My parents came, one at a time, and they were both upbeat and full of news about the neighborhood and about Jerry.
“Did you see him down in the street?” Mama asked.
I told her yes and tried to smile with her. Her eyes were smiling but her voice cracked. In a way I think she was mourning me as if I were dead.
They left and there was still too much Sunday left in my life.
I looked over the movie again. I need it more and more. The movie is more real in so many ways than the life I am leading. No, that’s not true. I just desperately wish this was only a movie.
Monday is the State’s case. This is what Miss O’Brien said. Monday they bring out their star witnesses.
Monday, July 13th
FADE IN: INTERIOR: COURTROOM. There is a feeling of expectation in the air. PETROCELLI, BRIGGS, and O’BRIEN are talking to the JUDGE. PETROCELLI makes a joke and O’BRIEN laughs briefly. They return to their respective tables and the JUDGE nods to the COURT STENOGRAPHER, who straightens up, ready to take down the day’s proceedings.
PETROCELLI
The State calls Lorelle Henry.
Camera swings to the rear of the COURTROOM. An Assistant District Attorney ushers in LORELLE HENRY. The diminutive 58-year-old retired school librarian is neatly dressed. She was once a beautiful woman and is still quite attractive, looking far younger than her stated age. She moves with grace to the witness stand, avoiding looking at either the jury or the defendants.
PETROCELLI
Mrs. Henry, do you remember an incident that occurred last December in Harlem?
HENRY
Yes, I do.
PETROCELLI
Can you tell us about that incident?
HENRY
My granddaughter had a cold. It was just a few days before Christmas and I didn’t want it to ruin her Christmas. I had taken her to Harlem Hospital and they said it wasn’t serious, but she was still coughing. I went into the drugstore to look for some cough medicine. I was looking over the medicines, trying to figure out which would be best for her, when I heard someone arguing.
PETROCELLI
Do you know what the argument was about?
HENRY
No, I don’t.
PETROCELLI
Then what happened?
HENRY
The store owner, Mr. Nesbitt, came over to see what the argument was about, and I heard one of the men who was involved in the argument say to him—ask him where the money was.
PETROCELLI
How sure are you that this is what he said?
HENRY (nervously)
Not that sure. It’s what I think I heard.
PETROCELLI
And what did you see during this time?
HENRY
I saw two young men engaged in an argument. Then I saw one of them grab the drugstore owner by the collar. (She grabs her own collar to demonstrate.)
PETROCELLI
And then what did you do?
HENRY
And then I left the store as quickly as I could. I thought there might be trouble.
PETROCELLI
Mrs. Henry, do you recognize anyone present today in this courtroom who was also in the drugstore on the day to which you are referring?
HENRY
The gentleman sitting at that table was one of the men arguing. (She points to KING.)
PETROCELLI
Let the record show that Mrs. Henry has indicated that the defendant, James King, was one of the men she saw in the drugstore on that day. Mrs. Henry, do you remember the day you witnessed the incident at the drugstore?
HENRY
The 22nd of December. It was a Monday. I didn’t want Tracy—that’s my granddaughter—missing too much school. I thought if she could get through the next day or so, she would be all right because of the Christmas break.
PETROCELLI
Thank you. Nothing further.
CUT TO: BRIGGS at podium.
BRIGGS
Mrs. Henry, did you have occasion to see some photographs of Mr. King?
HENRY
Yes, I did. At the police station.
BRIGGS
You heard about the robbery and the death of Mr. Nesbitt and you went to the police; is that correct?
HENRY
That’s correct.
BRIGGS
And the police showed you a series of pictures—would you say a thousand pictures?
HENRY
A thousand? No, maybe 30 to 40.
BRIGGS
Maybe 20?
HENRY
I think more than 20.
BRIGGS
Would you say 27?
HENRY
I couldn’t say for sure.
BRIGGS
So the truth is that the police showed you a few photographs and asked you to cooperate with them in finding a killer. Is that correct?
HENRY
More or less.
BRIGGS
More or less? Well, I want to get to the truth of this matter, Mrs. Henry. The police did show you the pictures, and they were looking for your cooperation in finding a killer? Is that correct?
HENRY
Yes.
BRIGGS
Mrs. Henry, while you were looking over the pictures, were there moments of hesitation? Were there moments when you weren’t quite sure, or did you recognize Mr. King as soon as you saw his picture?
HENRY
I didn’t recognize him at first, but then I did—the pictures look different than he does in person.
BRIGGS
So how did you recognize him if he looks different in person than he does in the photographs?
HENRY
I finally recognized him. And when I see him now, I recognize him.
BRIGGS
Mrs. Henry, were you ever given a description of Mr. King? Ever told how much he weighed or how tall he was?
HENRY
No, I was not.
BRIGGS
You said that someone said something about Mr. Nesbitt showing them where the money was, is that correct?
HENRY
That’s correct.
BRIGGS
Do you remember who said that? Was it the man you think was Mr. King?
HENRY
I don’t know.
BRIGGS
You testified in a pretrial hearing that you had some trouble testifying that Mr. King was involved in this event, is that correct?
HENRY
I have trouble testifying against a Black man, if that’s what you mean.
BRIGGS
But somehow you don’t have trouble identifying Mr. King at this time; isn’t that so?
HENRY
I think I’m doing the right thing. I think I’m identifying the right man.
BRIGGS
Did you ever identify Mr. King in a lineup?
HENRY
Yes, I did.
BRIGGS
Was that before or after you saw the photographs?
HENRY
That was after I saw the photographs.
BRIGGS
And how many men were in the lineup?
HENRY
I believe there were 6.
BRIGGS
Six. Only 6. Nothing further.
CUT TO: O’BRIEN sitting at the table. She looks up toward the judge and shakes her head.
