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Switzer asked, “During three days in January of this year, did you have occasion to chain your wife to a sink pedestal and restrain her in other ways?”
“Yes. I did.”
“Did you injure her with your fists and shoes and a number of other implements including a bread knife?”
“I did that, yes.”
“Can you tell the jury why you committed these acts against your wife?”
Sullivan’s face reddened and his lower lip quavered. He had a handkerchief in his breast pocket and used it to now dry the sweat from his face, dab at his eyes, and possibly buy a few moments of time to think.
Switzer stood by patiently until Sullivan was composed.
“I can’t give you an easy answer,” Sullivan said. “I—We—”
Yuki stood, “Non-responsive, Your Honor.”
“Mr. Sullivan,” the Judge said. “Answer the question.”
“Could you repeat it, please?”
Switzer said, “Lew. Very simply, why did you beat up your wife?”
“I did it for Barbara.”
Gasps come from the gallery and the jury box.
Sullivan explained himself. “I mean, she has issues. She introduced me to rough sex. I wasn’t trying to kill Barbara. And I didn’t. I love her, even now. She knows that and loves me, too. If I could justtalkto her …”
Yuki was prepared to object again, but Sullivan’s shoulders heaved, he began to sob loudly, saying “Sorry, sorry,” but kept crying.
Switzer said, “Your Honor, may we have a ten-minute recess?”
“No,” Sullivan said. “I’m still going to be like this in ten minutes or whatever. My heart is fucking broken.”
Switzer said, “Take a few breaths, Lew.”
“She seems like a victim, I know,” Sullivan said. “But she liked to get me going. She flirts with other people to egg me on. One of our neighbors, Tom, is in love with her. This time, she was tormenting me and I was ready for sex. Then she lunged at me with a knife, like this,” Sullivan continued, thrusting out his clenched right hand.
“I was defending myself. I got the knife away from her. And she kicked me in the balls. I snapped. I wanted to teach her a lesson, but she kept calling me names. I wanted her to apologize, and she wouldn’t give in. She wouldn’t say, ‘I’m sorry.’ I hurt her. But still, I never, ever wanted to kill her.”
Switzer thanked his witness and said, “I have no more questions.”
CHAPTER 33
LEW SULLIVAN WAS blowing his nose and otherwise mopping up when Yuki addressed him in her cross-examination.
“Mr. Sullivan, do you feel well enough to answer a few questions? Or would you like to take a break?”
“I want to get this over with, if it’s okay with you.”
“Sure. This isn’t the first time you’ve beaten Barbara, is it?”
“Like I said, she liked it rough, but this time was the worst.”
“She’s called the police some of those times, isn’t that right?”
“Objection,” said Switzer. “Prejudicial.”
