EMERALD CITY MAYHEM & MURDER

Transcription

1 From the SelectedWorks of Beau James Brock 2010 EMERALD CITY MAYHEM & MURDER Beau James Brock Available at:

2 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 1 EMERALD CITY MAYHEM & MURDER BEAU JAMES BROCK STATE OF LOUISIANA V. PAINE PLAYERS FOR THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, PARISH OF EMERALD: MONA MURAT, THE WICKED WITCH OF THE SOUTHEAST 3. OF OZ 4., GENERAL OF THE FLYING MONKEYS FOR THE DEFENDANT: 1. DEFENSE ATTORNEY 2. DEFENDANT, PAINE DEVON, OF THE LOLLY POP GUILD BAILIFF JURY BAILIFF All rise. Now all ye present, take heed, this Honorable Court in and for the Parish of Emerald, State of Louisiana, is now in session, the Honorable presiding. Peace order and quiet are hereby demanded. God save the state of Louisiana and this honorable court and God bless America. Please be seated. Mr. Bailiff, what s the first trial on my

3 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 2 schedule today? BAILIFF JURY State v. Dorothy Paine, your honor. The jury is ready to be sworn in. (Turning to the jury) Please rise everyone. Do you solemnly promise to listen to all the evidence, and only then to make up your minds as to whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty? I do. This is the case of the State of Louisiana versus Dorothy Paine. The indictment reads that between April 1, 2001, and April 30, 2001, in the parish of Emerald, in the State of Louisiana, that one Dorothy Paine did: in count one, commit second degree murder of Melissa Murat, in count two, commit second degree murder of Miranda Murat, and in count three did commit theft of ruby red slippers valued over five hundred ($500) dollars from Melissa Murat without her permission. If any of you have heard anything in the media or any other sensational stories about this case, you are to put them out of your mind. You can only judge this case based on the testimony you hear today. You may not take notes, and so must listen closely to all the testimony presented. The defendant has entered a plea of not guilty, meaning she says that she did not do these things. Are both lawyers ready for the case? Yes, your honor the State of Louisiana is ready. Yes, your honor, counsel for this innocent child is ready. Will the State please proceed with its opening statement? Thank you, your honor. May it please the Court, opposing counsel, your highness, boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, my name is. I am the prosecutor for this case. That means it is my job to work for the victims and ask you to look at the witnesses we call to explain what happened in this case. This is a case of murder. That little girl over there chose to kill two other people and to steal the shoes off one of the people she murdered. The first victim was Melissa Murat who was killed by the defendant on April 1 st, and the second victim was her sister, Miranda Murat, killed by the defendant on the night of April 25 th, in her own home after the defendant had broken in trying to steal her property. We have to prove to you that (1) she killed these people, and (2) from the circumstances surrounding the event, that she intended or wanted to

4 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 3 kill them. Also, that she took shoes that belonged to Melissa Murat without her permission and those shoes cost more than five hundred dollars. That s all we have to prove. Don t be fooled by the defendant s innocent looks, and don t be taken in by her attorney s claims of self-defense, no one has the right to break into other people s houses and then claim self-defense when the homeowner tries to protect their home and property. We will present three witnesses, first an eyewitness to both killings, a military man, a general, Napoleon, he was formerly head of security forces employed by the Murat family. Second, you ll hear from the most distinguished citizen of Emerald Parish, the Wizard of Oz. Finally, you ll hear from the poor first cousin and last surviving girl in the entire Murat family, Mona. At the end of this testimony, you ll agree with me that the defendant should be found guilty of all three charges. Thank you. Is the defense ready? Yes, your honor, may it please the Court, opposing counsel, your highness, boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, my name is. My job is to defend Dorothy from the outrageous charges in this case. I will bring witnesses for you to hear the truth about what happened. You will find from the evidence that Dorothy did not murder anyone. We will present evidence from three people. First, we will bring you Devon McDonald, the Mayor of the Lolly Pop Guild. Devon will tell you how his village in Emerald Parish was being terrorized by the Murat gang. This was no innocent victim as the persecutor, er I mean, the prosecutor wants you to believe. Next, we will call the Scarecrow, he will tell you how one of the Murat gang was trying to kill him and how Dorothy saved his life. Finally, we will call Dorothy herself, a sweet child who was lost in Louisiana and only wished one thing, to get back home and be with her family. She never intended to hurt anyone, and only acted to protect her friends. At the end of the case, please vote to find her not guilty. The state may call its first witness. Your honor, the state calls General Napoleon to the stand. (Napoleon walks to the stand) BAILIFF Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God? I do.

