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| Character | Judge,Bailiff,Defense Attorney,Prosecution Attorney, Lucas Wakeland | |
|---|---|---|
| Scene type / Who are | Enemies/Antagonists, Strangers, In an interrogation scene, Persuading somebody | |
| Type | Dramatic | |
| Year | 2021 | |
| Period | Any | |
| Genre | Drama | |
| Props | Book to take oath with, gavel | |
| Description | A star witness for a murder trial is questioned by his lawyer as secrets unfold. | |
Summary
Lucas Wakeland is the star witness in a murder trial, claiming he saw the crime and is attempting to send the defendant to jail. He describes his experience at the crime scene and his testimony seems solid until the defense starts their questioning. Wakeland is pushed until he reveals that he was the one who killed the victim out of cold blood.
Written by Lauren Woods
| Excerpt |
|---|
Prosecution Lawyer: Your honor, the prosecution will now call their final witness to the stand.
Bailiff: Lucas Wakeland to the stand! (Wakeland walks to the stand to take his oath) Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Wakeland: I do.
Bailiff: You may be seated.
Prosecution Lawyer: Good evening, Mr. Wakeland.
Wakeland: Good evening.
Prosecution Lawyer: Where were you the morning of August 8th at 11:30 am?
Wakeland: I was walking along Oakland Avenue, a block away from my apartment. I was heading to my car after getting my groceries for the week.
Prosecution Lawyer: Did you notice anything out of the ordinary as you were walking?
Wakeland: Yes. I noticed a tall, thin man in a black sweatshirt arguing with a woman. He was accusing her of credit card fraud. Things seemed to be getting pretty heated. I heard him yell, “I’m going to make you regret ruining my life.”
Defense Lawyer: (stands) Objection: Hearsay.
Prosecution Lawyer: Your honor, may I be heard?
Judge: Yes.
Prosecution Lawyer: This is an exception to hearsay as it is a declaration by the defendant.
Judge: Overruled.
Prosecution Lawyer: Can you identify this man in this courthouse?
Wakeland: Yes. (points) He’s over there in the blue suit.
Prosecution Lawyer: What were his mannerisms like as he was arguing?
Wakeland: He was furious. His face was red and contorted with rage. When he screamed, spit would fly out of his mouth. His arms were shaking violently at his sides.
Prosecution Lawyer: What did you do when you realized this argument was occurring?
Wakeland: Honestly? I was terrified. I crossed the street quickly and started walking away as quickly as I could. I just wanted to get away from the scene. Not intervening is my greatest regret.
Prosecution Lawyer: What happened next?
Wakeland: (faltering) I heard blood curdling screams coming from behind me. I whipped my head around and saw (pauses, trying to find the words to describe the extent of the horror) something horrifying. I saw…(starts to lose it)
Prosecution Lawyer: Mr. Wakeland, I’m sorry to make you relive this experience, but we must know: what did you see?
Wakeland: I saw the woman laying on the ground, bleeding heavily. I watched that man (points to the defendant) stab her again. She stopped moving after that. She was dead.
Prosecution Lawyer: And what did you do after that?
Wakeland: I ran away as fast as I could and locked myself in my apartment. I called 911 and told them what happened. They arrived about ten minutes later.
Prosecution Lawyer: (sympathetic) Thank you. No further questions.
Judge: Is the defense ready to cross?
Defense Lawyer: Yes, your honor.
Judge: You may begin.
Defense Lawyer: Good evening, Mr. Wakeland.
Wakeland: Good evening.
Defense Lawyer: At the time of the murder, you were returning home from grocery shopping, is that correct?
Wakeland: Yes.
Defense Lawyer: Where did you go shopping?
Wakeland: (taken aback, pauses) Ugh...I don’t recall.
Defense Lawyer: You don’t recall? Didn’t you say this was your weekly grocery trip?
Wakeland: (nervous) Yes.
Defense Lawyer: So surely you’ve been to this grocery store many times before?
Wakeland: Yes. (not believably) Oh, I remember now! It was Ralph’s. Sorry, I must be nervous.
Defense Lawyer: Nervous? Why are you nervous? Could it be because you’re lying?
Prosecution Lawyer: Objection! Witness badgering!
Judge: Sustained. Watch yourself, Ms. Greenway.
Defense Lawyer: Your honor, may I rephrase?
Judge: Yes.
Defense Lawyer: Why are you nervous?
Wakeland: (terrified) It’s just a lot of pressure. That’s all.
Defense Lawyer: I see. You remember the stabbing clearly and vividly, is that correct?
Wakeland: (smug) Yes.
Defense Lawyer: So what hand did the defendant, Mr. Livingston, stab the victim with?
Wakeland: (startled) The...his right.
Defense Lawyer: Interesting. Mr./Ms. Wakeland, are you aware that Mr. Livingston is left-handed?
Wakeland: Uh...I was not.
Defense Lawyer: So Mr. Livingston, a left-handed person, stabbed the victim with his non-dominant hand?
Wakeland: I may be misremembering.
Defense Lawyer: Misremembering? Was this not one of the most traumatic moments of your life? One would think you would surely remember it.
Wakeland: I’m not sure.
Defense Lawyer: What was your relationship with the victim, Ms. Ferguson?
Wakeland: We were coworkers at a real estate company .
Defense Lawyer: When did you stop working together?
Wakeland: About a month ago. I left the company.
Defense Lawyer: Why did you leave the company?
Wakeland: (on the verge of cracking) I got a better offer for a different job.
Defense Lawyer: Better job? Are you not currently unemployed?
Wakeland: (visibly angry) Yes. Any job would be better than the one I had there. I worked there for twelve years, made the most high-profile sales the agency had ever seen, yet never got anything. My pay had stagnated. I never got a promotion.
Defense Lawyer: But Ms. Ferguson did. And she did it all while taking credit for three of your most profitable sales, is that correct?
Wakeland: Yes. That hag stole everything from me.
Defense Lawyer: And how did that make you feel?
Wakeland: It destroyed me. She made me hate. Not just what people call hate, the real thing. (furious) I. Hate. Her. But now the jokes on her because she’s dead and I get the final laugh. (sick smile) It was worth it.
Defense Lawyer: What was worth it?
Wakeland: Can’t you see it? I killed her. I melted the witch.
Defense Lawyer: No further questions. |
