Chapter 14 - Carla Takes the Stand
Rebecca Sloan was good at cross examination.
She never raised her voice.
That made her more effective.
"You saw a husband helping an injured wife."
"I saw a husband standing close to an injured wife."
"Could his hand on her back be supportive?"
"Yes."
"Could his knee touch hers because intake space was small?"
"Yes."
"Could he answer questions because she was dazed?"
"Yes."
"Could he mix up guardrail and pole because he was frightened?"
"Yes."
Rebecca paused.
"So none of those facts prove Derek Lane assaulted his wife."
"No."
Then:
"Yet you summoned security."
"After Emma indicated she did not feel safe leaving with him."
"You didn't ask why."
"Not while he could see."
"You assumed he was problem."
"I treated him as potential safety concern."
Then Rebecca displayed hospital policy.
Approved domestic violence screening card.
Carla had not used it.
"You improvised."
"Yes."
"You wrote your own question."
"Yes."
"Without physician order."
"Nurses don't require physician order to ask a patient whether they feel safe."
A few jurors looked up.
Then:
"You pressed silent alarm before Emma verbally accused Derek."
"Yes."
"Would you agree that action may have influenced Emma's later interpretation?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because security standing in hallway doesn't tell a patient how she was injured."
Simple.
Then Rebecca asked:
"Did you know Emma had previously lied to medical providers about injury mechanisms?"
"No."
"Did you know she once slapped Derek?"
"No."
"Would that information have changed your decision to separate them?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because none of it changes her right to answer her own medical questions."
I started crying.
Quietly.
Then Sarah redirect.
"Did you ask Emma whether Derek abused her on the paper?"
"No."
"What exactly?"
"Do you feel safe going home?"
"Did you point to the no box?"
"No."
"Did you tell her what to mark?"
"No."
Then:
"When security arrived, what did you ask?"
"Whether she wanted her husband in treatment room."
"What did she say?"
"No."
Then:
"Did Derek accept that?"
"He argued that she was confused."
Then:
"Was Emma medically evaluated for decisional capacity?"
"Yes."
"Result?"
"She was oriented and capable of making her own medical decisions."
That undermined the early instability claim.
Carla stepped down.
Only then did she glance at me.
One small nod.
No smile.
I nodded back.
Then hospital security testified.
Derek tried to pull me up.
Said we were leaving.
Security blocked.
He did not strike anyone.
He complied after repeated directions.
Important.
No need make him more violent than he was.
Then my old medical records entered through stipulation.
Not all.
Some.
The wrist.
Ribs.
Cabinet.
I had lied.
The jury knew before I testified.
That was intentional.
Sarah did not want defense revealing like secret.
Then my unsent text.
I'M LEAVING TONIGHT. IF I DON'T CALL BY 8, PLEASE CALL ME.
Time 6:03.
Then the duffel bag.
Photographs.
Documents.
No fantasy.
A woman preparing to leave.
Then the financial loan.
Already convicted later? Trial timing before federal sentencing, but guilty plea occurred. The jury was told Derek had admitted obtaining credit without my permission, with instruction not to use as proof of assault character.
Then one message:
Derek to Carl:
If she walks tonight, everything comes out.
Carl testified.
"What did you understand?"
"Money."
"Violence?"
"I didn't know about violence."
Good.
Then:
"Did Derek ever say he wanted to hurt Emma?"
"No."
Again.
Not everyone had secret clue.
Then Derek's sister Allison.
She looked devastated.
The texts.
Did you hurt Emma?
She knows how to make me look bad.
That isn't an answer.
Then after pressure:
I grabbed her. She went forward.
Allison testified:
"I wanted him to say no."
He did not.
Defense asked:
"You love your brother."
"Yes."
"Do you believe he is a monster?"
"No."
"Do you believe he intentionally broke Emma's face?"
She started crying.
"I don't know. That's why I'm here to tell you what he said."
Perfect.
Witnesses are not juries.
Then court adjourned.
The next witness would be me.
At the hotel, Jenna ordered pizza.
I could not eat.
"What if I forget?"
"Say you forget."
"What if I cry?"
"Cry."
"What if I'm angry?"
"Be angry."
"What if they don't like me?"
Jenna stared.
"You're not applying for job."
I laughed.
Then Sarah called.
One final instruction.
"Do not try to win."
"What?"
May you like
"Answer."
That became everything.
