Chapter 12 - Trial Day
The courthouse had terrible vending machines.
I remember that more than judge.
Again, ordinary details.
I did not testify in open gallery at first.
Court approved child-sensitive procedure allowed me to testify with limited people present and video feed to courtroom, with defense rights preserved.
Margaret could see.
I did not have to see her directly unless I wanted.
I did not.
Prosecutor Leah began:
“How old are you?”
“Ten.”
“Do you know difference between truth and lie?”
“Yes.”
“What happens if I ask something you don't know?”
“Say I don't know.”
Good.
Then brace.
“Who put chain?”
“Grandma.”
“Why?”
“She said I take it off.”
“Did you?”
“Not after she chained.”
Before?
“I took it off at night once because doctor said okay.”
Then cage.
“What did Grandma call it?”
“Quiet place.”
“Could you leave?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Locked.”
“Did she ever stay with you?”
“No.”
“Did you have water?”
“Sometimes bottle.”
“Food?”
“No.”
“How long?”
“I don't know.”
No exaggeration.
Then mailbox.
“Why did you walk there?”
“To get nurse letter.”
“Were you running away?”
“No.”
Then Dad.
“Did your father know?”
“I thought he knew some.”
Dad flinched.
“What did you think he knew?”
“That Grandma kept me inside when bad.”
“Did you think he knew cage?”
“I didn't know.”
“Why?”
“Grandma said he trusts her.”
Then lock.
“Did Dad tell you lock medical?”
“Yes.”
“Where did he get that?”
“Grandma.”
Then defense.
Martin Cobb was gentle.
That made him more dangerous.
“Emily, you love your grandmother?”
I hesitated.
“Sometimes.”
“Did she cook for you?”
“Yes.”
“Take you school?”
“Yes.”
“Help homework?”
“Yes.”
“So she cared for you many ways.”
“Yes.”
“Did she ever say cage was to hurt you?”
“No.”
“What did she say?”
“Make me calm.”
“Did you sometimes become upset?”
“Yes.”
“Did you walk toward road without permission?”
“Mailbox.”
“But mailbox is near road.”
“Yes.”
“Did your grandmother fear for safety?”
“I don't know.”
Good.
Then:
“Did your father sometimes tell you to listen to Grandma?”
“Yes.”
“Did he tell her ‘whatever you think’?”
“I don't know.”
“Could she have believed he approved strict discipline?”
Objection.
Calls speculation.
Sustained.
Then brace.
“You did remove it once?”
“At night.”
“So grandmother was not inventing everything.”
I looked at him.
“She lied that doctor said lock.”
Silence.
Judge watched.
Cobb changed subject.
Then cage duration.
“You don't know exactly how long.”
“No.”
“Could some times be ten minutes?”
“No.”
“How know?”
“TV shows changed.”
At least one episode ended and next started upstairs.
Smart child.
Then one point:
“Did Grandma ever physically injure you inside cage?”
“No.”
Good.
Unlawful confinement doesn't require additional injury.
Then prosecutor introduced photos.
No need graphic.
Brace marks.
Cage.
Chain.
Padlock.
Running log.
Medical safety plan.
Then Dr. Mercer.
School nurse.
Orthopedic doctor.
Naomi Bell.
Dad testified later.
His testimony was hardest.
“Did you authorize chain?”
“No.”
“Cage?”
“No.”
“Did you delegate discipline?”
“Yes.”
“Did you tell mother whatever you think?”
“Yes.”
“Do you regret?”
Defense objected relevance? maybe allowed limited.
Then prosecutor:
“What did you understand?”
“Normal consequences.”
“Did you verify?”
“No.”
Then defense:
“You were absent twelve hours some days.”
“Yes.”
“Your mother functioned as primary caregiver.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Emily had behavior concerns.”
“I knew what my mother told me.”
“You believed.”
“Yes.”
“So if Margaret believed you trusted her judgment, she was not unreasonable.”
Dad looked at him.
“Trusting judgment isn't permission to lock my child under floor.”
Strong.
Then defense introduced no old Daniel notebook.
They avoided opening door.
Interesting.
Margaret testified.
Against advice.
She said:
“I did what Daniel would not.”
She described Dad grieving, working.
Me testing.
She called cage storm shelter.
Padlock necessary because I “bolted.”
I never did.
Brace lock because medical.
Then prosecutor:
“Show us prescription requiring padlock.”
None.
“Show us physician recommending crawlspace confinement.”
None.
“Show us Daniel consent.”
She pointed to whatever texts.
Then forged form.
“Did you insert his signature?”
“I had permission to handle paperwork.”
“Did he give permission for this form?”
“He gave permission for me to care.”
Not answer.
Then guardianship.
“I was afraid Daniel would uproot her.”
“Was Emily asked?”
“She’s ten.”
There.
Same worldview.
Choice irrelevant because child.
Then prosecutor asked:
“Why write ‘If Daniel fights, say he approved’?”
Margaret stared.
“I was angry.”
“So you planned to accuse your son if he resisted you.”
“No.”
“Those are your words?”
“Yes.”
Then:
“Did you love Emily?”
“Yes.”
I believed.
Prosecutor did not challenge.
She asked:
“Did loving her give you permission to lock her?”
Margaret answered:
“She needed me.”
May you like
Not no.
The jury noticed.
