Brave Grave

Chapter fifteen

Fin's court day| part I

a group of people with large cameras stand outside waiting for the three boys to make their appearance to go inside the court house.

"You don't have to speak to them if you don't want to. Just don't make eye contact with them and you will be fine." Fin's mother says to him as they drive into the parking lot.

Fin swallows the lump in the back of his throat and steps out of the car dressed in a casual suit that he usually wore to funerals or special occasions of some sort.

As the press takes notice of Fin's arrival, they run to him immediately shoving cameras and microphones in his face from every direction.

"Is it true that you bullied Gregory Micheals?"
"Did you lock Gregory Micheals into the coffin?"
"What is your reason for bullying Gregory Micheals?"

Red in the face from embarrassment, Fin holds his head low as the cameras flash, capturing every false move he made.

"You're okay. We made it inside." Fin's mother says while rubbing his shoulder to comfort him.

"Mom, do I have to be here?" Fin asks while looking around the court house.

"Yes, honey you do. If you don't show up then there will be consequences. I understand that you are afraid, anyone your age would be if they were in your position, but you're not alone. Seth and Travis are in this with you."

"Yeah, but they don't have to speak today. I do." Fin replies with a pout.

"You're going to be fine. I know my boy would never hurt a soul." She replies stroking Fin's cheek gently.

Fin heaves a sigh and nods his head at his mother's words. After they met up with their lawyer they make their way inside of the court room along with everyone else.

All three of the boys, including Mr. Carl are represented by different attorneys for their best interest. The three boys are being tried together as codefendants since they are all accused of the same crime. Each defendants case has been severed and will be held on different days.

As Fin walks inside of the court room with his head held low, Seth and Travis were already sitting down waiting for court to be in session. With a sigh, Fin sits down next to them and gives them a slight smile.

Seth returns a smile back, while Travis turns the other cheek. Fin began to sense that Travis was giving him the cold shoulder and decided to do the same to him.

"I'm so nervous." Seth whispers softly. "What is your story going to be?"

"You'll see." Fin whispers back.

Travis rolls his eyes to the side as he overhears their soft voices.

"Shh." Travis utters to them both. Fin cuts his eyes and clenches his jaw out of frustration.

"All rise. The court is now in session. The honorable judge Costlow is presiding." Says the bailiff.

Everyone rises to their feet and waits for the judge to enter the room to be seated. Fin adjusts his tie anxiously as the judge came into sight.

"Here we go." Seth whispers. Everyone takes their seat and remains silent as papers were being handed over by the state and defense. The bailiff announces that the state can make their opening statement to the judge and to the rest of the court. A middle aged man with a gray suit stands in front of the court room to begin.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I want you to take a walk down memory lane. Imagine that you are eleven years old and you are coming home from school. You ask your parents or your guardian to go outside and play before dinner. You kick off our shoes and walk barefoot in the dirt and get dirty along with your friends.You smell the food cooking as you're playing and before you know it, it's time to wash up and eat and then time for bed. In the morning when you wake up, the first thing you hear is your mother's voice telling you to get up for school. Her voice is the first and last thing you hear at the beginning and end of each day. Imagine being that young and not be able to hear her voice again nor see her. It would be tragic wouldn't it? Now I want you to flip it around. Imagine being a parent and not be able to see them or hear their voice ever again? Imagine your child being taken away from you after eleven years of loving them and watching them grow. That would be a nightmare wouldn't you say? Sharon Micheals is living this nightmare. Her son, Gregory Micheals was only eleven years old and was taken from her. The last time she saw him was when she put him on the bus one morning thinking he would come home as usual and then something tragic happened. He was killed. Life is short. We have no say when we go or how we go. Death is inevitable in other words and many lives have been taken too soon in tragic and devastating ways, just like Gregory Micheals life was taken from him. He didn't even get a chance to taste life. He was a small kid, much smaller than an average eleven year old. His mother said he was a very happy child, easy to please, well mannered, and not a trouble maker like most kids. He was a good kid and someone took his life by locking him inside of a coffin and leaving him there to die...Gregory knows who did this to him, but he isn't here to tell us his story and put a face to his killer. Now it is left to us to do so. Thank you."

"Defense." The judge says giving the cue to make
their open statement to the court.

The room was silent as Fin's lawyer, Daniel Young stands up in front of the court room to make his opening statement.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, if you were to ask yourself this question. "Am I perfect?" What would your answer be? I assume it would be no, am I correct? We are all human beings who make mistakes every day. No matter how good we are, we will make mistake after mistake in our lifetime rather if it's at a young age or older age. We grow and mold ourselves through our mistakes so we can do better and become a better person. My point is, no one is perfect so why point the finger at someone when you are simply no better? My client, Fin Maxwell who is only twelve years old has been accused of not only bullying, but killing a young boy, Gregory Micheals who went to school with him. His reputation has been tarnished from assumptions of the whole town. Anyone who knows Fin Maxwell will tell you that he is a straight A student, a well mannered and intelligent young man who wouldn't dare hurt anyone. When he isn't in school, he is practicing football for the schools football team. Anyone who knows about football or has played it will tell you that it is very time consuming. If Fin Maxwell is taking most of his time practicing football then when would he have the time to bully anyone let alone kill someone?"

"Objection, speculation." The state interrupts Daniel's words before he could say anything else.

"Sustained." Judge Costlow says.

"This boys life is just getting started. He has his whole life ahead of him to make something out of himself and he won't be able to do that behind bars." Thank you."