5 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 4 Please state your name and occupation. My name is Napoleon and I currently am employed as a security consultant. I previously commanded a legion of air cavalry for the French Foreign Legion, and served honorably as an officer for twenty years prior to retirement. How many customers would your company have at one time? We like to work for one customer at a time. We provide a full range of services to our customers. Between April 1, 2001, and April 30, 2001, who was your customer? That would have been Murat family. They contracted us to provide protection and surveillance for their business activities. We had been working for them since September of Did something unusual happen on April 1, 2001? Yes, I would say so. It was a horrible thing to see. We had been collecting the monthly rent from some tenants, and then...(starts to sob, a bit) I ll be O.K. Can we get a tissue for the General, please. Well, what did you see, General. It s hard to describe. You see I ve been in combat. I ve fought Dalmatians, more than a hundred of em. I ve seen the bloody destruction that aristocats can inflict, but I ve never seen this new type of horror. It was as big as a house, heck it was a house. All of a sudden, it flew straight into Melissa Murat and crushed her. Did you see who was flying that house. Yes, that house of pain was directed by her (pointing at defendant). After it landed on Melissa, she stepped out, happy as a clam. She even proceeded to sing and dance around the square with the peasants who lived there.

6 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 5 Let the record reflect the witness has identified the defendant. Did she appear sorry for what she had done? Objection your honor, calls for speculation. Mr. Prosecutor, your response. Your honor, the question only calls for his opinion. He can give his opinion based on his rationally based perception. Based on what he saw and heard. Rephrase your question counselor. Yes, thank you your honor. General, what did you see and hear that made you believe she was not sorry for what she did? Besides the dancing, I heard her singing with glee, ding dong the wicked witch is dead. If that wasn t enough, she stole the shoes off her feet. These were expensive shoes. Twice as much as the new Air Jordans! When was the next time you saw the defendant? My men were ordered by Miranda Murat to keep our eyes on her and to continue providing protection. She showed up at Miranda s house on April 25 th looking for trouble. I ll never forget that day. Tell the jury what happened. Well, the defendant broke into Miranda s house and we confronted her and her criminal friends. You know all of them live and hide in the woods along the yellow brick road just hoping to mug innocent travelers. Objection your honor, non-responsive. Your honor Forget it counselor, General, please just answer the questions. Yes your honor. What happened when you confronted the burglars.

7 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 6 There was a fight. The Scarecrook and the Tin Monster both proceeded to assault my men. The murderer over there then grabbed a bucket of acid and threw it at Miranda. The acid hit her square and burned her to a crisp. It was awful. After that happened, she and her friends ran out the house. has. Thank you, please answer any questions the defense attorney General, you are in the protection business correct? We provide security for people. It doesn t matter who that customer is either, does it? Objection, I don t understand the relevance of this your honor. Counselor, where is this going? Your honor, I believe this is important factor for the jury to use in judging this witness s honesty. O.K., I ll allow it. Thank you, you ll work for anybody won t you. No, I won t work for murderers like some people I know. Well isn t it true that you previously worked for a pirate named Captain James Hook? Uh, Hook? Oh yes, I believe that for a very short time we worked for him. However, we discontinued working for him when I found out that he wasn t actually working for the CIA anymore. In fact, isn t it true that you worked for him up until the day he died at the hands of an alligator? No that s not true. It s not (shocked)? We can bring witnesses in here ---- No, no, I mean, it wasn t an alligator...it was a crocodile.

