Chapter 9: The Show Begins
Chapter 9 The Good Show Begins
Faced with the magistrate’s stern questioning, Adam trembled with fear as he glanced at Arthur at the prosecution table and then at the magistrate who seemed to be on fire all over.
His eyes were full of tears and he stood alone, weak and pathetic, and at a loss for words.
Arthur spoke calmly, his tone calm and unchanging, as if he were speaking not as a human being, but as a sophisticated machine.
“Mr. Judge, the police did not use any means of torture to force a confession, this is clearly stated in the indictment. The defendant, Adam Evans, voluntarily accepted his arrest and confessed to the crimes he committed.
All interrogation processes were conducted in compliance with the internal principles of the police and have stood the test of your scrutiny and that of the public at large.”
Adam heard Arthur speak, so he too could not stop nodding his head while silently shedding tears.
He choked and said in a broken voice, “Mr. Law, Mr. Judge, the police did not use any means of torture to extract a confession. I, I confessed to my crime, the indictment says it very clearly. Yes, I’m sorry, I’m guilty.”
Arthur and Adam’s reaction directly angered the magistrate and made him more convinced of the suspicion in his heart, he lifted his gavel and slammed it hard on the front of the case, almost forcing the question in a snarling tone.
“Adam! It’s you I’m asking, it’s you!
Why do you care what the indictment says!
Why are you repeating what the police say!
Why agree with others unconditionally!
Do you realize what will happen to you if the police indictment stands?
You’ll be hanging by your neck from a noose. You’ll get the death penalty!
Whoa, kid, don’t be silly!
Do you know which end you’re on?
I’m giving you a chance!
So that you can expose the truth to the public, only then will you get a fair judgment!”
Tears streaming down Adam’s face at the outraged judge, he dropped to the floor and sobbed, “I’m sorry, I’m guilty. Mr. Judge, I’m sorry I made you angry.”
No sooner had he said this than a slightly built, middle-aged lady popped up in the jury seat, and like a spring that had had enough of the pressure, she snapped to her feet and rushed at the judge with an angry accusation.
“I don’t know anything about the law or police principles. But from my standpoint as a mother of three, you can’t yell at a nine-year-old like that, not to mention the fact that you’re terrorizing him with the death penalty, which is not only undignified, but immoral! You can’t do that to him!”
As soon as the middle-aged lady spoke, she immediately struck a chord with the mothers in the room.
They shouted accusations at the magistrate and Arthur, complaining about why they were escorting a child so young to court to live, and threatening to go to the gates of the Supreme Court after the hearing to protest against the injustice they were receiving in court.
The magistrate banged the gavel a few times, but in no way could he gag them, and instead made their curses louder.
The bailiffs wanted to go up and maintain order, but when they saw how indignant these ladies were, they were afraid.
Most of the bailiffs were married, and they understood that it was not wise to reason with the angry ladies.
What’s more, in this case alone, they were also inclined to support the ladies.
Before the ladies finished speaking, the men began to express their opinions as well.
The company employee wearing glasses spoke out, ”Mr. Judge, if I remember correctly. Adam Evans is now merely suspected of committing a crime and is far from being convicted. But your tone of voice seems as if you are interrogating a real criminal. And I see that the boy is quite well-mannered, and has behaved so decently since he appeared in court, that I really find it hard to believe that he would commit a crime.”
The big, burly factory mechanic also nodded, “This kid named Adam is much better than that troublemaker at my house. My one is two years older than him, but he doesn’t even know to say hello when he meets his old man. This kid looks so gentle, if my son was like him, I don’t know how much heartache I’d save.”
Facing the bailiffs who were out of work and the disgruntled and restless jury, the magistrate had no choice but to wipe his sweat with a handkerchief while pleading in a low voice.
“Have a good day, gentlemen and ladies, and pay more or less attention to the order of the court. I assure you, I’ll watch my tone afterward. This is my fault and I apologize to you all.” The ladies saw the magistrate make his assurances, which caused them to roll their eyes at him and sit back in their seats in exasperation.
The men also shut up their murmuring mouths, ready to see if the situation would improve in the aftermath.
The scene was deathly silent, but it was the smell of gunpowder that wafted through the nearly frozen air.
The clerk of the court, sitting at the lower end of the bench, noticed the winter-like atmosphere and couldn’t resist proposing to the judge.
“Sir, I don’t think this situation is suitable for continuing the case either. I propose to temporarily adjourn the court for ten minutes, so that everyone’s heads can cool down.”
The magistrate hurriedly went down the slope and said, “In that case, the court will be adjourned for ten minutes. What do you think, ladies?”
None of the ladies were willing to pay attention to the judge, and at the critical moment, it was that Mrs. Peel, who was acquainted with the magistrate, who came out to solve the problem.
“Things have come to such a pass that no one wants to see. Therefore, we respect your decision.”
The justice of the peace was greatly pardoned, and he covered his head and hurriedly prepared to go to the back room to have a cup of tea to calm down.
And the bailiff was ready to escort Little Adam, who was sitting on the floor sobbing uncontrollably, back to the waiting room.
The ladies of the jury felt their hearts breaking when they saw him crying like that.
Mrs. Peel, seeing this, offered with a heart of gold, “Let me stay with him, I know how to calm a child. While it may be out of order, I’m afraid the trial won’t be able to continue if Adam’s mood doesn’t improve.”
The magistrate didn’t have the guts to say no, even if he showed the slightest bit of reluctance, these ladies would tear him apart on the spot.
He nodded and said, “Thank you for your kindness, Mrs. Peel.”
The rest of the ladies also opened their mouths and demanded, “Ma’am, I’ll accompany you as well.”
“They are really too much.”
“I really can’t imagine that this is how the court interrogates!”
“My husband wanted his children to go to law school and grow up to be judges. Now it seems like a really bad idea. If he really learns the law, I’m afraid he won’t even recognize his mother in the future.”
The magistrate was disliked by the ladies, yet he dared not say a word in return.
Right now, he only wanted to leave this place of wrongdoing quickly.
However, without waiting for his butt to leave his seat, Arthur, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up.
“I apologize for delaying everyone’s precious rest time, but are you all willing to sacrifice just ten minutes to listen to me?”
Arthur unbuttoned his top tuxedo and placed his police uniform and officer’s knife on the seat behind him.
He pushed up the cuffs of his tight shirt and braced each of his two sturdy arms on either side of the prosecution table, pleading with the group wearing only a white shirt.
“In the following paragraph, I am not addressing you as an Inspector Constable of the London Metropolitan Police, nor as the prosecutor in this case, nor as an executioner who wants to send young Adam to the gallows.
Rather, like all of you, I speak to you simply as an ordinary Londoner with simple morals and normal values, and as a good friend who knows the defendant in this case, Adam Evans, his family, his interests, his habits and his past.
I would like to talk to you briefly about this case, and about my personal experiences over the past six months or so.”
(End of chapter)