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“Objection,” the prosecutor spoke, standing. “Prosecution was not made aware of any video.”
“The video was obtained through the Venezuelan shipping company early this morning and was subsequently added to the evidence log at 4:28 AM,” I informed the judge. The judge checked the papers in front of him.
“The video in question is properly listed,” he announced. The prosecutor sucked in his face like he’d eaten something sour; I could introduce new evidence without forewarning if I could argue its necessity, which I could in this case, but adding it to the log meant I didn’t have to. It wasn’t my fault the prosecution didn’t review the evidence log prior to trial. “Continue, counsel. Bailiff, bring the projector.”
“Thank you, Your Honor.”
It took a moment to get set up, but as soon as the screen turned on, I paused the video in the first frames. Right there in front of our eyes stood Jameson, his officers, and—circled in yellow—the additional officers in riot gear. Jameson paled.
“This video was obtained from B&L Shipping South America, who volunteered it willingly when we reached out. Lieutenant Jameson, this video clearly shows an additional four officers that were not mentioned in the police report. Furthermore, they are wearing riot gear. Why would you bring riot control if you thought no one would be there?”
“That was a precaution,” Jameson said.
“But these riot control officers were not part of the arrest, meaning you did not make use of them and, by leaving them out of the official report, attempted to cover up that they were even involved.” I didn’t give Jameson a chance to speak. “More than that, you claimed you were underprepared to arrest my client, but you had additional officers waiting right around the corner. If you were concerned for your safety and the safety of your fellow officers, then why did you leave your prepared backup out of the arrest?”
Jameson gaped at the screen, eyes darting over the grainy image in a desperate attempt to find something he could use to cover his ass. Unfortunately, there was nothing. I barreled on, piercing through his neatly woven story as I went.
“Normally, companies don’t shell out money for great security cameras,” I said. “However, due to some recent internal issues within B&L Shipping, the company upgraded its security to include audio. Because of the low audio quality, we added subtitles for ease of understanding. Your Honor, I will now play the video for the court.”
Obviously, that was a lie; the audio was from the bodycam footage, but I withdrew my request for that footage, so there was no proof I had it. Not to mention that Jen had done an absolutely masterful job of editing the audio, increasing the volume on the crane and ship noises, and adding more static to match the shoddy video quality. Frankly, she’d made the police sound so far away that it was difficult to hear them without headphones—exactly like what authentic shipside audio would sound like.
Jameson’s face was filled with dread the moment I said audio, but as I hit play, it just got worse and worse. I fought the gleeful grin off my face. Serves that fucker right.
“And if they shoot?” the subtitles rolled across the bottom of the screen. “Then shoot them in the head.” “Let’s hope they’re trigger-happy, huh?” “Make a show for the cams.” “Riot control, stay hidden.” “Safeties off.”
With every half-audible word, I watched Lieutenant Jameson’s face drop further as he realized that there was no way he could spin this. He openly laughed about murdering a civilian and ordered riot control to stay out of sight unless shots were fired and not turn their bodycams on so they could make it seem like they had arrived just in time instead of waiting around the corner hoping for violence. He told his men to turn their safeties off.
His career was over.
I let the video play in its entirety, even after the PD announced themselves. We all watched as the riot control officers shifted on their feet, fiddling with their guns like they couldn’t wait for the order to shoot; we could hear, vaguely, the sounds of the arrest, though it was mostly unintelligible. Jen had added subtitles to what was left audible anyway, including Mr. Marino telling his men to lower their weapons. That, the female officer’s agreement that Mr. Marino’s (legal) firearm had the safety engaged, and Richard’s voice saying loudly, “He’s not resisting, [inaudible] that much force!” helped seal the deal, but the clincher was Mr. Marino’s last words before the screen went black.
“I’ll be alright, son. Just help your mom while I’m gone, you hear?”
The video ended, and the room went silent. I let that statement hang in the air for a moment, making sure every single person in the courtroom—judge, prosecution, witnesses, family, and reporters alike—marinated in it.
In the middle of being hauled off to jail, Mr. Marino’s greatest worry was his family.
It humanized him. It turned him from a cartoon caricature of a devil into a loving father and husband, fighting back his own fear to comfort his son. It made him real.
The blatant corruption and heartfelt parting hung in the still air for a long, tense moment before I broke the silence. “No further questions, Your Honor.” My high heels clacking on the floor were the only sound as I returned to my seat.
Well, Prosecutor. What will you do now?
Chapter Fourteen
LAUREN
Judge Cardinal sent us all on a recess after the video, and while I talked calmly with my client and his hopeful family, the prosecuting attorney was whisper-screaming at the lieutenant. He also had to know that coming back from that would be nearly impossible. He was staring at his case falling down the drain, and he had to contend with the fact that he might lose it because one officer couldn’t keep his mouth shut and bring a dog.
Well, I’m sure it was a lot more than that. He was probably reaming Jameson out for jeopardizing the whole case, but also for lying under oath and filing falsified police reports. Prosecution had to be livid.
The best part was that all of it was true.
It wasn’t until the court was called back into session, however, that the story started spinning off from reality.
“Defense calls our witness, Mr. Jose Antonio Diaz Lopez, to the stand,” I said. Time to lift the curtain on Act II.
“Mr. Diaz, thank you for joining us today. Can you please explain your connection to this case?”
