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“The relevance of this additional testimony did not become apparent until yesterday,” said Owens. “It will be brief.”
“Objection overruled. But do be brief, Mr. Owens.”
Paxton entered through the side door, dressed in orange and accompanied by two officers whose job it was to make sure the FSP inmate saw nothing but the inside of the courtroom and the courthouse stockade on his trip to Miami. Again, he swore to tell the truth—Yeah, right, thought Jack—and took his seat. The prosecutor bid him good morning and went straight to work.
“Mr. Paxton, during the time you served as Mr. Nichols’s bodyguard, did you ever hear him discuss music piracy?”
“Are you kidding? The man never stopped talking about it.”
“Can I take that as a yes?”
“Yeah. I heard him many times.”
“Did you ever hear him talk about music piracy with his then wife, Imani Nichols?”
He glanced in Imani’s direction, then back at the prosecutor. “Yeah. I remember one time I heard them talking about it.”
“Were you part of the conversation?” asked the prosecutor.
“No. I was just standing around. Which, you know, was basically my job. That’s what bodyguards do.”
One of the jurors smiled. Despite himself, Paxton was actually coming across as relatable, a regular guy.
“Where were you when you overheard this conversation?” asked Owens.
“We were on a boat. Somewhere in the Caribbean.”
“Was this a pleasure trip?”
“Yeah. A mini vacation. A little time off from the grind.”
“Whose boat was it?”
“I don’t remember.”
“Where in the Caribbean?”
“I don’t know. Palm trees. Sand. It’s all the fucking same.”
The judge glared. “Language, please, Mr. Paxton!”
“Sorry, Judge,” said the prosecutor.
“Next time, I’ll hold you both in contempt,” the judge said.
“Understood,” said Owens, and then he addressed the witness. “Let’s keep this in the Disney version, shall we, Mr. Paxton?”
“Got it.”
“When was this trip to the Caribbean and the conversation you mentioned?”
“I don’t remember when.”
“Was this conversation you heard Mr. Nichols and his wife having about music piracy before or after the death of Tyler McCormick?”
“Before. Definitely before.”
“How long before?”
