Chapter 8 - Mia Tells the Truth Once
Mia testified from a separate room.
Judge.
Court reporter.
Attorneys visible by monitor.
Support person permitted out of camera frame.
Julian could see her on courtroom screen.
She did not have to see him directly if system configured.
I was not support person because I was witness.
A trained victim advocate sat nearby.
Prosecutor:
“Do you know difference between truth and lie?”
“Yes.”
“If I say your dress is green when it’s blue?”
“Lie.”
Then birthday.
Mia described:
Mom’s picture.
Broken glass.
Dad angry.
Slap.
Robe sash around wrists.
Bedroom.
Doll.
Bandages.
Curtain.
No embellished language.
“Why did he put bandages?”
“He said people would ask.”
“Why curtain?”
“So pictures would look nice.”
“Did you want to be there?”
“No.”
“Did you try leave?”
“He told me not to.”
“Were you scared?”
“Yes.”
Then:
“What happened when Grandma found you?”
“Dad pushed me back.”
“What happened doll?”
“He knocked it.”
“What happened bottle?”
“He grabbed it.”
“Did he hit anyone with bottle?”
“No.”
Important.
Then cross.
Julian’s lawyer, Mark Ellison, was gentle.
He had to be.
“Your dad loved you?”
Mia looked confused.
“I think.”
“Did he take care of you?”
“Yes.”
“Did you sometimes get in trouble?”
“Yes.”
“Did you break the picture frame?”
“Yes.”
“Was there broken glass?”
“Yes.”
“Did Dad tell you not to touch it?”
“Yes.”
“Did he tie your wrists because you kept reaching toward glass?”
“No.”
“What did he say?”
“Because I kept touching Mom’s things.”
Then:
“Did you kick him?”
“No.”
“Ever kick when upset?”
“Maybe.”
“Did you kick that morning?”
“No.”
Then:
“Did you fall recently?”
“At playground.”
“Could bruise cheek come from fall?”
“No.”
“How know?”
“Because Dad hit me.”
No drama.
Then:
“Grandma doesn’t like your dad, right?”
Mia thought.
“She loves him.”
That answer hurt.
Then:
“Has Grandma told you Dad is bad?”
“No.”
“Has Grandma told you what to say?”
“She tells me tell truth.”
Mark stopped.
Good decision.
Then me.
I described finding Mia.
Grabbing Julian.
Slapping him.
Wrist restraint against wall after bottle.
Defense:
“You struck your adult son.”
“Yes.”
“Hard.”
“Yes.”
“You threatened to destroy him.”
“I said if he touched Mia again I would make sure people saw what he was doing. I may have used stronger words.”
“Did you say ‘I will destroy you’?”
“Possibly.”
“Were you furious?”
“Yes.”
“Could your anger affect memory?”
“Yes. That is why recordings matter.”
Nice, but not too clever.
Then:
“You put Julian against wall.”
“With others helping once he had bottle.”
“Did he swing bottle?”
“No.”
“He only held it.”
“He raised it while advancing toward us.”
Videos showed.
Then:
“Did you hate him?”
“No.”
“Do you love him?”
“Yes.”
The courtroom quieted.
Mark looked surprised.
“You love the man you accuse?”
“He is my son.”
No contradiction.
Then:
“Do you want Mia forever?”
“I want Mia safe. What legal arrangement is best is court’s job.”
Good.
Then Caleb.
Mic.
Contract.
Chain of custody.
Then recording.
Julian:
“Keep your wrists covered…”
Jury listened.
Then CFO recording:
Not in child trial except perhaps concealment? Financial severed, so not.
Then doctors.
School counselor.
CPS caseworker.
Then defense.
Julian testified.
He had right not to, chose yes.
He admitted:
Slapping Mia.
Called:
“One open-handed corrective slap after she broke irreplaceable photograph and screamed.”
He admitted:
Robe sash around wrists.
Claimed:
“To stop her touching glass while I cleaned.”
Problem:
Why not move child away?
Why wrap?
Why marks?
Why later hide?
He said:
“Mia kept fighting.”
Then curtain:
“I wanted her away from guests until swelling went down.”
Prosecutor:
“You told guests she was asleep.”
“Yes.”
“Was she?”
“No.”
“You told her say she fell.”
“Yes.”
“Was that true?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I was ashamed.”
That admission helped prosecution.
Then:
“Did you shove her behind curtain when Evelyn opened it?”
“I moved her.”
Video showed force.
Then:
“Did you grab wine bottle?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I felt threatened by my mother and guests.”
“Were you intending to strike?”
“No.”
Video could be interpreted threat.
Then:
“Did you say, ‘I own this house and I’ll do whatever I want with her’?”
“Yes.”
“What did ‘with her’ mean?”
“I was angry.”
Then prosecutor:
“Is Mia property?”
“No.”
“But that night you believed being her father gave you the right to hurt her?”
Objection, argumentative.
Sustained.
Prosecutor moved on.
No need theatrics.
Then closing.
Jury deliberated.
Nine hours.
May you like
Verdicts.
Continue to the next chapter: Mia testified once and Julian admitted that he struck her, restrained her wrists, hid her from guests, and told her to lie about the injury—leaving the jury to decide whether he was an overwhelmed parent or a man who knowingly crossed the line into criminal abuse.
