Page 40 of The 1 Lawyer

“We went into the living room. I remember that I muted the TV, because Daniel didn’t watch Downton. He’s not a fan.” She shrugged, stretching her mouth into a resigned smile.

In my office, I’d told her the jury didn’t need to hear that. The stress of the witness stand had probably made her forget.

Without prompting, she continued. “I remember that I looked through a magazine while he sat in a chair with his iPad. We went to bed at the regular time, around ten thirty. We go to sleep early because Daniel has morning rounds at the hospital before he goes to the office.”

“Iris, do you recall the time that your husband got home that night?”

She answered immediately, her confidence returning. “I do. It was eight thirty. When I heard his car, I checked the clock in the living room before I went to the kitchen. I remember the time. I’m sure of it.”

“Please describe your husband’s appearance when you saw him that night.”

“He wore a sport jacket and a tie, the same clothes he’d had on when he left for work that morning.”

“Did you notice anything unusual about his appearance or his clothing that night?”

“No. No, he looked the same as he always does.”

“Thank you, Iris.” I gave her a warm smile before adding, “No further questions.”

Gordon-James rose from the prosecution table. He took his time—buttoning his jacket, checking his notes—before he looked at Caro’s wife. He leaned against the lectern and studied her for a moment.

“Do you love your husband, Mrs. Caro?” he asked.

A bewildered expression crossed her face.

The question worried me. I hadn’t expected it, hadn’t prepared her for it. My thoughts began to spin. There is no good answer here. If she says she loves her husband, then Gordon-James will argue that that would motivate her to lie on his behalf. And if, for some reason, she says that she doesn’t love him, then Caro is irredeemable. The jury won’t have any reason to save him.

Iris’s voice was uncertain when she finally responded. “Yes, I do.”

“Even though he was unfaithful?” Gordon-James sounded skeptical. “He lied to you, carried on an affair with a patient of his, a girl twenty years younger than you! That didn’t bother you at all?”

She cleared her throat. “Of course it bothered me. But I love my husband. I still do.”

“How much?”

The question stumped her. She sat in the chair, speechless.

I was edgy and decided to object just to give her a moment to recover. I was rising out of my chair when Gordon-James left the lectern and approached her. “We heard the evidence of your devotion,” he said. “It was touching, sincere. You were waiting patiently for him at home. You made him dinner, saved him a plate. You muted your favorite program because your husband didn’t enjoy it. That would be an act of sacrifice in any relationship, I’d say.”

It was time to cut him off. “Objection! The DA is making speeches again, harassing the witness.”

The judge nodded. It didn’t surprise me that he’d protect Iris Caro from the DA. In a stern voice, he said, “Ask a question, Mr. Gordon-James.”

Gordon-James frowned. “Mrs. Caro, when your husband called you on the night in question and told you he was working late, that was a lie, wasn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Did you know it was a lie when he said it that night?”

“No. No, not then. I believed him. He worked late sometimes. OBs have irregular hours.”

“And how long have you known the defendant?”

“Since college. We met at Ole Miss more than twenty years ago.”

“That’s a long time. You probably know him better than anyone, isn’t that right?”

She looked at the defense table as if seeking direction on how to answer. Finally, she lifted her shoulders and said, “I guess so.”

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