487 Attempted First-Degree Murder (2/2)
Wilfrid laughed. ”Prosecutor Reese, this suggestion of yours, I only see that it is beneficial to you. I don't see any benefits to my client.”
”How could that be? Your client has no need to face charges against him for an attempted first-degree murder. For your client, isn't that a great benefit?” Reese stated.
”My client is innocent.” Wilfrid shook his head firmly.
”In that case, we'll meet in court.” Reese stood up and prepared to leave. Before he left, he added, ”Mr. Wilfrid, this suggestion of mine, do consider it carefully. Or perhaps you can ask for the opinion of your client. Until the judge makes a judgment, my offer is still in effect.”
...
Reese walked out of Wilfrid's law firm. The meeting had gone exactly as Reese expected. Wilfrid was the nation's best criminal lawyer; naturally, he would never compromise under Reese's intimidation.
Reese took out his phone and dialed the cell phone number of the chief of the LAPD.
”Chief, the thing I talked about previously, looks like we're going to court. A few officers will need to appear as witnesses. To win this lawsuit, I hope that they will cooperate with me in court.”
”No, no, of course, we cannot falsify evidence. Falsifying evidence is against the law, we can't break the law while knowing the law. What I mean to say is that I hope that the officers who will appear as witnesses can side with us when providing their testimonies. You can relax, I will guide them during questioning.”
...
It was the first time Dai Li was faced with a lawsuit, and it was also his first time in court.
Who would have thought that my first time in court would be as the defendant? Dai Li shook his head in resignation. He looked towards the witness stand, and the middle-aged man who was seated there.
The middle-aged man was a police officer. He was one of the two who reached the scene the quickest. He ran up to pull Sam Gardner out of the way, then hid behind the car with the other police officer.
”Officer Lori, can you briefly describe what happened on that day,” Nick Reese said.
The officer organized his thoughts and said, ”On the day of the incident, me and my partner, Pane, dispatched to the scene of a shooting. After we arrived at the scene, we discovered an injured person lying on the ground. The injured person told us that he was shot. My partner Pane was responsible for keeping a lookout, and I went to check the condition of the injured man.”
”I walked to the front of the injured person and lifted him up. As I was walking back, we were attacked with gunfire again, and after hearing the shots, the three of us immediately got down. Later, Pane let me hide behind the car, so I immediately helped the injured man move behind the car. Pane then told me that the tire of the vehicle was blown out, so we immediately requested backup. After that, headquarters sent a professional anti-terrorist team, and I retreated back under the cover of the other officers.
Nick Reese listened seriously. He nodded as he listened, and when Officer Lori finished his description, he asked instantly, ”Officer Lori after you and your partner arrived at the scene, did you know that the shooter was still hidden around the area?”
”No, we didn't know if the shooter was around or not, so my partner stayed to keep watch,” Officer Lori answered.
”Then, even you guys didn't know the location of the shooter?” Reese continued asking.
”We didn't know,” the officer answered without hesitation.
Reese looked encouragingly at the police officer and asked, ”From what you've said, you helped the injured person up, and you were shot at as you tried to provide aid, is that correct?”
”Yes,” the police officer answered without hesitation.
”Then I'd like to ask Officer Lori, what was the first thing that came to mind when you heard the gunshot?” Reese continued his questioning.
”The first thing I thought was that someone had assaulted the police,” the police officer immediately replied.
”I object!” Wilfrid immediately stood up. ”The opinion of the witness is only formed by his subjective will, it is unrelated to the case! I object to the prosecutor bringing up unrelated issues.”
Reese quickly answered tit-for-tat, ”Your honor, this witness was not only there at the scene when everything happened, but he was also the officer in charge of handling the case. As a professional, that was the professional judgment he made based on the situation at the scene. It should be able to be used as a reference for this case.”
The judge thought for a moment and nodded, ”Overruled. As a police officer who was first to arrive at the scene of the crime, Officer Lori's opinions are professional, and can be used as a reference for this case.”
A victorious expression flashed over Reese's face. He then asked, ”Officer Lori, when you called for backup, did you state that there was a police assault?”
”Yes. When my partner, Pane, called for backup from headquarters, he clearly stated this point. I heard it clearly from beside him,” Officer Lori replied.
”After that, did the shooter open fire again at the police?” Reese continued asking.
”He did. That was after the arrival of the backup. The shooter fired a few more shots at the officers,” Officer Lori answered firmly.
On the defense lawyer's stand, Wilfrid kept noting down key points in his notebook.
Reese keeps repeating the words ”fired at police.” Looks like he wants to pin the police assault charge on my client through the words of this police witness. But this sort of thinking is too naive, it might work on newbie lawyers, but to use this against me, haha, he's naive…