8 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 7 Huh, O.K., let s talk about that bucket of acid. Did you keep that bucket for the police to find? No, we cleaned it before they got there. That sure sounds convenient. Isn t it true that there was no acid, and in reality, only water was in that bucket. No, I m sure it was acid. It had to have been acid. She was turned to dust, water wouldn t have done that. Do you deny that Dorothy was being attacked by the wicked witch of the west, and only then did she toss the bucket s contents at her? west. Objection, to the victim being called the wicked witch of the Counselor, name calling? Your honor, it is our understanding that as a matter of habit, the Murats gave themselves titles such as this to scare people. The please lay a proper foundation for using that phrase. Yes, your honor. General, didn t she call herself the wicked witch of the west? Well, it s pretty hard to collect rent from people if you are known as the Easy going fun fairy. Thank you, and the wicked witch of the east was her sister, Melissa, right? Yes. But And both witches hired you to support their network of bullying and terror. Yes, I mean no! No more questions. (Napoleon acting like he wants to correct his answer but Judge will not let him)

9 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 8 BAILIFF Any questions from the State. (Prosecutor shakes head no) Please step down General. The State calls the Wizard of Oz. Will the Wizard come forward. (Wiz walks up to stand) Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God? I do. Could you state your name please. I am the great OZ, the Wizard of wizards. Oh great Wizard, could you please tell the jury how you met the defendant. Well, I was told that she was coming to the Emerald City in Emerald Parish along the yellow brick road. No one wanted to get in her way. But I was not afraid of her. She showed up at my palace without an appointment. What happened when she came to your palace. She said she wanted to go home and demanded I use my powers to help her. her? What did you think would happen to you if you did not help I assumed that she would kill me just like she killed Melissa Murat. What did you do? Well, because I am the smartest person around, I decided to trick her. I knew that Miranda Murat wanted revenge after the death of her sister. So, I told the defendant I would send her home if she brought me Miranda s broom. I thought I would never see her again after she went to Miranda s. No one has ever left there alive. What s the next thing that happened? I was shocked to find her and her whole gang back in my palace not

10 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 9 24 hours later. She had the broom and wanted me to deliver. I panicked, I told her I had no such powers to help her, even though I did. You see, I didn t want to help a murderer get away. Thank you, your excellency, no more questions. Your witness. How did you get the title the Wizard of Oz anyway? Why I made it up. It definitely sings, doesn t it. What s your real name? It s Myron. Oh...Myron, doesn t exactly sing does it. No. Your honor, where is this going? Could you explain where this is going? Your honor, this witness is a total fraud, down to his title he made up. I am moving to question his honesty. Well, move a little more into areas that matter please. Yes, your honor. Now, Myron, you admit that sent Dorothy and her little dog Toto into the wicked witch s castle on a wild goose chase didn t you? No, I didn t. Didn t you just say in this court (paging through notes) that you never intended to see her alive again after you sent her to Murat Castle? Uh, I didn t expect her back, no. I thought that Miranda would get justice for her family. You knew that the wicked witch of the west would try and kill Dorothy. Isn t it what she deserved? So you lied to her when she came to see you in Emerald City when

11 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 10 you told her you could send her home. No I didn t lie to her, I just didn t tell her the whole truth. What part of the truth aren t you telling this jury...myron. Hey, I resent that, you can t talk to me that way, I m the Wizard of Oz! No more questions your honor. State? Yes your honor, your excellency, did you notice what shoes the defendant had on when she came to see you the first time? Yes she was wearing the ruby red slippers belonging to Melissa Murat. She must have taken them off her when she killed her. Thank you no more questions your honor. You may step down. Call your next witness, please. The State calls Mona Murat. (Mona Murat approaches the stand) BAILIFF Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth? (Mona makes a cutting gesture with her hand) MONA I do. Could you state your name please and your occupation. MONA My name is Mona Murat. I am currently working in pharmaceutical sales. MONA How are you related to the two deceased. They were my 1 st cousins. We grew up together in Salem before they moved to Louisiana to seek their fortune. We are a very close family.

