the discovery of criminal activity on his part which would
require me to go to the Grand Jury. So I'm suggesting to the court that we
send the jury out while he's being admonished. Also, Your Honor, we
anticipate Dr. Blatchley will be a hostile witness, in that his sympathies
and prejudices are with the defendant, and I'd ask the court to rule him
hostile."
"Miss Purley?"
"Well, Your Honor, I've explained Dr. Blatchley's immunities to him,
and he's prepared to accept the risk and testify. I'd planned to call him
later if the prosecution didn't, but I will object to ruling him hostile at this
point; there's been no proof he is."
"I agree with her, Mr. Monte. I'll rule on your motion and deny it for the
time being, until Dr. Blatchley's testimony demonstrates his hostility, if it
ever does. And I'll get the standard admonition in the record while the
jury's out." They nodded and resumed their seats.