it. The frequent exception that came around a century ago allows this based on extensive personal experience.
Mrs. Alamander crosses her arms and says, “I’ll rephrase. Based on your past experience, what are the possible reasons to wash your hands after such an ordeal with someone you care about?”
“It could mean a lot of things. It could be he isn’t close to Dr. Mekova. He could be feeling guilty about what happened to her or he’s just a clean person.”
“What happened, after his return?”
“I got the arrest warrant. Agent Michaels asked some background questions about the incident. I arrested Mr. Abby.” A grin flashes across his face.
“No further questions, Your Honor.”
“Your witness, counselor,” the judge says.
Mr. Vintage steps up and says, “At which point did you mirandize Dr. Abby during the arrest?”
The eyes of Davidson rove the room. “As far as I recall, right after putting on the cuffs.”
“How much time did it take to make decision to arrest?”
“It was just a phone call.”
“Who made the decision?”
He straightens up, rubs his hands together, and pauses there. “On our way in, Head Agent Tallamayne told us Investigating Agent Margrove was assigned to the case. She called us after we arrived on the scene. I was speaking to her while Agent Michaels asked Mr. Abby a few questions.”
“As far as you know, did the Investigating Agent consult anyone else?”
“She worked with a psychologist and the building's security contractor.”
“Did the choice to make the arrest come down quickly?”
The prosecutor says, “Objection, generalization.”
Again, a succinct explanation from Vintage — witnesses can’t answer a question asking for conclusions, even experts. (Long ago, this didn’t apply to experts. The qualifications for being an expert were the Judge’s say so.) “Sustained,” the judge says.
“Has this occurred previously in your career, a case being solved over the course of a phone call?”
“It has happened a few times.”
“Can you give us a few examples?”
“I can think of one. A hostage situation, we had to find the perp ASAP. I don’t think…”
“I’m done with the witness.”
“It was…”
“No more questions!” Mr. Vintage adamantly turns around.
The judge says, “You may return to your seat Agent Davidson, Mrs. Alamander doesn’t request a redirect.”
The Agent begrudgingly returns to a seat amongst the gallery.
“Mrs. Alamander, your next witness,” the judge continues.
Anxiety
Mon 10/5/17 10:43 a.m.
A lamander slides out from behind the desk. “I call the paramedic first on the scene Cooper Madison to the stand.”
A person dressed in white (their uniform) ventures forth from the gallery. He takes the oath and climbs into the witness stand.
Mrs. Alamander stands with one arm braced on the tabletop. “What was Mr. Abby doing as you arrived?”
“He was checking on Dr. Mekova’s breathing. He didn’t notice us come in right away. We took over the care of Dr. Mekova.”
“What was the severity of her injuries at the time?”
“As far as I could tell, she had a deep cut on her upper abdomen.”
The state attorney completes her slow crawl at the witness stand. “Was Mr. Abby acting suspicious?”
“Objection, speculation.”
One person can’t know the mind of another.
“I’m just asking how he was acting in comparison to people in other lifesaving situations,” Mrs. Alamander pleads with the judge.
The judge says, “Overruled.”
“He seemed to be intensely concentrating on helping her. After that he took a few moments.”
“No further questions, Your honor.”
“Your witness,” the judge says.
Mr. Vintage slides out from behind the desk and jumps up to his feet. “Did Dr. Abby help Dr. Mekova?”
“Objection, outside the scope,” Mrs. Alamander says from a face contorted in urgency.
The paramedic doesn’t know what I did before he arrived.
The judge says, “Mr.