FIVE

AURELIA’S POINT OF VIEW

Today's mock trial would be a blood bath. It was supposed to be about academics, about improving us as lawyers and litigants, but I knew it was more than that.

My class was extra competitive, and the fact that the infamous Levi Vale was our professor made that even worse.

Valerie and I already had an unspoken battle for who would be the top of the class, so the fact that we were against each other in a case that hit too close to home made it a lot worse.

I walked into the hall to see that it was much fuller than it usually would be. It seemed word had spread around, and people filled the hall in throngs as students, non-academic staff, and professors walked in and sat awaiting the beginning of the trial.

My nervousness crept in as I looked at the multitude of people in the hall. I walked to my regular seat and placed my head on the table, appearing nervous, knowing Valerie, she would be relaxed if she thought I was too scared to face her, which could grant me the win.

A few minutes later, it was pin-drop silence in the hall. Confused, I lifted my head to see what was happening when I saw him.

He walked into the hall like he owned it, one would think he did. His icy eyes landed on me before he said

“Today will determine my impression of you two as lawyers, the way you argue, present your points, and defend your clients will forever make me see you as either a lawyer or a disgrace to this profession” he said and I swallowed as the weight of what this was truly settled in my chest.

With the number of eyes watching us today, as well as the kinds of people here today, I was concerned that I might lose or not make a good impression.

“There is no such thing as ‘I came so close’, you either lose or win, there is no middle ground, and I expect nothing but the best from Harvard’s finest,” he said, looking at the dean.

“Shit” I whispered under my breath. From the way he looked at him, this was a silent challenge; the reputation of the school was up to us, and if we failed, we would become pariahs

The face of the dean, special professor Donald Davenport, turned a bit red as he looked back at Levi beside turning to us. He silently wanted with his eyes

If we did not impress him, we were cooked!

Thank you Levi fucking Vale

“Will the prosecution and the defense come forward?” he said, making us stand up.

From the weight of the silence in the hall, you could hear everything, the breathing, our footsteps,

if a pin dropped, you would hear it- that’s how silent it was as everyone held their breath or breathed too loud, the tension could be sliced with a knife.

We walked to the front of the hall, facing the whole crowd that sat waiting for the show to start.

“You know the facts and some might say you were not given ample time to prepare, but the law world can call on you at any time and you must be prepared, so with that being said….let the trial begin!” he said, kicking things off.

She went first, a glint in her eye as she faced the crowd and Levi at the same time, on the board, he wrote boldly.

“Should the accused be granted bail for a high profile rape case when public opinion says otherwise? Should the son of the senator be granted bail even though he is the prime suspect?

“What? That was not the

“Miss Cross, like I said, the law calls on you at any time, you are not always going to be prepared. Proceed,” he said, looking at me, daring me to break, but I would show him just who I was

Asshole

She looked forward, pleading her case.

"In this case, allowing bail to the son of the senator shows the public that their sentiment is right, that power truly controls it all in this nation. If bail is granted, the possibility of a riot and the dwindling faith in our criminal justice system would increase.

It would be logical not to grant bail while the proceedings go on, the son of someone of a high profile is a potential flight risk, it would risk witness manipulation, media manipulation, and tampering with evidence.

There would be more damage, the family of the victim should be considered,” she said, looking at me with a look of victory. people seemed impressed with her argument as they turned to me., I could feel the weight of each of their stares as their eyes zeroed in on me like they were waiting for me to fuck up.

“Miss Cross, the floor is yours,” I heard Levi say from behind me.

I faced the crowd with steel, knowing this was my one shot at this, so I took a deep breath and went for the jugular.

My voice boomed loudly as I said

“The most dangerous assumption in such cases is that the accused is automatically guilty; it completely goes against the legal principle of audi alteram partem, hear the other party.

The media, the public, as well as the justice system paint such people as the predators even when the evidence is insufficient.

Keeping the accused in prison would be against his rights; he has not been found guilty, the evidence against him is not staggering but rather circumstantial, keeping him in jail would be a slap to his rights! And besides that, the law is not the opinion of the public but rather the law, whether the public agrees or not. As the learned Robert Cross stated in John V. Ludley, the law is the law, regardless of the naysayers in the crowd.”

I looked at them as they looked back at me with shock and…..pride in their eyes.

“Hmm,” he cleared his throat from behind me.

“You both argued well, but there can only be a loser and a winner, so the winner is…….”