“Now the defense will make an attempt to have you intelligent twelve jurors disregard the agent’s testimony because he did commit some crimes. But that is absurd ladies and gentleman. No matter the agent’s discretions, it’s your duty to evaluate the trustworthiness of his testimony as it is presented here today, and not judge him based on some prior bad decisions.”
Barnswell was on a roll and made no attempt to stop doing what he was doing. He was presenting his case and if he spoke out of turn that was not his problem. It was up to the defense to protect their case. He had carte blanche to do as he pleased and no one could change that, but the attorneys on the other side of the courtroom. The team that sat furthest away from the jury. It was an unwritten standard rule that the prosecutor always sat at the table closest to the jury. Kareem had thought to challenge that rule as it was not codified into law in no state or federal crimes code. It was a tactic to divide and conquer. Sit the menace as far from the jury as possible as they may make an attempt to attack the jury.
Barnswell went back to his table and grabbed another notepad to read from. Such an amateurish thing for a prominent prosecutor. He said, “Next, the defense will call upon a confidante of the defendants. A person very close to the two of them. A person who was intimately connected to the defendants. I am talking about, Latoya Eala, the fiancé of Kareem Bezel. She was a direct witness to many of these acts and plans to tell the jury, you all, all about what her man was doing to disturb the economy. Many of the acts that Agent McKenzey will testify to will be bolstered by Latoya’s testimony. Testimony that will validate and confirm many of the acts outlined in the indictment against the defendants.
“In addition, several banking officials will testify to the acts specifically committed by Kareem Bezel that aided and abetted Andre Bezel’s drug dependency. The large sums of money stolen and embezzled by Kareem funded Andre stepping away from doing business with Avery and Brent, which ultimately led to their deaths.”
There were so many pieces to the puzzle that Barnswell thought that he had figured out and perhaps from his perspective he did. The defense had plans to fill in the holes for the AUSA and his star witness was going to be used as a filler. There was no mention of evidence, just testimony. Where were the murder weapons? How about video surveillance? Something tangible that linked Kareem or Andre to a murder scene.
“This case is complex, but very clear and concise, ladies and gentleman. Sorta clear-cut, and I am asking that you not be persuaded by the cloud of smoke that will be blown by the defense to distort the facts. The defendants set out to take over the suburban drug trade, and in order to do that, some people had to die, and did. They’re not here to tell you all about that, but the testimony and evidence set forth will speak for them. Thank you for your time and patience.”
The judge looked at the large clock that sat above the jury. It was not quite lunch time and not time for a bathroom break, so he planned to carry on. He delayed his response to watch the defense wiggle in their boots. He had to be concerned with the jury members, as if they were uncomfortable, then they could not be excellent judicial servants. But he knew that the defense would pitch a bitch if he decided to postpone their opening until after lunch break. He knew that they wanted the jury fresh and ripe with the prosecution’s case on their minds.
The judge asked, “So, will we have both of you put on an opening. Or one of you? Or neither of you?”
Ravonne stood and said, “Mr. Kareem Bezel is un-indicted Your Honor and is not in need of an opening.” He had a seat and crossed his hands over the desk.
Ravonne and his client were there to cross examine any government witnesses who presented evidence against Andre Bezel that may have introduced evidence that may have prompted the government to supersede Kareem for crimes that were not confessed to during the original proffer hearing. There was no way that Kareem admitted to each and every crime that he had committed and Barnswell knew that. And he had put together a witness who was sure to elicit facts that Kareem had withheld. In the event that that happened, the government could honor its current agreement and reconvene a federal grand jury and present evidence to indict Kareem on wholly separate charges. Everyone involved here played a dangerous game, and they all knew that.
“I’ll be opening, Your Honor,” Andre’s lawyer said.