Broken Bones

Episode 6 "The Man on Death Row" Part 2

-Venus POV-

We are now at the Judges House as he was only in his robe and underpants as he speaks, "At my age, a man needs a good night's sleep. Lack of sleep clouds judgment." Ms. Morton then speaks, "You stay the execution, Judge, I promise you'll sleep like a baby." "Mr. Carlyle, what does the prosecution think?" The man Mr. Carlyle speaks, "This is a waste of the State's time, Your Honor. Ms. Morton is recycling old evidence, presenting it in a different way, in a last-ditch attempt to keep Howard Epps from being executed. She's an ideologue." "That's true. But it doesn't mean I'm not right. But this case doesn't add up." The judge then speaks up talking to Temp, "You, brilliant scientist lady, talk to me about this bone shard." "It indicates the body was dragged to the location where it was later discovered. That plus the gravel..." "Common gravel. I'm not convinced." "What about the hair?" "It's a visual match. That narrows the statistical probability to..." "DNA?" Ms. Morton then says, "We'll have it in ten days." 

He then looks at me, "And who are you young lady? You look old enough to be my granddaughter." I chuckle "That's kind of you sir, but sadly we aren't related. I am this brilliant scientist sister and boss. I was kind enough to let Ms. Morton use my team for whatever she needed for her case." I look over to see Ms. Morton shocked at my statement. "I see. What do you think about this Ms..." "You may call me Venus, not to be confused with my sister. But my opinion goes with whatever the lead investigator thinks." He nods "What about this man that the FBI's taken into custody- David Ross? Has he confessed to sleeping with her?" Ms. Morton speaks, "No." Mr. Carlyle then cuts in, "Even if the DNA say David Ross slept with the girl, it doesn't prove he killed her." "Let's stick with new facts, Ms. Morton." "Your Honor, at least give us time to find David Ross's car. There could be evidence of murder..." "Could be? I can't stop an execution because there could be evidence." "Judge Cohen, I have the arresting officer right here. The primary investigator. " The judge turns to Booth, "Agent Booth, have you suddenly decided that Howard Epps is not guilty." "No. I think there are doubts." Ms. Morton then looks at Booth a bit disbelieved, "Booth!" "When it comes to an execution, there shouldn't be any doubts." Mr. Carlyle then cuts in again, "He doesn't have doubts. He has cold feet." "You think I won't pop you one just because we're standing in the judge's kitchen?" "You see? You lose sleep, you get cranky." I smile at Booth as he smiles back at me. As the judge continues to talk, "Judgment suffers. It's not enough." Ms. Morton tries again, "Your Honor, you can't dismiss this so easily." "Easily? I allowed you to exhume that girl's remains. You think I did that easily? We all feel the weight of capital case, Ms. Morton, but the law is clear. Unless there is proof of grievous incompetence by counsel or an denial of legitimate and definitive factual certainties, my hands are tied."

We are in the car riding our way back as I sit next to Temp in the back as Ms. Morton speaks. "I'll go out the prison and tell Epps." Temp then adds, "I'll take another look at the skull, see if we didn't miss something." Bones..." "The particulates on the skull haven't been analyzed yet." We look at Ms. Morton as she gets frustrated, "This is so barbaric. When are they going to put a stop to the damn death penalty?" Temp then speaks up, "I believe in the death penalty." Ms. Morton got surprised and turned around to face us. "What?!" Temp continues, "There are certain people that shouldn't be in this world. The people who hacked hundreds of innocent children to death in Rwanda. Beheaded them at their desks at school. The people who did that- they should be executed." "So why do you care about Epps?" "Because the facts have to add up. Drop us at the lab, please." Ms. Morton looks at me "What about you? What do you think of the death penalty?" "I can't say." "What do you mean you can't say?" I sigh and look at her "I can't say because I was one of the people, they call for an immediate death penalty." "What does that supposed to mean?" "Ms. Morton I really don't like to think about my past, so I will say this once. I am the one who would take out the people who hacked hundreds of innocent children. So, that's why I can't say." Ms. Morton looked at me mortified as she asks, "So you were a hitwoman?" I groan not wanting to continue this conversation anymore as Temp speaks up for me as she holds on my hand as comfort. "No, she's saying that she was in the military, just like Booth but in a different branch." I then add in before I forget "Also, please don't speak a word to anyone that I am their Boss. Only a few know and I would like to keep it that way, until I decide to tell them myself." She nods and we all stay quiet as Booth drops us off. Before they leave Booth calls me out, "Blueberry, don't put yourself down like that. You did what you had to do, to save others' lives, okay." I smile and give him a small nod and a wave goodbye.