Chapter 10 - Corey’s Trial
The prosecutor began with the fetal monitor.
Not because Grace had been injured.
She had not suffered documented lasting harm.
Because it showed the context.
Eight months pregnant.
Then hospital photographs of bruising on my upper arm and side.
No dramatic gore.
Then Dr. Patterson.
She testified:
Maya presented after reported abdominal blow.
Fetal status reassuring after monitoring.
Medical findings could not identify exact perpetrator.
No claim punch caused preterm birth.
Good.
Then patrol/bodycam.
Corey’s first statement:
“She attacked me with a skillet.”
Officer:
“Why?”
“She went crazy.”
Then:
“Did you touch her?”
“I tried to stop her leaving.”
“How?”
“Grabbed her.”
“Hit?”
“No.”
Then audio.
Lorraine:
Hit her again!
The courtroom went still.
Corey:
You embarrass my mother, you pay for it!
Me:
You’re hurting the baby!
Then:
Don’t touch my baby again!
Clatter.
Then Corey:
You hit me with a pan!
Sequence.
Defense argued audio ambiguous around actual impact.
Fair.
Then Mrs. Carter.
Saw me outside crying.
Heard Corey yelling from door.
Did not see first punch.
Then me.
I testified.
Delivery argument.
Blocked exit.
Grab.
Shove.
Punch.
Skillet.
Recording.
Defense asked:
“You had been secretly recording your husband?”
“Yes.”
“You distrusted him.”
“Yes.”
“You planned confrontation?”
“No.”
“You carried phone prepared?”
“I always carry my phone.”
Then:
“You struck Corey in face.”
“Yes.”
“With cast iron.”
“Yes.”
“Could kill someone.”
“Yes.”
“Did he have weapon?”
“No.”
“Did you?”
“I picked it up after he punched my pregnant stomach and charged again.”
Then:
“You could have run.”
“He blocked door earlier.”
“At moment skillet?”
“I was between stove and island. He was coming toward me.”
Self-defense fact question.
Then defense showed angry texts I had sent weeks earlier:
I’m done letting your mother run our life.
And:
If you choose her again, this marriage is over.
I acknowledged.
Anger does not equal violence.
Then Corey testified.
He admitted grab.
Admitted shove?
He said “guided her back.”
The prosecutor showed my bruise.
Then:
Punch?
“No.”
“Why did mother say hit her again?”
“She was angry and exaggerating.”
“Again meaning what?”
No answer.
Then:
“You said she pays for embarrassing your mother.”
“I meant argument.”
Then skillet.
“I feared for my life.”
Could be after.
He said he charged to disarm me.
I said he charged before I swung.
Audio timing helped.
Then prosecutor:
“Did Maya say she was leaving?”
“Yes.
“Did you let her?”
“I wanted to talk.”
“Did you stand in doorway?”
“Yes.”
Then:
“Did you grab?”
“Yes.”
“Did you shove?”
“I moved her.”
Words.
Then financial motive limited? Judge allowed some context showing dispute about control but not dump entire fraud case.
Recorded legal waiver clip admitted to show relationship/context after proper rulings.
Corey:
Once she delivers, she won’t control anything.
Defense argued business language.
Exactly.
But combined with violence.
Then jury deliberated.
Verdict:
Felony assault/domestic violence offense related to striking a pregnant spouse: guilty.
Unlawful restraint/coercion for blocking/holding: guilty on a lesser form.
One more serious count alleging intent to cause grave fetal injury: not guilty because state did not prove specific intent.
Good.
Self-defense claim for his injuries rejected as to his initial conduct; my skillet strike was not charged against me after prosecutor concluded evidence supported lawful self-defense? To be safe, state had earlier declined charges against Maya due evidence. Jury not deciding her.
Corey closed eyes.
I cried.
Then Lorraine’s complicity.
Her audio:
Hit her again.
Could support solicitation/encouragement.
But did she physically touch me that night? She lunged, I blocked. No actual contact maybe.
Prosecutors offered plea.
She still refused.
Then federal case loomed.
Corey’s assault conviction changed his calculations.
But not enough.
He still believed financial documents were “marital shortcuts.”
May you like
The next courtroom would not care about his mother’s feelings.
It would care whose hand had authority to sign my name.
