Falsely Accused
by Marko Lampas
E-book $10.50

FALSELY ACCUSED

Chapter-One

Biting wind twirled the snow of the unexpected storm outside the steps of the criminal court in New Canaan, Connecticut. It was a Monday morning in mid-January and the hordes of reporters and townspeople were rushing up the icy steps, holding tightly to the rails and to each other, trying not to slip. They shook the snow off their overcoats and hats and banged their feet on the marble floor in the corridor to loosen the frost from their shoes then hurried inside the courtroom.

In spite of the near-blizzard conditions, the courtroom had filled to capacity. Everyone in the gallery of this widely publicized trial wanted to see the defendant, teacher Thomas Robson, punished to the fullest extent of the law.

They wanted this child molester sent to prison for a long time, and no prosecutor was better qualified to do that than the power-hungry Marsha Stanley. Her striking looks and harsh reputation for sending every offender to prison had become a popular attraction. Her trials filled the courtrooms, not only because of her looks, but also because of her amazing aptitude as a criminal lawyer and her perfect record. This trial however, was different from the hardcore and white-collar criminals she had prosecuted. The assumed victim of this heinous crime was Mr. Robson’s 13 year-old student, Luke Sideris.

One could see and hear the judgmental murmurs of most of the spectators. Their angry stares directed toward the defendant were obvious. Most had reached their own guilty verdict and hoped the prosecutor would send him away for good.

Handsome Thomas Robson, aman in his mid-thirties was seated in the front of the courtroom, next to his two lawyers with his head resting on his fists.

“All stand, the honorable Judge Mariana Rossi presiding,” the clerk called loudly. A noise similar to a stampede filled the courtroom as everyone stood. The chamber door opened and in walked a tall, middle-aged woman, with dark hair and big black eyes filled with fire stemming from her Italian heritage. One could see she was a no-nonsense judge. She looked at the spectators and gestured for them to sit. She didn’t need to hit the gavel to bring order to the courtroom; her piercing stare did it.

She took her time to check some documents in front of her and then gazed over her reading spectacles at the prosecutor first and then at the defense lawyers before she called, “This court is in session; the prosecution may call its first witness.”

* * *

Thomas looked at the judge first, and then saw the staring eyes of the jurors. The women with cold expressions clearly thinking of their children, and imagining ‘what if?’ Some had a child close to Luke Sideris’ age at the same school.

He lowered his head and wrestled with his troubled thoughts and murmuring that only he could hear. My God, the intense, accusative look of the jurywomen worries me, what is happening to me, what am I doing here? What in hell’s name did I do to be sitting here, fighting for my life and my reputation? How can this be possible? I'm ruined; these damned charges against me are ludicrous. They arrested me for child molestation inside my classroom, in front of my students and the other teachers. They took me out in handcuffs. I can’t believe it.

The Laurences fileda complaint, along with Mrs. Jordan to have me arrested. Why? Why did they do it? I thought it was some kind of a terrible mistake and waited to be exonerated. Instead, I was arrested and here I am to be tried like a common criminal. I can’t believe this. God! What a humiliation. How am I going to clear my name from this madness? All these goddamn reporters, and the New Canaanite’s, it has become nationwide news, I see them staring at me. They’re dying to see me convicted.

And Marsha, why the hell does she hate me so? She knows this is not true? How could she possibly believe I’d do something like this? We had such a passionate love affair. Look at her, the way she looks at me, she hates me. It’s hard to believe not long ago we were lovers. I thought she’d be somehow sympathetic as the prosecutor, but on the contrary. In her opening statement she was merciless, calling me ‘a low-life pedophile who doesn't belong in our society.’ Pedophile?

I saw her angry stare toward the judge the moment she entered. These two don’t like each other. I remember her telling me months ago in one of her trials how pissed she was with the judge for passing a lenient sentence on a defendant. She took her complaints to the media, accusing the judge of being too liberal, and suggested she be removed from the bench. She demanded a harsher sentence for the convicted white-collar criminal than the five years judge Rossi gave him. She’ll make sure the same leniency doesn't apply at this trial. I feel it; she’s looking to fry me. What scares me the most, is this political power she holds to bully everyone including the judge. This damn power was one of the reasons I broke off our relationship. The other was her cruel and snobbish behavior toward her colleagues and housekeepers. She’s heartless egomaniac. She’s driven to reach the highest rung on the political ladder no matter what. She’ll use this trial for another step closer to her goal in Washington, I'm sure.

