Honesty. Not always the best policy. At least not for the three men sitting in the court, waiting for the judge to order them up to the stand, one by one. To all swear, “I will tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”
*****
“Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth….” The voice faded in his mind as he wiped the beads of nervous sweat from his forehead. “Truth” he thought, “why on Earth would I tell the damn truth when these bastards are all going to get up here and immediately point fingers at me.” He began thinking up a solid testimony when the court suddenly became silent. “I will tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth.” The judge bangs the gavel on the podium and the trial has begun. “You are charged with one count of murder in the first degree. How do you plead?”
Guilty…
“Not guilty your honour.”
“Very well, will you please give the jury your full testimony.”
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He turned to the jury with earnest eyes but was only met with blank stares from the men and women who could ruin his life forever. “Will you please provide the jury with your alibi. Autopsy results confirm the victim was first injured at around five o’clock in the morning of the 17th of February. Where were you the night before, during the night and the morning of the murder?”
“Your honour, I am this woman’s father and I was having dinner with her the night before her death. I said goodnight to her at around ten in the evening and then I went upstairs with my wife and went to bed. I was woken by the police at half past eight that morning when they notified me she was… well, you know.” He stuttered with tears forming in his eyes.
“We have written testimony from your neighbours stating they heard you and a woman arguing at around eleven thirty on the night of the 16th. Can you provide an explanation on that to the