12 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 11 MONA MONA MONA MONA When was the last time you saw your cousins alive? They came up to Salem last October for our annual family reunion. We played together and enjoyed family games. Did either of your cousins own a pair of ruby red slippers? Yes, Melissa did. She was intense about her real estate venture she had begun with her sister. It had involved the leveraging of large sums of money against larger and larger purchases of rental property. The girls had a contest as to who could earn the most money in a year. The prize was a pair of ruby red slippers from Talbot s. Melissa had won last year. So how much did the ruby slippers cost? Over five hundred dollars? Of course, the retail price was $ 2,666 dollars. When was the last time you talked with either of the victims? I talked with Miranda the day after Melissa was killed. She was very angry. She wanted to get the person who did this. But, I calmed her down. After our conversation, it was agreed that we would let the law take care of things. The next time I heard from her was the night she was murdered. She called to tell me that the killer was in her house. She went to get her trusty broom to defend herself; you see, we don t believe in having firearms around the house, and she left the phone off the hook. I could hear loud yelling in the background. I heard a girl scream, We came for the broom, witch, now where is it, before you re talkin to your dead sister without a crystal ball. Then, I heard a shriek, some scuffling went on, and then I heard Miranda crying and saying I m melting, I m melting. She killed her for her broom. (Mona starts to cry a bit) No more questions. Counselor, cross examination? Yes, your honor. Aren t you known as the wicked witch of the southeast? (Prosecutor starts to object but sits down)

13 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 12 MONA MONA MONA MONA MONA MONA Yes, it is a title I use for work. It is hard to be a woman and play hard ball in business. When a man is hard-nosed, he is looked up to, but when a woman fights for herself, she is called names. I am not ashamed of it. But you are a witch aren t you? Yes, but just because I am different, and my family is different, does that mean we aren t entitled to the same rights as everyone else? Don t African-Americans have the same rights as white people, Catholics the same rights as Baptists, if you cut my open hand with a knife won t my blood be as red as yours is? I m not arguing with you Miss, but let me ask you, if I poured this water on you, would you melt? (Picks up the pitcher of water sitting on the counsel table) Keep that water away from me...away, do you hear me. Your Honor, he is harassing this poor witness. Counselor, put the pitcher down. Your Honor, I had no intention of bringing this water over to the witness. I merely wanted an answer to my question. Yes, alright, members of my family suffer from a rare genetic condition that causes our bodies to whither when our skin comes into contact with unfermented plain water. Thank you, and is it true your cousins used extreme techniques in obtaining the rent from its properties including the use of flying monkeys during collection? I know that General Napoleon was working with my cousins but I would not describe their methods as any more aggressive than any other landlord. You mean slum lord. Look, they had to have protection, those people in the Lolly Pop Guild could be vicious. No more questions your honor.

14 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 13 BAILIFF You may step down. Any more witness Mr. Prosecutor. No your honor, the State of Louisiana rests its case. Is the defense ready to present its case? Yes, your honor. Our first witness will be the Mayor of the Lolly Pop Guild. Mayor, will you please step forward. Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but he truth so help you God? I indubitably do. Please state your name and occupation for the record. My name is Devon McDonald and I am the current Mayor of the Lolly Pop Guild. What are your duties as Mayor? As Mayor, I am responsible for the well being of all the citizens of the guild. The guild is composed of families of workers. Some people make shoes, others shirts or jeans. I have to make sure that all of these people have access to police and fire protection and the other regular city services. The guild is a small village located in Emerald County and has a small independent government. Were you present on April 1 st when Melissa Murat entered your village? Yes. She was there with her hoard of monkey men. What was she doing there? She claimed to be there to collect the rent from her tenants, but I think she was there to Objection, your honor, sounds like speculation about the victim.. Counselor?

15 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 14 Uh, your honor, he saw what he saw. Yes, but witnesses cannot guess at everything. A witness can only testify about what they saw or touched or smelled. Objection sustained. Ask a different question. Thank you your honor. Mr. Mayor, what did you see Melissa Murat, the wicked Witch of the East doing in your village on April 1 st? Wellllll, I SAW her spanking my little citizens with brooms on their backsides, just like she used to do every time the rent was due. I SAW her monkey militia threatening my citizens with getting beaten up if they did not pay up that day. Did something strange happen while this was going on? Yes, a house just fell from the sky. It landed right on top of the witch. It smooshed her. The only part of her we could see was her shoes, the rest of her was under the house. When the house landed, the front door opened up and out popped Dorothy. What happened next? I greeted her and she said that she was lost and wanted to get home. I showed her the road to Emerald City. You can t miss it, it s between the cobblestone avenue and the asphalt lane. You know, the Yellow Brick Road. Now let me ask you this, the State has claimed that Dorothy over here, sweet lovely Dorothy, stole the shoes off the dead witch s feet, what really happened? I can t say she did, but I can t say she didn t. After she killed the witch, I saw her talking to a fairy, Glinda. I couldn t hear what was said, but after their conversation, Dorothy magically had the ruby red slippers on and wore them down the Yellow Brick Road. Thank you, Mayor. No more questions. Cross examination Mr. Prosecutor? Yes, your Honor. Mayor McDonald, isn t it true that you hated

