Blood on the Leaves Part 28

"Were you offered any other scholarships at the college?"

"Yes. In baseball, basketball, and track."

"And what about other universities? Did you have an opportunity to go to school elsewhere?"

"I received scholarship offers from numerous universities around the country. I believe they totaled well over a hundred."

"And were they all for your athletic ability?"

"Yes."

"Had you ever been offered a scholarship because of your academics?"

Brandon smiled slightly. "Not until I started applying for graduate school."

"I noticed you smiled at my question, but we'll get to that in a moment. Could you tell the jury when you first met Professor Matheson?"

"I registered for one of his courses at the beginning of my soph.o.m.ore year."

"What was your major at that time?"

"Playing sports, primarily." He looked at the jurors with some embarra.s.sment. "Technically, I majored in sports psychology, but I'd be hard-pressed to tell you what that consisted of."

"And why did you enroll in one of Dr. Matheson's cla.s.ses?"

"He had a great reputation on campus, and to be quite honest, I thought taking a black studies course wouldn't be that demanding."

"Were you wrong?"

"I'd never worked that hard in all my life." Brandon's eyes closed halfway as he shook his head at the recollection.

Matheson laughed, and a number of the jurors chuckled.

"It was also the most eye-opening experience I'd ever had." Brandon looked at each member of the jury individually. "Professor Matheson's the type of teacher you dream about having but usually never do. I was fortunate to meet him when I did." He glanced at Matheson. "I think I'd be a very different person if he hadn't played a role in my life-one I probably wouldn't have liked too much."

"How did Dr. Matheson influence you?"

"I'd been thinking about leaving campus and turning pro. I had a great freshman year and set several collegiate records in multiple sports. A number of football and basketball scouts wanted me to quit school and make myself eligible for the draft."

"Did Professor Matheson talk you out of leaving?"

"Even if I needed to be persuaded, that wasn't Dr. Matheson's style. He believed students should make their own choices, but only after considering all the options and consequences." He looked at the journalists cl.u.s.tered in the first few rows. "He's the only teacher who ever treated me as if I had something of value to offer besides scoring touchdowns or dunking basketb.a.l.l.s." He smiled at Mrs. Whitney. "Once I began to take academics seriously, I discovered how much I didn't know."

"And you wanted to learn more?"

"I wanted to learn everything. I realized I'd allowed myself to be exploited at the expense of my education. So I resigned from sports, took out several student loans, and selected a real major. I asked Dr. Matheson to be my adviser."

Miller leaned against the lectern and generally treated Brandon much more casually than he'd treated any other witness. "Did he agree?"

"On one condition. He told me I needed to display as much dedication to developing my mind as I'd devoted to excelling in sports."

"Were you able to accomplish that?"

"With his help and faith in me, I went on to win two international academic fellowships. When I got notified of the first award, it was the proudest moment I'd ever experienced. It surpa.s.sed any feeling I'd accomplished in sports." He paused for a moment and tried to contain his emotions.

The members of the jury were touched by Brandon's testimony. Vernetta Williams dabbed at her eye with a tissue; Cindy Lou Herrington, Harriet Dove, and Mrs. Whitney provided motherly smiles and encouragement while several of the men smiled in admiration.

"Brandon, were you ever in trouble with the law?" The nature of Miller's question startled the jury, but Reynolds knew the wily defense attorney had set up the next line of inquiry brilliantly. Now that he'd gotten the jury to care about the witness, he'd introduce the enemy and make them angry enough to take out their outrage on the prosecution.

"Yes, only once, and it occurred at the end of last year."

Miller finally walked away from the podium and proceeded closer to the jury. "Could you tell us the nature of your problem and what led to it?"

Brandon faced the jury. "I'd been active in leading protests or demonstrations against the men on Professor Matheson's list. I, along with another student, went to Earvin Cooper's home and placed a sign on his front lawn. We wanted to inform his neighbors of the type of man they lived next to. Before I was able to leave, Mr. Cooper and I got into a verbal confrontation. He wrote down my license plate number, so I knew there was a record of my visit. A day or two after the confrontation, Mr. Cooper was murdered."

Miller turned toward his client. "And now Professor Matheson stands accused of that murder."

"Yes."

"Initially, the police a.s.sumed you were responsible for the crime, isn't that true?"

"Objection, Your Honor," shouted Reynolds. "a.s.sumes facts not in evidence. Mr. Hamilton was never charged with Mr. Cooper's murder, nor was that the reason for his subsequent arrest."

"Sustained," Tanner ruled. "The jury's instructed to disregard the question."

Miller paused and gave the jury sufficient time to think about the question Tanner had just told them to ignore. "Brandon, why were you arrested?"

"I did something pretty stupid, but at the time it seemed a good idea."

"Isn't that always the case?" Miller studied the jury, but they gave no indication of their feelings. They waited patiently for an explanation.

"Could you tell the jury what you did to cause the police to arrest you?"

"As I said, Mr. Cooper died shortly after our argument. I'd just finished cla.s.ses and was about to take Thanksgiving break. As I walked to my car in the student parking lot, I noticed two police cars searching the area." He made eye contact with Mrs. Whitney, then shifted to the young, attractive juror who sat next to her. "They stopped and one of the officers pointed at me. Both cars then turned around quickly and headed in my direction. I panicked, got in my car, and tried to get away. They pursued me for a mile or so before I crashed into a hydrant or a signpost. They may have rammed their cars into mine; it happened so fast I wasn't clear on the exact sequence."

