Parnell Hall: The Innocent Woman

“Your Honor, I ask that these bills be marked for identification as Peoples’ Exhibits Two-A and Two-B.”

“So ordered.”

When the bills had been marked for identification, Pearson smiled and said, “These are the bills that you took from the wallet of the defendant on the morning of Monday, May 3rd?”

“Yes, they are.”

“And they match two of the serial numbers that you had written down in your notebook in the office on April 30th, the notebook that has been marked for identification as People’s Exhibit One?”

“Yes, they do.”

Pearson smiled. “Thank you, Mr. Macklin. That’s all.”

Steve Winslow got to his feet. “Mr. Macklin, you testified to being a trained observer, is that right?”

“Yes, it is.”

“I think you also testified that you saw Mr. Fletcher put the twenty dollar bills in the petty cash box, is that right?”

“Yes, it is.”

“He gave you the twenty dollar bills?”

“Yes, he did.”

“You wrote the serial numbers down and gave them back to him?”

“Yes, I did.”

“He took those twenty dollar bills and put them in the petty cash drawer?”

“That’s right.”

“Twenty-five twenty dollar bills?”

“That is correct.”

“You counted them?”

“He counted them and I counted them.”

“And there were twenty-five?”

“Yes, there were.”

“So when you said earlier in response to Mr. Pearson’s question that you didn’t know how many serial numbers you had written down, you would have to count them, that was incorrect?”

Macklin’s smile was somewhat superior. “Not at all,” he said. “I meant exactly what I said. I had not counted the serial numbers. Nor had I numbered them. I had counted the bills, and knew them to be twenty-five. And I had written down the serial numbers for those bills, so I could assume I had written down twenty-five numbers. But I’m not allowed to testify to what I assume . Only what I know .”

At the prosecution table, A.D.A. Pearson let the jurors see his broad grin.

“I’m glad to hear it,” Steve said. “But you know now from counting that you wrote twenty-five serial numbers in your notebook?”

“That’s right.”

“And you knew then from counting that Mr. Fletcher gave you twenty-five twenty dollar bills?”

“That’s right.”

“And it was those same bills that you wrote the serial numbers of down in your notebook?”

“That’s right.”

“And those same bills that you returned to Mr. Fletcher?”

“That’s right.”

“And those same bills that Mr. Fletcher put in the cash box and put in the desk?”

Macklin nodded. “Absolutely. The same ones.”

“And you know that because you are a trained observer, and if Mr. Fletcher had substituted any bills for the ones you’d given him, you’d have seen him do it. Is that right?”

“Yes, it is.”

Steve Winslow nodded. “I see. Mr. Macklin, do you have x-ray vision?”

Macklin blinked. “I beg your pardon?”

“X-ray vision. You know. Like Superman. Can you see through walls?”

“Objection, Your Honor,” Pearson said. “Of all the ridiculous-”

Judge Dalrymple banged the gavel. “That will do. If you have an objection, state it in legal terms.”

“Incompetent, irrelevant and immaterial.”

“It goes to his qualifications, Your Honor.”

“Nonsense,” Pearson said. “That’s a facetious question. It-”

The gavel cut him off again. “You will argue objections at the sidebar, counselor,” Judge Dalrymple snapped. “Only in this case no argument is necessary. The objection is sustained.”

“I’ll withdraw the question and ask another. Mr. Macklin, are you clairvoyant?”

“Same objection.”

“Same ruling. Mr. Winslow, if you have a point to make, please lay the groundwork first.”

“Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Macklin, I believe you stated Mr. Fletcher could not have substituted any twenty dollar bills for the ones you gave him because you’re a trained observer and you would have seen him do it. Is that right?”

“Yes, it is.”

“You also stated that when the defendant arrived for work Monday morning you identified yourself as a private detective and removed two bills from her possession. Is that right?”

“Yes, it is.”

“I believe you stated that you had to identify yourself to Miss Dearborn because she had never seen you before?”

“That’s right.”

“She didn’t see you on Friday when you wrote down the serial numbers from the bills?”

“No, of course not. She wasn’t there.”

“She wasn’t?”

“No. That was the whole point. I came while she was out to lunch.”

“And left before she returned from lunch?”

“Yes, of course.”

“And did Mr. Fletcher and Mr. Lowery leave with you?”

“No. Why would they do that?”

“So you left alone?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Well, Mr. Macklin,” Steve said. “So, when you testify that Mr. Fletcher could not have substituted any bills, because as a trained observer you would have seen him do it, is it not a fact that unless you’re clairvoyant or have x-ray vision, you would have no way of knowing whether he made such a substitution after you had left his office and before the defendant returned from lunch?”

Pearson lunged to his feet to object, but Judge Dalrymple’s banged the gavel and cut him off. Gesturing with it, Dalrymple said, “Sidebar.”

A.D.A. Pearson could hardly contain himself waiting for the court reporter to get set up. When he was finally allowed to speak, it was like opening the flood gates.

“Your Honor, Your Honor,” he said. “This is totally outrageous. It is beyond all bounds. X-ray vision. Clairvoyant. Your Honor has already ruled on those questions. And here is counsel raising them again. It’s misconduct. It constitutes contempt of court.”

Judge Dalrymple shook his head. “My ruling at the time was that no proper foundation had been laid. That no longer applies.”

“Then I object on the grounds that it’s incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial, assumes facts not in evidence, calls for a conclusion on the part of the witness and is leading and suggestive.”

“It is a hypothetical question only, Your Honor,” Steve said, “for the purpose of impeachment.”

“It is an adroitly framed question,” Judge Dalrymple said dryly, “conveying an entire argument by inference.” He took a breath. “But it happens to be legal. So the objection is overruled. Let’s get on with it.”

The attorneys resumed their positions and the court reporter read the question to the witness.

Macklin shrugged. “Obviously, I can’t answer for what happened after I left the office.”

Steve Winslow smiled. “Thank you, Mr. Macklin. That’s all.”

As Marvin Lowery took the witness stand, A.D.A. Pearson was actually rather pleased with how things had worked out..

Frank Fletcher had not made a good impression on the stand. He was too sharp and angular. Too cunning and conniving. He simply did not inspire trust.

Macklin would have been good, until he stubbed his toe by boasting about his detective prowess, laying himself wide open for the X-ray vision fiasco.

But Marvin Lowery was perfect. Middle-aged, roly-poly fat, with graying curly hair and kindly, almost twinkling eyes, the man inspired confidence. This was someone the jurors could relate to. This was someone they could trust. All in all, a good man to close with. A good anchor for the case.

Marvin Lowery was sworn in and testified with easy assurance to his position in the firm and his partnership with Mr. Fletcher.