16 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 15 and despised Melissa Murat? Objection your honor, that s irrelevant. Mr. Prosecutor? Your Honor, we think it is very important that the jury know the true feelings the mayor had for the Murat family. I have to agree that his personal feelings may affect his testimony. You may proceed. Mr. Mayor, I ll ask again, didn t you hate Melissa Murat? I hated all the witches in that family! Oh witches? You never married did you mayor. Why no, I always considered myself married to people of my village. Really??! Then maybe you can explain why once you proposed marriage to Melissa Murat? Whoooo Whoooo Whoooo told you that? Let s just say a little owl told me, but it s true isn t it, or do we bring in my witness? Yes, yes it s true. But she bewitched me. Yes. Now it s her fault. But didn t you buy her flowers, candy, take her to dinner several times, go to LSU football games with her? This is very uncomfortable. Is it not true? Yes, yes are you happy? Apparently not as happy as you were when she was killed by

17 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 16 the defendant. Isn t it true you and others present danced and sang with glee about her death. BAILIFF Yes, but she deserved it she never should have rejected me. I gave her everything. Money, influence, the control of the richest properties in town, but she just used me. Her and her combat gigolo, General Napoleon. So the defendant did kill Melissa Murat didn t she?! Didn t she! Objection your honor, that is a question for the jury to decide. I agree with you counselor, sustained. I m done with this witness your honor. You may step down, Mayor. Please call your next witness. The defense calls Scarecrow to the stand. Step forward Mr. Scarecrow. Please raise your right hand, do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God? I do. Please state your full name and occupation for the jury. My name is Edward Walters Scarecrow, but people just call me Scarecrow. I have been working as an independent contractor in the agricultural pest control business for the past seven (7) years. Where were you working on or about April 2 nd, 2001? I was working the fields of Farmer Buster Brown s corn crop. The fields are located just outside of the Lolly Pop Guild and run along the Yellow Brick Road. On that day, did you meet my client, Dorothy? I should say so. Those sweet little dimples in her cheeks, her cute little pig tails.

18 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 17 What happened next? She and I talked for a bit, and she told me that she was going to see the Wizard of Oz because she heard that he could help her get home again. Did she say she was lost? Oh yes, she told me that she had come from Kansas, but did not know how to get back there from Louisiana. What did you do? I decided to join her, and to see if I could get some brains from the Wizard myself. You see, I never finished high school, and because I didn t finish, I can t find a decent job anywhere. I figured that if I got some brains, maybe I could do better than minimum wage my entire life, and this might be my last chance. Did you encounter anyone else on your journey? Yes, we met the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion. Did you meet the Wizard himself? We did. He said he would grant our wishes if we obtained the Wicked Witch of the West s broom. We then set off for her castle to get it. What happened when you all arrived there? We were attacked by flying monkeys and the witch herself. In fact, she set my arm on fire! What happened next? Dorothy saved me by throwing water on the fire. Some of the water hit the witch and she shriveled to the ground. So Dorothy didn t even mean to throw water at the witch? Objection, calls for speculation. Mr. Defense Attorney?

