Legitimate Rape| Grace Helbig

Chapter 7

"After he was finished, he pulled away and started to walk but stopped."

"And how did you respond?"

"I was crying. I was terrified. I froze. He turned back to me and he whispered in my ear, "You're crying now. One day you'll realize that this is the best sex you ever had." I explained a few tears running down my face.

" Thank you, Ms. Helbig. We're almost finished. But this next question is deeply personal. Can you tell the jury why you decided to keep three babies who were conceived in rape?"

" I had previously made a joke that I didn't want children. When I first found out that I was pregnant, I felt like he was still violating me..."

"Objection." Thomas shouted out, as he was representing himself.

"Overruled. It's relevant." The judge said.

"But they are my babies. Every time that I feel them kick, I know that they are fighters, like me. That they are survivors." I said as I gripped onto my bump.

"Thank you, Ms. Helbig." My lawer said. Then Thomas stood up ready to cross examine me.

"Your Honor, could we take a break? I feel a little..."

"Do you want a short recess?"

"Actually, Your Honor, it's been a long day for Grace. If it please the court, I request permission to recall this witness at a later time. Perhaps after I call my expert." Thomas said.

"Again, Your Honor, I'd request a frye hearing to determine the validity of this expert" My lawer shouted.

"As I already ruled in chambers, we're allowing it. And Mr Percy. I've given you latitude already. Don't abuse it."

THE NEXT DAY

"Your Honor, I'd like to recall Grace Helbig. I'm ready to cross-examine her. How are you, Grace? I hope you're feeling up to this."

"Objection. Your Honor Please instruct Mr. Percy to refrain from calling the witness by her first name."

"Sustained. Understood, Mr. Percy? Forgive me, Your Honor."

"Grace--I mean Ms.Helbig."

" I'm sorry, it's hard, because we had the best sex? Yes.

No...it wasn't sex it was rape."

"On the night in question, you invited me back to your apartment, didn't you?"

"No...I was leaving the pub to go to my house as Mamire and Hannah were already at their homes."

"You asked me to come up, did you not?"

"No..."

"You took off your clothes while I was walking behind you, didn't you?"

"I didn't know you were following me."

"You invited me inside you, didn't you?"

"No."

"You said that you wanted to feel me inside you."

"Objection. Hearsay."

"Sustained. Mr. Percy."

"Withdrawn."

"Ms. Helbig, after the alleged assault, you didn't call the police, you didn't report me to Human Resources. Why not?"

"I was afraid."

"You were afraid of being found out."

"Objection. Calls for conjecture."

"Sustained. Mr. Percy, move on."

"Ms. Helbig. Don't you think if somebody was raped - they would hate their assailant?"

"I do. I hate you." I said starting to cry and twiddling my thumbs.

"Your Honor"

"Mr Percy, please step back."

"You sit there before me carrying our children."

"They are mine, not yours!"

"You had a DNA test. Can you tell the jury who the babies father is?"

"You are not the father, you're the rapist!"

"That is not an answer. Did those tests prove that I'm the babies father?"

"Ms.Helbig."

"Yes. Biological, yes."

"I gave you the children you didn't realise you wanted."

"Objection. Step back, Mr. Percy."

"I got nothing further."

TWO DAYS LATER

"They've been in there for two days. Why is the jury taking so long?"

"That's what juries do. They asked to hear that congressman's testimony read back."

"Why?"

"It could be good news."

"After our counselor here was done with him, he was completely discredited."

"They're back." One of the jury explained.

"This is your verdict?" The judge asked. "On the charge of rape, first degree, how do you find?"

"Guilty, Your Honor."