"Why did you try to get away from the police?"

"Mr. Miller, as I told you, I simply panicked. I knew from reading the papers and listening to the media there was a lot of pressure to find someone responsible for killing the people on the professor's list. When I saw police heading for me, driving the wrong way down a one-way street and cutting across the lot, I a.s.sumed they were pretty hyped and angry. I thought it best to get out of there."

"Did you fear for your safety?"

"I don't know any black man who doesn't fear the police."

Reynolds started to object but knew challenging Brandon's a.s.sertion wouldn't go over too well with this jury.

"Brandon, you're obviously a very powerfully built man-a star athlete-and yet you're telling this jury you feared for your safety?"

"It's precisely because of how I look that police feel threatened. Their anxiety about my size and strength places me at particular risk."

"And you've felt this way about police for how long?"

"Since as long as I can remember."

"Did your belief about how the police respond to black men contribute to your behavior on the afternoon in question?"

"The only reason I did what I did was because of those beliefs. I had every intention of reporting to the police, but I planned to do so in a more controlled environment, in the presence of either my parents or legal counsel. As it turned out, I made a foolish mistake that led to a dangerous pursuit. I could've very easily been killed or wound up seriously hurting someone else."

"What happened to you at the end of the police chase?"

"My head struck the windshield or the steering wheel, I'm not sure which. I remember the police screaming at me to put my hands over my head."

"Did you obey their commands?"

"Yes."

"What transpired next?"

Reynolds stood and sought Tanner's attention. "Your Honor, I have to object."

"What grounds?" asked Tanner.

"Relevance. Mr. Hamilton's arrest has nothing to do with these proceedings."

"Mr. Miller, you care to respond?" Tanner's body language appeared to signal support for the objection, although with the judge's girth and his propensity for ruling in favor of the state, it was hard to tell.

"Your Honor, first, the state just moments ago objected to my question suggesting Mr. Hamilton was arrested for murder. But the evidence will show the police acted in a fashion consistent with pursuing and capturing a felony suspect. Second, I intend to establish the nature of the relationship between the witness and Professor Matheson after Mr. Hamilton's arrest, which further reflects my client's true character."

"I'll overrule the objection for now, but I expect you to conclude this portion of the testimony within the next two minutes."

"Your Honor, I expect to be finished with this witness within that time frame."

"Mr. Miller, please restate your question to the witness."

"Thank you, Your Honor. Brandon, could you tell the jury what occurred to you after the car chase ended?"

"I was removed from the front seat of the vehicle, tossed on the ground, and cuffed. A few officers. .h.i.t or kicked me several times in the back and kidney area. My face was pushed into some broken gla.s.s and steaming hot water that leaked from my car's radiator. I tried to lift my head to avoid it."

"Were you successful?"

"For about a second; then I was struck by a police baton. That's all I remember until I woke up in custody."

Miller paused again. Reynolds knew he wanted the jury to envision the a.s.sault and picture Brandon lying helplessly on the ground, surrounded by vicious police beating him half to death.

"Were you ever charged with any criminal violations, and if so, what sanctions were imposed?"

"I pled no contest to several traffic violations and had my automobile license suspended for a year. I also agreed to pay rest.i.tution for any property damage caused as a result of the police pursuit. In return, charges of resisting arrest and fleeing the police were dropped, and I was placed on three years' probation."

"How long were you in jail?"

"Three of the longest weeks of my life. I'd probably still be there if it weren't for the professor."

"What did Dr. Matheson do to a.s.sist in your release?"

"He posted bail and also retained you as my legal counsel."

"Did I do a good job?"

"I hope you do as well for the professor."

"That last comment will be stricken from the record," ordered Tanner. "The witness is reminded he's here to provide answers to the questions posed, not to editorialize or offer his personal best wishes."

"I'm sorry, Your Honor," apologized Brandon.

"I have only a few remaining questions," interjected Miller. "Did Dr. Matheson ever suggest that the men on his list should be murdered?"

"No."

"To your knowledge, did he ever advocate violence against any person on that list?"

"I attended virtually every cla.s.s he taught on the subject, and I never heard him advocate violence, not once."

"Brandon, were you aware that Professor Matheson mortgaged his home to provide bail for you?"

The question affected Brandon. He lowered his head for a moment and regained his composure. He looked at Matheson. "No," Brandon said softly. "No, I wasn't aware of that, but it shouldn't have surprised me."

"No further questions, Your Honor." Miller sat down and quickly glanced at the jury. Every single juror had his or her attention exactly where Miller wanted it: on his client.

"Mr. Reynolds, your witness," said Tanner.

Reynolds stood but remained at the prosecution table. "Good morning, Mr. Hamilton," he said in a friendly voice.

"Good morning," replied Brandon.

"You have a great deal of admiration and affection for the defendant."

"Yes, sir. I do."

"But, no matter how much you admire or respect or even love an individual, you can never know with absolute certainty whether or not that person committed a crime. Wouldn't you agree?"

"I suppose I would."

"And as you sit here today, you have no way of knowing if the defendant committed this or any other crime, isn't that true?"

"I believe I know the type of person Professor Matheson is, and what he'd do or wouldn't do."

"Really?" Reynolds looked at the jury for a moment. "Did you know yourself well enough to predict you'd ever lead the police on a high-speed pursuit causing thousands of dollars in property damage and endangering the lives of innocent people?"

Brandon lowered his head. "No. I never saw myself as that type of person."