19 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 18 Your honor, I ll rephrase the question. Please do. Thank you your Honor. Scarecrow, what would have happened to you if Dorothy hadn t of thrown the water at you? I d of burned up something awful. No more questions. I tender for cross examination. Mr. Prosecutor, your witness. Thank you Judge. Mr. Scarecrow, you admit that you broke into the Murat house without their permission don t you? Uh, uh yes. And what would you think of people who broke into YOUR house without permission? I wouldn t like it. And wouldn t you do whatever you could to get them out of your house? Yes...buttttt I probably would want to find out something about them first. Really?! Well what if one of those persons had a criminal history, they had been convicted before of breaking into people s homes and barns? I don t know what you are talking about. Isn t it true that in your younger days you went by the nickname Scarecrook and even got a tattoo on your chest that says that? That was a long time ago. And weren t you convicted of breaking into a barn and also that

20 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 19 same winter a farm house? BAILIFF Yes, but I was only 17 when that happened, and I couldn t find a job because I had dropped out of school. I have changed. Yes, now you break into houses in the middle of the night and kill people with your friends. I didn t kill anyone. No, I guess YOU didn t. No more questions. You may step down. Call your next witness please. Your honor, the defense calls the defendant, Dorothy Paine, to the stand. Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God? I do. Could you please state your name and occupation for the record. My name is Dorothy Paine, I live in Lawrence, Kansas, and I am a freshman student at the University of Kansas. Go Jayhawks! Dorothy, could you please explain to the jury how you arrived in Louisiana? Sure. I had been working outside that day. It was April Fool s Day. I was going to play a joke on my Auntie Em, when all of a sudden, this tornado came whipping over the prairie towards our farm. I was headed towards our underground shelter but couldn t make it. I ran for the house, and then the house got caught up in the tornado. It flew and flew, and finally landed here in the Lolly Pop Guild in Emerald Parish. Did you know where you were? No, I was totally lost. Everyone talked funny, and frankly, they looked a lot different than the people I knew in Kansas. Go Jayhawks. What happened when you got there?

21 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 20 When I got out of the house, I noticed that it had landed on a person. The local people were very happy with this though and began to dance and sing about it. Did you dance and sing with them? No, no. I was upset about it. And then a witch appeared and told me I had killed her sister and that she was going to get me. Then she vanished into thin air. How did this make you feel? I just felt like this was all a bad dream, and that somehow I needed to get home. The people in the village told me that a wizard could help me and that he lived in the big city in the county, Emerald City. The way there was to follow a yellow brick road. So I was off to see the wizard. I take it you found some friends along the way. Yes, scarecrow, tin man and the lion. Great guys, one and all, even with their little faults. Did you all get to the Emerald City? Yes, we arrived and met the Wizard of Oz. He ordered us to get the witch=s broom before he would help us. What could we do? We had no choice. What did you do then? We went to the witch s castle, and knocked on the door. No one answered so we tried it and it opened right up. We didn t break in, and called out to see if anyone was home. What happened next? In the den, I saw the broom. I went to grab it and from out of nowhere, the witch appeared with her thugs. I told her I needed to borrow it please and she slapped me and cast a spell which set Scarecrow on fire. Oh no, what did you do?

22 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 21 The only thing I could, I grabbed the nearest bucket of water and threw it on the fire. At the same time, the witch was casting another fireball spell with her broom, so I tossed the rest of the water in the bucket at the witch s broom to stop the spell. Some of it got on the witch, and well, you know what happened next. Yes. So you are telling this jury that you didn t mean to kill either one of the witches did you? That s right. I promise. I was only helping my friends and did not mean to kill anyone. What about the ruby red slippers? Those were a gift from a fairy in the village. I didn t steal them. I didn t do anything wrong. All I want to do, is to go home. Your witness. Miss Paine, the shoes you took, they were expensive shoes weren t they? They looked expensive, yes, but I didn t take them. That s right, a fairy gave them to you. Yes, it was a fairy. Is that fairy here today? No, I don t know where she is. It s the truth. So you have no one here who can back up your story do you? IS THERE ANYONE WHO CAN SUPPORT YOUR VERSION OF THE TRUTH WHO IS GOING TO TESTIFY BEFORE THIS JURY? I guess not. Thank you. Do you admit that your throwing of whatever was in that bucket killed Miranda Murat.

23 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 22 She died, I know that, but I thought it was water. You admit that you went into her house without permission didn t you? We all thought that it was O.K. when no one answered the door. No, we don t. Does your family answer the door to your house every time? When you don t, are you giving permission to that person to enter YOUR home? I guess not. But this was different. Different?! Isn t it true you really snuck into the Miranda home with the intent to steal her broom to give to the wizard. No. I was going to return it. When? When you got back to Kansas? I told the Tin Man to return it after the Wizard was done using it. Oh, is the Tin Man here to testify for you? I thought he was coming but he may have gotten caught in the rain and been unable to make it. What about the lion you talked about, is he going to testify? I asked him to come, but he lost his nerve. You do admit that the house you arrived here in crashed and killed Melissa Murat don t you? Yes, but And you did throw some kind of liquid onto Miranda Murat that killed her too. Yes, but

24 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 23 But you felt so bad about killing these people that you took person al Items that belonged to both of them when you left the scene of the crime. I didn t commit any crimes. And neither did your little dog Toto. I have no other questions. Counselor (to defense attorney). Yes, your Honor. Dorothy, I have one question. Did you mean to hurt or kill anybody? No, I didn t. The first time was just an accident. The second time I was acting to defend my friend. I m sorry anyone was hurt. Your Honor, I have no more questions. The defense rests. Any rebuttal from the State? None your Honor. We are ready for closing arguments. Your Honor the defense is also ready. Alright. Ladies and gentlemen of the jury. Both sides will now give you their closing arguments. The State will argue first, followed by the defense and then the State will be allowed to argue last since they hold the burden of proof. At the close of the arguments, I will read to you the law in the case and then you retire and decide your verdict. Mr. Prosecutor, batter up. Thank you, your Honor. May it please the Court, opposing counsel, your highness, boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, thank you for your time and patience. Let me reintroduce myself, I am. This case is a simple one. The defendant has admitted here in court to killing both of the victims. She also admitted taking the shoes from Melissa Murat. The only question for you to decide is whether she meant to do it. This is called intent. The judge will tell you that intent is part of every crime and it means whether a person wanted the results to happen to another person. We can t look inside someone s mind to figure out what they wanted to happen,

25 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 24 so we look at the circumstances surrounding the event. If you look at what happened before and after these murders, you will agree with me that she wanted to kill both people. First, she showed no sorrow, shed not one tear for Melissa Murat. In fact, she took the shoes off her feet. I don t know what kind of magic she used to direct the house at her, I just know that (1) it happened; (2) she then took her shoes; and (3) finally she danced and sang around the village celebrating this murder. The second case is even more clear. She broke into the victim s house. It could have been your house. She came to rob the house of a prized object. If the Wizard had mentioned your T.V. set, guess what, she would have taken your T.V. and killed you if you had gotten in her way. Don t forget that. Don t let her get away with murder. Tell her she s not in Kansas anymore, and that all victims get the same justice in Louisiana, black or white, rich or poor, Catholics, and witches alike. Find her guilty as charged. Mr. defense counsel. Thank you your Honor. May it please the Court, opposing counsel, your highness, boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, my name again is. I want to also thank you for your patience. This case is not the simple one that the prosecutor wants you to believe. It is a case of accident and self-defense. Dorothy is innocent until proven guilty. It is the job of the prosecutor to prove her guilty to you. He has failed to do so. In the charge of murdering Melissa Murat, the evidence all points to one thing, accident. Don t be fooled by the prosecutor s legal mumbo jumbo about intent. When there is an accident, that means a person did not intend to hurt anyone. That s what happened on April 1 st. Yes, she did take the shoes from her, but you heard her testify that they were given to her by Glinda the good fairy. You may be saying, well Glinda wasn t here to say that, well remember, we don t have to prove anything, it is the job of the prosecutor to do that. If it didn t happen that way, the prosecutor should have called her as a witness to say so. In the second case, although maybe Dorothy shouldn t have gone into the house, all the evidence points not to murder, but to self-defense. All the testimony agrees with Dorothy that Scarecrow was being set afire and she only acted to protect him. The monkey man who testified for the State was simply lying. Some people do that you know. Some people just don t care about the truth, and he is one of them. You heard how vicious he was, in the past, he said that he had fought Dalmatians and aristocats without pity. He just made up the story about Dorothy throwing acid on that second witch. Ladies and gentlemen, this poor child has been through too much already, please

