Chapter 12 -- The trial of Maria Elena Rodriguez-Torres
While the student protestors continued to kneel outside, Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna, Director Cecilia Sanchez, Prisoner # 101025, and the two officers escorting the prisoner passed through the main door of the Central Courthouse. They walked through an ornate entryway and passed through a second set of doors that led to the main courtroom chamber. The main trial room was quite large, with old wooden furnishings and huge windows on the left side. On the right side were benches where spectators sat. The judge sat at a large desk on an elevated platform at the end of the room opposite from where the prisoner entered, and the prosecution team had a table near the judge's platform. The most important detail for Maria Elena was a second wooden platform about 5 meters in front of the judge's desk. It was round, about a meter and a half high, and had stairs going to the top. That second platform was where the prisoner would have to stand throughout the trial.
Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna took a deep breath as she looked at the prisoner's platform. Already she had spoken on behalf of more than 100 clients, all of whom had to stand during the proceedings. However, the memory burned into her mind was from the very first time she saw that platform, now more than eight years ago. She had been only 18, just out of high school, and had entered the room as Prisoner # 98945. She was a terrified and bewildered foreigner, with no knowledge of the culture or language of Upper Danubia (as the country was called back then) facing a 20-year sentence for marijuana trafficking. How much things had changed since then, but one detail remained constant in the Spokeswoman's mind. Every time she saw that platform, her memory flashed back to her own trial. No matter how many times she escorted her own clients into the Courtroom, for a second Kim's imagination brought back to her, in vivid detail, everything she felt the first moment she saw the platform. It was only for an instant, but that instant never let her forget what it felt like to be going on trial herself.
The Spokeswoman blinked and brought herself back to the present. The cops were un-cuffing her client, who would not be able to escape now that the door was locked. Kim took out the key to Maria Elena's temporary collar and unlocked it. She handed the collar to a courtroom attendant to return to the Ministry, since it no longer would be needed. Maria Elena felt the cool air of the courtroom on her neck, knowing that within a short time she would be collared again, this time permanently.
The Spokeswoman pointed to a worn spot in the Courtroom's very old carpeting and told her client to kneel. Then she issued the following instructions:
"Maria Elena, when the judge comes in everyone will stand and salute him, except you. You must kneel forward and put your forehead to the carpet. You will stay that way until the judge orders you to step forward. You will climb the platform and assume the prisoner's stance. That means you must stand with your legs spread and your hands behind your head. No matter who else is talking, you must remain in that position, facing the judge. Director Sanchez will translate anything you need to know or any answers you need to provide the court."
The prisoner sadly responded: "Dóc-doc, Advokátna Lee-Dolkivna." She remained kneeling, nervously looking at the numerous spectators and trial witnesses sitting in the benches to her right. She recognized almost everyone who had been with the Inspector in the airport interrogation chamber: all those cops who had fondled her and smiled while she was being paddled and humiliated. She saw that female medical assistant who had dishonored her. Unfortunately their eyes met and the woman gave her a very cruel smile.
When the Inspector entered the courtroom to take his seat among the prosecutors, Kim signaled that she needed to talk to him privately. She told Cecilia to remain standing with the kneeling prisoner while she walked over to him. Her heart was pounding, because she had decided to force him to request that the prosecutor drop the charge of perjury against her client. With every bit of effort to control her voice and maintain a calm, confident appearance she quietly asked:
"Inspector, are you aware that there are 13 demonstrators outside this courthouse who are protesting on behalf of my client?"
"Yes, Spokeswoman, I saw them as I was entering."
"Well, Inspector. I believe that the fact there are demonstrators will mean that we will have to play the entire interrogation video of my client during the trial. The demonstrators are not going to accept that my client committed perjury unless the actual footage documenting that accusation is made part of my client's trial record. I am going to have to call you and the medical staff as witnesses to explain your method for proving that my client is guilty of the crime of perjury. When we do that, I will ask that the demonstrators be brought into the courtroom to witness that footage for themselves."
Kim noticed the Inspector's face going pale. She knew that the last thing he wanted was for footage of his unit's interrogation tactics played during a trial. The fact that there were demonstrators, who had Church approval no less, present outside the courtroom, would obligate him to show the film of Maria Elena being beaten and throwing up. There was no question that would cause a huge scandal and possibly cost him his position at the airport. He knew that the Spokeswoman had backed him into a corner. He would have to drop the charge of perjury. He was defeated, but outwardly maintained his calm.
"Spokeswoman, I would imagine, thinking about it, that perjury really is not relevant in the case of your client. I am convinced that she did not understand what we were asking of her. It will not be necessary to enter the interrogation tape into the trial because it simply shows something that we cannot be sure of anyway. If you wish, I will notify the prosecutor of our misgiving about the perjury charge."
"Very well, Inspector. I appreciate your understanding about the perjury issue. If that charge is not included in my client's hearing, I would agree that showing the interrogation video will not be necessary. There is something else."
"Yes, Spokeswoman?"
"Perhaps we might agree to minimize the number of switchings my client will face? I think that, given her sentence will still be 35 years; we could have her switched once a year? That would still be 34 switchings, which I think is enough."
"Yes, I would agree, Spokeswoman. That would be plenty. I will discuss our misgivings with the prosecutor."
"Thank you, Inspector."
As the Inspector turned to talk to the prosecutor, Kim struggled not to faint and not to scream with joy. She took a deep breath and returned to her client. She was trembling and trying to control her emotions. Maria Elena looked at her with concern, while Cecilia whispered:
