'Unfaithful alibi'

Ricardo Cole, Contributor

You are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The Defendant Mr Brown was escorted by the bailiff to the witness stand with this thought in mind. He nervously sat on the chair. Mr Brown knew he wasn't guilty of the crime. He was innocent and the truth shall set him free. But 'the truth that will set him free' comes at a price. His wife, Mrs Brown, whispered to her friend Faithlyn in the court room.

"I am confident they have nothing on him. He was doing private counselling for sure. I had spoken to him around the time that incident occurred."

Faithlyn nodded her head in agreement as she fanned herself.

The prosecuting lawyer Grace Blair rose from her desk to cross examine Mr Brown.

"Mr Brown, on the night in question, you were in New Kingston?"

"Objection, Your Honour,"

Mr Brown's lawyer Anthony Combs intervened.

"Your Honour, the prosecution is trying to place my client at the scene.

"Overruled," said Judge Banks who decided that Mr Brown should answer the question.

Mr Brown looked at his wife who winked and gave him the thumbs up.

"I was not there," Mr Brown shivered.

Attorney Blair replied, "I have several witnesses who placed your car at the scene. You were dressed in a blue jeans pants and a black shirt when you held up and robbed my client."

"I did not; it wasn't me!" A fiery Mr Brown replied as he looked at his wife who turned to her friend again.

"Oh lawd, him sweating on the witness stand. Him did dress that way fi true. Sound like him telling the truth, but something nuh right 'cause what would my husband be doing at New Kingston at that time of night, eeh Faith? What would he be doing there?"

Faithlyn sighed. She kept her fingers crossed.

"Mrs Brown, only him can tell what happen that night."

Faithlyn reminded herself of that night. A night that she will never forget.

Attorney Blair looked at Mr Brown.

"So if it wasn't you, then who?"

Looking into the lawyer's eyes, Mr Brown nervously replied.

"I did not do it. It was not me."

The lawyer smiled.

"I have no further questions for Mr Brown Your Honour."

The lawyer then went to her briefcase and opened a file.

She cleared her throat and grinned.

"Your Honour, we, the prosecution, call Miss Faithlyn Senior to the stand."

Mrs Brown looked at her, confused and surprised.

"Faith, why they would want you on the witness stand?"

Faithlyn quietly replied, "I don't know."

A worried Mr Brown left the witness stand. He looked at his attorney who was surprised that Faithlyn was called, after an agreement made by both parties in private. The defendant received a low blow when she was called to the stand.

"Wait!" Attorney Combs uttered.

He sighed as he looked at his client then around to Ms Faithlyn Senior.

"Your honour, people of the jury, my client is innocent. It wasn't him. He was no where near the crime scene. I agree he's the owner of the car and all evidence point to him. To find my client guilty would be a sin. There is nothing to prove. He was not the driver. All witnesses in New Kingston can only assume. I agree, Your Honour, that my client's alibi was that he was at a private meeting. And yes, he was in Cross Roads at a private meeting. That's where his car was stolen. He was held up, too, along with Ms Senior at a motel from where they were leaving."