26 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 25 send her home to her family, don t send her to prison for ridding the world of two witches, who, she didn t mean to kill to begin with. The judge is going to ask you reach a verdict, make that verdict not guilty. Mr. Prosecutor. Thank you judge, May it please the Court, Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I just wanted to see how many times he would call the victims witches. Did you hear him? Why did he do that? He did that so that you would decide that it s O.K. to kill witches. It s the same argument people made in the past when they would kill people that others didn t like. Hey it s O.K. to kill that person, they are different from you and me, or their life didn t mean that much so I shouldn t be punished for taking another life. If he really felt that the defendant didn t do anything wrong, he wouldn t have tried to get your emotions up by dehumanizing the Murat sisters with that stereotype. The plain truth is she killed two people. The circumstances around the killings show that she meant to kill them. And people that are different from you and me still breathe the same air, are warmed by the same sun, and can be harmed by those filled with anger. Don t let a murderer go free. Every day when we go to the mall we lock our car doors. When we get home we make sure to lock all of our doors. Hey, you know what, we re locking the wrong people up, we re locking ourselves up. Send her a message, and lock her up. Tell her that we protect all the people of our state from murderers like her, even the poorest, because our most basic right that we all share is the right to life. Find her guilty as charged. Thank you. Now you have heard the arguments of the lawyers. The State had to prove to you that in count one: Dorothy Paine killed Melissa Murat; in count two: Dorothy Paine killed Miranda Murat; and count three: Dorothy Paine committed theft of shoes belonging to Melissa Murat valued over five hundred dollars. The state had to prove that the defendant intended these acts or actively desired the results to follow her actions. In order to determine her intent, you may look at the circumstances surrounding her conduct, and then decide what she meant to do. The defendant is presumed innocent, and the State must prove all the conduct it charged her beyond a reasonable doubt. This does not require a perfect case, but you must be firmly convinced of her guilt. Your job is to go into the jury room, select a foreperson (can be a boy or girl), take this verdict form and decide whether she is guilty or not guilty of the three charges in this case. When a majority have decided on verdicts for all three counts, call the bailiff and we will resume court to accept your verdicts. May God

27 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 26 provide you the courage to do your job faithfully and without passion or prejudice. You are to now to retire, court stands in recess. Instructions for the Teacher: Players needed: 12 to 16 - to be jurors. The lawyers will pick them in the courtroom. People in audience will be picked at random by teacher of room supervisor. Both lawyers may then kick off two jurors they don t want secretly by writing down the names and handing them to the Judge. Those kicked off will then be sent back into the audience. The instructor will then select from who is left at random, enough to fill out the twelve. The lawyers cannot kick off anyone else. 2 - Can share prosecutor lines in script. 2 - Can share defense attorney lines. 3 - Witnesses for the State (prosecutor) 3 - Witnesses for the defense. 1 - Judge 1 - Bailiff 23 to 28 - TOTAL PLAYERS PROPOSED SCHEDULE FOR A LAW DAY AT THE COURTHOUSE 8:30 Arrival at Courthouse 8:30-9:30 Brought to Courtroom and introduced to system 9:30-10:15 Guest speakers from courthouse 10:15 Go and visit courtrooms 10:30-11:30 See live action in courtrooms 11:30-12:30 Lunch on courthouse steps. Answer questions of students

28 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 27 12:30-3:30 Mock Trial and Post-trial discussion 3:30 Depart for home VERDICT FORM DIRECTIONS DISCUSS THE CHARGES AND CIRCLE THE VERDICT THAT AT LEAST EIGHT OF YOU DECIDE UPON: COUNT 1 GUILTY OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER OF MELISSA MURAT NOT GUILTY COULD NOT GET EIGHT VOTES EITHER WAY COUNT 2 GUILTY OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER OF MIRANDA MURAT NOT GUILTY COULD NOT GET EIGHT VOTES EITHER WAY COUNT 3 GUILTY OF THEFT OF RUBY RED SLIPPERS VALUED OVER $500 DOLLARS NOT GUILTY COULD NOT GET EIGHT VOTES EITHER WAY

29 Emerald City Mayhem & Murder 28 FOREPERSON DATE