What The Heart Wants

A Call To Judgment (Part V)

Friday's resumption of the trial began with Brian's cross-examination of Greg Orlandini.

Brian: I have to admit it, Greg, you tell a pretty good story of your side of the events of Orientation Week. You just left a lot of parts out.

David Jay: Objection. Counsel is mocking the witness.

Judge Massiah-Jackson: Objection granted.

Brian: Did you not hover in plain sight for long periods of Hearts United seeking to corner if not badger players?

Greg: I did leave the grand hall for a bit to do some note-taking and prepare for a post-event pass of the participants.

Brian: Isn't it true that you deliberately made sure to keep yourself visible to the players during that intermission?

Greg: Not deliberately, but yes I was watching the proceedings while outside the hall.

Brian: Did you not re-enter the hall and engage in a confrontation with Diana Matheson where you insulted her, thus leading to additional verbal skirmishes that led to my speaking with the Hearts' general manager about seeking out a harassment suit against you?

Greg: It was once again a situation where certain players chose to make my job difficult by having their teammates and friends obstruct my path to them or provide a barrier so that they could slip away and deny me an opportunity to question them.

Brian: We have heard testimony from a number of witnesses about that night. Let's go back to the previous afternoon. When Ms. Krieger, Ms. Mewis, and two of their teammates left for the parking garage, with the two Stephs remaining behind, did you not refer to them as "mean-spirited dykes"? Seems like you have problems with strong-willed women.

Greg: It was a slip of the tongue. I did not mean to make it seem as though I was homophobic. My reference was to the strong-arm tactics that it seemed were being taken by the two of them to intimidate me from pursuing the Morgan story as per its connection to their teammate.

Brian: Yet you went to that phrase again after you were arrested at the Philadelphia airport following your assault on Ms. McCaffrey, calling those present "dirty dykes" and referring to Ms. Krieger as a slut. This wasn't just a slip of the tongue. This was a hate-filled tirade directed at women who wouldn't play your game of opening up about their private lives.

Greg: I only said those things and hit Ms. McCaffrey following a detailed run-down by her of my personal and economic shortcomings, then spitting in my face after I attempted to stand her down.

Brian: Greg, you cannot claim to not be homophobic if the first thing out of your mouth when are frustrated is the word "dyke". No further questions at this time, but I reserve the right to recall this witness.

Judge Massiah-Jackson: So noted. The witness may step down.

David Jay: The defense calls Tyler Wise to the stand.

Tyler got a fist bump from Steph Labbe, a pat on the back from Carm, and a thumbs-up from Kristie before standing up and heading to the witness stand.

David Jay: Mr. Wise, I called you on behalf of the defense because I believe your expertise might help us prove the underlying presumptions of our case. Can you tell the court what you do for a living?

Tyler: I am a sports psychologist.

David Jay: So you work with athletes to overcome obstacles through visualization, meditation, exposure therapy, and the like?