O’BRIEN
No questions, Your Honor.
CUT TO: PETROCELLI.
PETROCELLI
Is there any question in your mind that the man you identified from photographs is the same man who sits at this table?
HENRY
No, there is not.
PETROCELLI
Thank you. Nothing further.
MS of BRIGGS, his ASSOCIATE, and JAMES KING.
BRIGGS (to KING)
When this guy gets on the stand, I want you to take notes. Just write down any questions you want us to ask him.
KING
Like what
?
BRIGGS
Don’t worry about it. We just need the jury to know we’re challenging this guy.
PETROCELLI
Richard “Bobo” Evans, your honor.
Camera pans to side of COURTROOM, where a COURT OFFICER opens the door and leans out. He holds the door open until RICHARD “BOBO” EVANS enters. He is a big man, heavy, and ugly. His hair is uncombed, and his orange prison jump-suit is wrinkled.
BRIGGS
Your honor, could we have a sidebar?
BRIGGS, O’BRIEN, PETROCELLI and COURT STENOGRAPHER go to side of JUDGE’s bench, where they speak in whispers.
BRIGGS
Why is he dressed in a prison uniform? The prosecution is going to try to connect him to my client. With him in prison gear, that prejudices my client.
PETROCELLI
He refused to put on a suit. We made the offer.
BRIGGS
It’s still prejudicial.
JUDGE
To tell you the truth, I don’t think it’s going to make that much of a difference. This guy looks like a basket case and he’s going to act like one. I don’t want to hold the case up while you convince this guy to wear a suit. Let’s get on with the case.
BRIGGS
I’d like to establish the objection.
JUDGE
Okay, and I’ll overrule it. Let’s get going.
They return to their respective previous positions with PETROCELLI at the podium.
PETROCELLI
Please state your full name.
BOBO
Richard Evans.
PETROCELLI
Mr. Evans, how old are you?
BOBO
Twenty-two.
PETROCELLI
And are you sometimes known by another name? A nickname or tag?
BOBO
They call me Bobo.
PETROCELLI
Now, Mr. Evans, do you know the people who are seated at these two tables, Mr. Steven Harmon and Mr. James King?
BOBO
Yeah, I know them.
PETROCELLI
How long have you known them?
BOBO
I been knowing King all my life. I just met the other guy before the robbery went down.
PETROCELLI
Before we go any further, Mr. Evans, I notice that you are wearing a prison uniform. What is your current status?
BOBO
I’m doing a heavy and a half up at Greenhaven.
PETROCELLI
Will you explain to the jury what a heavy and a half is?
BOBO
Seven and a half to 10 years.
PETROCELLI
And what are you doing the time for?
BOBO
Selling drugs.
PETROCELLI
And you’ve been arrested before?
BOBO
I been arrested for (Hesitates.)…breaking and entering, grand theft auto, and one time for taking a car radio and one time for fighting a guy what died.
PETROCELLI
So the arrest for fighting a guy that died was manslaughter, is that right?
BOBO
Yeah. I got three years.
PETROCELLI
I think the record will show you got 5 to 10 years and served 3. Is that correct?
BOBO
Whatever.
PETROCELLI
Mr. Evans, can you tell me what happened on the 22nd of December of last year?
Me and King planned out a getover and we done it.
PETROCELLI
Can you explain to the jury what this particular “getover” was.
BOBO
We hit a drugstore.
PETROCELLI
Can you tell me as much as you can about the plan and about what actually happened?
BOBO
We went over to the place and sat down on a car outside. Then we got the sign from him—
PETROCELLI
Let the record show that Mr. Evans is pointing toward Mr. Harmon. Go on.
O’BRIEN
Objection!
JUDGE
Sustained. Is he identifying him or not?
PETROCELLI
Can you identify the man from whom you got the sign that everything was all right?
BOBO
That’s him, sitting next to the woman with the red hair.
PETROCELLI
Let the record show that Mr. Evans is identifying Mr. Harmon. Go on.
BOBO
So we got the sign that everything was cool. King took a hit on some crank we had and then we went in. We started a beef with the dude behind the counter. He came up with a chrome and started shouting and stuff.
PETROCELLI
A chrome?
BOBO
Yeah. A gun. Anyway, King was trying to get the gun from him and I was going for the money. Then I heard the gun go off. I looked over and saw the guy falling down and King was holding the chrome. We grabbed what we wanted and split. That was it.
PETROCELLI
What else did you grab besides the money?
BOBO
We took some cigarettes and left.
PETROCELLI
Then what did you do?
BOBO
Then we went down to that chicken joint over Lenox Avenue, across from the bridge. We got some fried chicken and some wedgies and some sodas.
PETROCELLI
Who was with you at this time?
BOBO
Just me and King.
PETROCELLI
When did you find out that Mr. Nesbitt, the drugstore owner, was dead?
BOBO
The word was in the street that night.
PETROCELLI
What happened to the money you got from the robbery?
BOBO
Like I said, we spent some of it on fried chicken and wedgies. Then me and King split the rest.
PETROCELLI
You indicated that Mr. Harmon gave you the all-clear signal so you could proceed with the robbery, is that right?
BOBO
Yeah.
PETROCELLI
And was he to get part of the money?
O’BRIEN
Objection! If Miss Petrocelli wants to testify in—
JUDGE
Sustained! Sustained! Let’s not get carried away. Rephrase the question.
PETROCELLI
Was anybody else to share in the money?
BOBO
The little Puerto Rican boy was supposed to get a taste and King’s friend was supposed to get a taste.
PETROCELLI
You said that you received a sign from Mr. Harmon. Can you tell me what that sign was?
BOBO
He was supposed to tell us if there was anybody in the drugstore. He didn’t say nothing so we figured it was all right.