He looked from the corner of his eyes at his lawyer Patterson looking at some documents.

I wonder if Patterson, can be a strong opponent for her. My brother did recommend him, because Patterson won a similar case in Stanford, where a woman, after her man left her, accused him of molesting her young daughter. The jury found him to be innocent, and the woman was convicted of perjury.

We’ll see; he’s an attractive man, a good dresser and that says something for a poor black man to reach the top echelon in his prestigious law firm. I surely hope so. His co-counsel, attractive Robin Nichols, appears to be eager and very attentive to learn the way in court the way she observes him. But I still have my doubts if these two are in Marsha’s lead.

Well, here we are; my ex-lover is calling her first witness my neighbor, Dorothy Jordan, to the stand. What could she possibly have against me? She’s a lovely woman. Often she has invited me for tea and told me about her early life in Spain. My God, I feel weird, my life depends on what these witnesses will say, I can hardly breathe.

* * *

Mrs. Dorothy Jordan, a fragile, elderly woman stood and walked slowly down the aisle. She was dressed in a navy designer suit, with a rather large diamond ring on her finger, a gold necklace elegantly draped around her neck, and was carrying a matching expensive purse. From the way she walked, staring left and right, fidgeting with her hands, one could see she was terrified. This must be the first time she had appeared in court as a witness.

While the preliminary questions by the court’s clerk were asked, the prosecutor Marsha Stanley was busy herself with some documents and her own thoughts. She turned and gave Thomas a stare. Her gorgeous blue eyes glittered with the ardent fire of a seductress.

* * *

You’re mine Thomas, I’ve got you, in my court. Yes, look at me, look at me you son of a bitch and remember the passionate seven months we had. You were the best; I ever had, the best lover. You made me love you, that’s why I now hate you. You went and made the biggest goddamn mistake of your life. You dropped me like an old shoe for that low class Greek bitch. No man ever leaves me! Look at you, sitting there, waiting for me to crucify you. I don’t know why I still love you; but love now has turned to poison and cries for revenge.

You’ll pay for what you did to me. I’ll send you away for a long time, and I’ll run the Greek bitch out of town, back to New York where she came from. You’re wondering, what Mrs. Jordan’s testimony will be, well, watch and see.

Marsha came around her desk and leaned against it, facing Mrs. Jordan. The men in the courtroom drooled the moment they saw her incredible figure. She wore a tight black pants suit, with the jacket open to reveal her perfect breasts covered by her dark-blue silk blouse. Her long blond hair was tied back. She was a magnificent vision.

“Mrs. Jordan, can you tell us what you saw from your window the night in question?”

Dorothy Jordan answered with a trembling voice, pointing her finger at Thomas, “I saw him, Thomas Robson, taking the clothes off the Sideris boy, and then his own, until they both were naked. I was horrified! I couldn’t believe this man could do something so dreadful, so shameful! I believed him to be a lovely man, a decent neighbor.”

Patterson stood up. “Your Honor, I object to this rhetoric by this witness.”

“Sustained. Mrs. Jordan, answer the questions with yes or no only.” Judge Rossi ordered.

Mrs. Jordan’s face turned white and she pressed her lips together. Her shyness was indicated by the constant lowering of her head to avoid looking at the gallery of people. Her frail body crumpled into itself. She held her hands together, as in a prayer, touching her lips and muttered, almost intelligibly.

“Oh goodness gracious, I’m terrified, look at these people watching me, and those cameras. I never imagined being so scared.”

“Come, come, Mrs. Jordan there is nothing for you to be afraid of. Just simply tell us what you saw, after they took their clothes off. What happened next? Tell us in your own words.”

Mrs. Jordan’s lips trembled; she looked at the prosecutor and tried to swallow.

“Well, … ” She paused and cleared her throat.

“Speak up, Mrs. Jordan, speak up, the jury has to hear you.” Come you old bag; don’t give up on me now. I’ve got to get your testimony before you fall apart. Were Marsha’s thoughts.

Mrs. Jordan cleared her throat a couple of times. “I need a glass of water. Please, may I have some water?” The clerk poured her a glass and handed it to her.

Mrs. Jordan looked at Marsha Stanley, who was standing next to her by the witness stand, facing the gallery. She swallowed and continued,

“Well, … they hugged and kissed. I felt sick watching them. My God, I never thought I’d ever see anything like this.” With anger in her eyes she pointed her finger at Thomas again, and leaned forward, “You’re the reason I’m here in front of all these people. You’re a terrible man. I should hate you. God knows how many people are watching me. Why did you do such a shameful thing?”

Marsha gave Thomas a stare and painted a cheerful expression on her to go on with her inner thoughts.

Good, Mrs. Jordan, that’s very good, nail him. Nail the bastard. Oh, look at you, look at your beautiful blue eyes Thomas, almost in tears. You’re completely shocked, aren’t you darling? What? You’re shock with what Mrs. Jordan just said? And you want to know why she’s lying? Well, I have just started, fasten your belt my dear, you’ll feel the pain I felt, the pain you caused me when you broke my heart, and destroyed all my hopes and plans. You made me shed many tears. I'm still looking for your firm body next to mine, but you’ll never be mine, isn’t it so darling? Never again! So, I must make sure you will not be anyone else's, especially the Greek bitch. God! How I loathe him, I wish to kill him. How could I love him and hate him so much at the same time. I must be mad!

Patterson was on his feet to object once more about Mrs. Jordan’s rhetoric, but the judge signaled for him to sit.

“Mrs. Jordan, I will not ask you again; just answer the questions, and don’t elaborate.”

At the judge’s reprimand, Mrs. Jordan lowered her head again like an admonished schoolgirl.

Marsha gave the judge a look. Here she goes, her Honor, the bitch; she’s trying to intimidate my witness.

She approached Mrs. Jordan and touched her hands.

“Go on Mrs. Jordan, tell us what happened next. Don’t be afraid, tell the jury.” She pointed toward the jury box. “They want to hear the truth.”

“Well, they must’ve seen me, because they shut the lights right away, but I could still see him going upstairs with his arm around the boy. I have no view of his bedroom because it does not face my house. That’s why I called Mrs. Laurence. I wanted to see if she could see them from her house.”

“Well, did she? Did Mrs. Laurence see them?”

“Yes! She did, she saw Mr. Robson and the boy upstairs in his bedroom.” She now looked at Thomas and snapped at him, “Shame, shame on you.” She said with a scolding tone of voice, before she lowered her head and leaned it on her hands.

Marsha nodding her had faced the gallery of spectators to enhance Mrs. Jordan’s testimony. “Of course she did, Mrs. Jordan. I'm sorry you had to witness such a repulsive scene. I have no more questions for this witness, your Honor.” She patted Mrs. Jordan’s hands as ‘well done’ and leisurely walked back to her desk.

Patterson stood up and leaned against the table contemplating how to question this woman. He assumed she was lying, according to what Thomas whispered to him, but why?

“Mrs. Jordan, can you please look at me?” She lifted her head. “Are you sure the man and the boy you saw from your living room window were Mr. Robson and the Sideris boy? Do you see the young man, sitting at the last seat of the last row, near the wall? Can you please describe the color of his hair and what he’s wearing? It’s less than eighty feet from here, the same approximate distance from your living room to Mr. Robson’s kitchen window.”

“Yes, of course, three years ago I took advantage of this new technology called an Eye–Perfection Operation, and since then, I need no glasses; my eyesight has been remarkable. Yes, that young man is Mrs. Doris Branford’s son, Matthew, he has curly, shoulder–length black hair and is wearing a dark blue sweater.”

Goddamn, she can see, I can’t discredit her eyesight, Patterson thought. “So you’re positive then, the man and the boy you saw naked were Mr. Robson and Luke Sideris?”

She looked at Thomas, “Yes, of course, who else could’ve been? I know Mr. Robson, he’s my neighbor. I have seen him many times in his kitchen, and I recognized the boy too. I had recently seen him a couple of times at Mr. Robson’s house, late afternoons, and I wondered what he was doing there. But this was the first time I saw them naked.”

“Thank you Mrs. Jordan. I have nothing more for this witness, your Honor.” Patterson returned to his table, pressing his lips and squinting his eyes pensively. I’ll be in serious trouble if the other witnesses stick to the same testimony, he thought to himself. He sat down trying not to disclose a setback.

Judge Rossi thanked Mrs. Jordan and asked her to step down. The clerk call Mrs. Laurence to the stand.

Lucille Laurence was a beauty in her youth, and a still attractive woman in her mid-fifties. She was impeccably dressed, with streaks of gray hair and, unlike Mrs. Jordan, walked down the aisle with confidence. She took the stand ready to chastise this man as the sick molester she believed him to be.

The prosecutor gave Thomas another stare and talked with her inner thoughts.

Here comes your next nail my love, you don’t look too happy do you? Well, neither does your so-confident lawyer who bragged before the trial about your innocence. Let us see what Mrs. Laurence has to say.

“Mrs. Laurence, can you tell us what you saw from your window the night Mrs. Jordan called you?”

“I saw him, Thomas Robson, and the Sideris boy naked in front of his bedroom window. I was just as shocked as Mrs. Jordan. I immediately called my husband to come and see. Oh God, what a terrible sight, they were kissing like a man and woman would do. It was sickening. The moment Mr. Robson saw my husband and me, they shut off the lights. That’s when my husband called the police. It was a most disgusting sight; he should be ashamed of himself. He’s a teacher, for Heaven’s sake.”

Marsha once more was celebrating with her inner thoughts. Well, well, that’s a damaging testimony too. I see the horrified expressions on all the female members of the jury. You’re mine, Thomas, you’re in my game, and I’ve got you. Big mistake your brilliant lawyer made, to allow the majority of the jury to be married women with children. Oh, look at you; you’re shaking your head in disbelief.

“Your Honor, I have no more questions for Mrs. Laurence; your witness.”

Patterson, seated at his table, reluctantly asked the same questions he had asked Mrs. Jordan, and got the same, equally damaging, answers.

Thomas nervously whispered to his lawyer. “Listen, they’re lying. Don’t ask me why, but they’re lying. If her husband tells the same story, which I'm sure he will, I’m finished. I’ll go to prison for something I didn’t do. Please, find out what’s going on. This is a conspiracy to destroy me. There is only one hope. Doris Branford will tell the truth. I was with her that night. They're framing me Patterson. We have to find out what is behind of all this; what is their motive? These are my neighbors, for Heaven’s sake; lovely people, why are they doing this?” The judge let it go, but glared at both Thomas and Patterson to stop their whispers.

When Mr. Laurence came to testify, he was just as deadly.

Stanley walked by the witness stand and asked, “Mr. Laurence, can you tell us what you saw in the defendant’s bedroom the night in question, when your wife called you to look out your window?”

“Yes!” Pointing at Thomas, “Him, I saw him, and the Sideris boy naked in his bedroom, kissing. It was a shock, all right. I couldn’t believe my eyes. He sure fooled the hell out of me. I thought he was a decent man, for God’s sake. What in the hell is going on with our society and common decency? Have we lost our morals? Our children are becoming victims of depraved adults. This trial is upsetting to me, as I’m sure it is to everyone.”

The moment Patterson stood to object, the prosecutor put her hands up.

“No more questions, your Honor.” With her usual sneer, she signaled for Patterson to go on. “Your witness.”

Judge Rossi hit her gavel. “We’ll adjourn for lunch and resume in two hours.”

“All stand!” the clerk called. The moment the judge entered her chambers, the whispers of the spectators and the reporters sounded like a disturbed beehive. Many became judge and jury, convicting this man and showing their distaste for Elena and her son. Thomas’ older brother, William, his wife Sally, and some Sideris family members, walked out as quickly as possible to avoid them.

* * *

At 2:00 p.m., everyone returned to his and her seats. It was a cold day with snow falling. The people in the gallery were glad to be inside and out of the storm.

The clerk announced the entrance of Judge Rossi. She hit her gavel and called, “Silence in the court!” She then looked at the defense and ordered, “You may cross-examine the witness.”

Patterson didn’t want to hear the same damaging answers, so instead, he stood and said, “I have no questions for this witness your Honor.”

“Mr. Laurence, you may step down,” Judge Rossi said and gave a look at Stanley signaling her to call her next witness.

Before calling Doris Branford she gave Thomas another meaningful look and another cheerful thought. Here comes your third nail, my love. No! Don’t keep your hopes up; she will not say she was with you that night. She’s my partner, she has it in for you just as bad as I do. Her love-hate will be deadly. Surprise!

“I call Mrs. Doris Branford to the stand, your Honor.”

Doris Branford was an attractive woman, although a bit overweight, in her late thirties, who lived in the same block with Thomas. She was twice divorced with two sons, one from each marriage. Doris’ second husband, Branford, made the mistake of running away with a twenty-two-year-old beauty. A costly decision. He’s now living in Bridgeport, practically in poverty, while she enjoys the life of a wealthy divorcée. Doris, like Mrs. Laurence, walked down the aisle, wearing a designer outfit and bristling with complete confidence. After all, she’ll be on all the news nation wide. She took the stand and swore to tell the truth. She was familiar with the court proceedings. It was here where she took her second husband to the cleaners.

* * *

The prosecutor and Doris Branford, two dames you don’t cross or betray; they’re deadly. She, like Marsha, gave Thomas a piercing glance loaded with abhorrence and vengeance.

Betrayal and jealousy took over her thoughts.

Thomas, my sweet man, look at you, what is it sweetheart? Come, come, turn your handsome charm off, it won’t work. You’re probably hoping I’ll tell them we were together that night. Well, don’t hold your breath, you son of a bitch. You seduced me with your charm and dropped me with no consideration of my feelings. Because of it, I can’t get you out of my mind. Sleeping with that Greek slut, making love to her instead of me. I’ll crucify you.

Well, here we are dearie, Marsha and myself, we’ve got you by the balls. Your reason for leaving me was, if I remember correctly, you didn’t want to commit yourself to a married woman with children. You said you had a bad experience with your last affair in New York with a married woman who had atroubled child. I, like a fool, believed you. Now you’re screwing the Greek Sideris bitch, who has a child. So your damn reason for leaving me was not my kids, because now you’re acting like a goddamn father to her brat. She turned her stare to Stanley. Come on girl, ask me the damn questions so I can fry this unfaithful bastard.

Stanley raised her head to give Branford a momentary look of contentment before she proceeded with the questioning.

“Mrs. Branford, the defense lawyer claimed in his opening statement that you and Mr. Thomas Robson were together the night he was seen naked in his house with the Sideris boy. Is this true?” Doris Branford saw Thomas looking at her.

Stop looking at me you deceiver; it won’t work. Oh God! Those eyes, that face; he’s so incredible. Should I destroy him? He’ll never come back to me. Uh! The hell with it, he will never be mine again, and I can’t have him making love to that Greek. I can’t, he did it to himself. She faced the prosecutor. “No! It is not true! I never saw this man that night; I have no business with this man. That particular night, I was home with my boys. If he claims I was with him, he’s lying.”

Marsha tried to contain her satisfaction with Doris’ testimony mumbling that she alone could hear. Oh Doris, you’re beautiful, just beautiful darling, I need no more. He’s dead; you did it, he’s going away for at least ten years that should teach him.

“Thank you, Mrs. Branford, no more questions, your Honor.”

Patterson once more stood with his hand under his chin like the Thinker, contemplating how to get the truth out of these goddamned lying witnesses.

“May I remind you, Mrs. Branford, that you’re under oath?”

Doris Branford almost murmured, then closed her mouth so as not to reveal her thoughts. Go to hell you and your oath. You can’t save him, Marsha’s got him, and her plot is brilliant.

“No, I did not see that man that night, period!” She took her eyes off of Thomas and answered looking at Patterson with a convincing tone.

Patterson counterattacked with a strong voice. “Yes, and lying under oath is a serious offense, Mrs. Branford, punishable by a jail sentence. You’re aware of that aren’t you? You’re denying that you had asked my client to pick you up at 7:10 that night from your house? And the reason was, you had something important to ask him about your older son? And then, you couldn’t wait for him to come to your house before you got into his car as he was backing out of his driveway when you asked him to take you by the lake? Are you telling us, this is a fabrication of my client’s, Mrs. Branford?”

“Objection!” Stanley feared that Doris might make a mistake and fall into his trap. “Your Honor, Mrs. Branford answered the question with a simple ‘No.’ There is no need for the defense to scare my witness; she’s not the one who’s lying here, but the defendant.”

“Sustained! Move on to another question, Mr. Patterson.”

“Do you at least admit you had an affair with Mr. Robson and he left you for another woman?” The question put a serious look on the faces of Doris Branford and the prosecutor.

Marsha stood to object when the judge lifted her hand to stop her. “Answer the question, Mrs. Branford.”

“No, I do not deny that. It was a long time ago, and one of my few mistakes. He’s a deceptive man, but that has no bearing on the night in question. He was not with me that night.”

“So you have no resentment or hatred toward this man for leaving you and try to get even by punish him?”

She gave Thomas a sneering look, “No, I simply speak the truth. I did not see him that night. I have no desire to punish him. It’s a forgotten deceptive affair. My mistake and a lesson to be cautious around duplicitous men.”

Patterson lifted his hands to stop her; he didn’t want to hear anymore. “No more questions your Honor.” He returned to his table, angrily pushed some documents out of his way before taking his seat.

Doris Branford passed by Marsha Stanley and gave her a look to see her pleased expression, but the prosecutor had her eyes on some documents. She wanted to avoid any suspicion that these two had planned the scheme. She stood and called Jim Branford, Junior, to the stand.

“Jim, can you first tell us where were you the night in question, and what did you see at school after class?”

The boy lowered his head and spoke softly with a trembling voice, “That night my mom and my brother were home. I remember, because it was snowing hard. My brother wanted to go to this bar he hangs out in Stanford, but my mother wouldn’t let him take the car out, on account of the storm. They had a screaming argument, but mother refused to give him the keys. ‘No one goes out on a night like this, do you want to kill yourself?’ My mother told him and we started to play cards for a while before my brother got so drunk drinking beer that he passed out on the couch.”

Marsha approached the boy. “At the school, tell us what did you see Mr. Robson and Luke Sideris doing?”

“I saw Mr. Robson sometimes ask Luke to stay after class and a couple of times I saw them hug, stuff like that. And then I saw Mr. Robson go to the Sideris place on the weekends. That’s all.”

“They hugged after class, in the classroom? How daring; even in the school, this man could not control himself.” She lifted her hand to stop Patterson before he objected. “Your witness.” She said with confidence,

Patterson realized there was a conspiracy going on to destroy this man and young Luke, with these witnesses in sync, but why and how? What is their motive? Knowing that Thomas had said the boy was lying too, he approached him for questioning. His long and detailed account of the three of them being home was somehow rehearsed and dubious.

“Young man, are you sure you saw Mr. Robson and Luke hugging? This is not the place for you to lie. People who lie here are punished.”

Junior glanced up seeking his mother because he knew he was in trouble, “I saw them hug, okay? He put his arm around Luke.”

“Well that is not hugging is it now? You must know the difference between someone putting his or her arm around your shoulder and someone embracing you, don’t you young man? Your Honor, may I have the court’s permission to demonstrate?” The judge nodded, “Miss Nichols could you please come here?” She approached Patterson. He looked at the terrified boy, and asked, “Tell us young man, is this a hug? You must be truthful, I do not want to warn you again of the circumstances if you lie.” Patterson and his co-counsel embraced each other as lovers. “Well, did you see them do this? Or this?” Patterson put his hand around Miss Nichols’ shoulder.

“Yes, like that.”

“So you did not see them do what we did first.”

“Uh, no, he put his arm around Luke like you have now and walked Luke to the door.”

“How did you come to see them when he asked Luke to stay after class? Were you spying?”

“No, sir, I was not spying, I just saw them from the window in the door. He used to come to our place and go out with my mom, so I was just curious, that’s all.”

“You swear the three of you were home that night, and your mother did not go out to meet Mr. Robson?”

“Er, yes sir, I told you that, I swear, my mom, my brother and I were at home that night.”

“No more questions, your Honor.”

His brother, Matthew, gave the same testimony as his younger brother. Patterson’s expression was one of serious concern. This case might cost him his first loss as criminal lawyer.

Now the time had come for the defense to present its witness. Unfortunately, there were only two credible witnesses, young Luke Sideris and his mother. Along with the couple that passed that terrible stormy night across the street, but could not identify who was in the car; they knew only that there was a car with its engine running and its wipers going. One of many blunders Robert Patterson made in this trial.

Patterson called Luke Sideris to the stand and hoped the prosecutor Marsha Stanley wouldn’t rip the boy apart.

This turned out to be a hopeless wish.

Falsely Accused
by Marko Lampas
E-book $10.50