Page 110 of Dead Mountain

“Objection!” cried Scowsen. “This witness is totally unreliable, he’s lying, he’s confusing the jury—I call for a mistrial!”

“Overruled. May I remind you, Mr. Scowsen, that you called this witness, not the defense. There are no grounds for a mistrial. Mr. Baca, please continue with your answer to the question.”

“Yes, sir,” said Baca, his voice quavering. “She hit the ground pretty hard. That’s when the defendant grabbed and pushed down the sheriff.” His voice began to grow louder, more certain. “Also, the defendant didn’t run off. The sheriff took his phone and we arrested him. When we got back to the car, we locked him in the back. Then the sheriff erased the video as we were driving out.”

“What about the testimony you gave earlier?” said Lightfeather. “Where did that come from?”

“The sheriff coached me on what to say, how the story should play out.”

An electric silence fell in the courtroom.

“Thank you, Deputy Baca,” said Lightfeather. “No further questions.”

Scowsen jumped up. “Permission to examine the witness again, Your Honor.”

“You may do so.”

Scowsen turned and approached Baca. “So, Mr. Baca, it seems the jury has heard two different stories from you today. Are you now telling us that the first story was a lie?”

“Yes.”

“In other words, you are a self-admitted liar.”

“I guess so.”

“If that is the case, as a confessed liar, how do you expect the jury to believe this second story? Why not tell them a third story? Or a fourth?”

“All I can say is, I’m sorry for having lied. But now I’ve told the truth.”

“I see! And having lied once, having confessed to doing so, you now expect us to believe you?”

“I hope so.”

“And, I assume, you also hope the jury should believe your word over that of Sheriff Hawley, the trusted, honored, and duly elected sheriff of this community these past twenty years, who is a hero to everyone in Torrance County?”

“He’s no hero to me.”

Scowsen’s voice dripped with mock incredulity. “So you dare claim that the sheriff, who took a bullet in the line of duty, is not a hero?”

Scowsen’s obvious contempt seemed to stiffen Baca’s spine. “I think he’s a bully.”

Infuriated, Scowsen swiveled to the bench. “Your Honor, I object to the slandering of Sheriff Hawley’s good name! I ask that you sanction the witness for making such a statement!”

The judge returned Scowsen’s furious look with a weary one of his own. “Your objection is overruled. The witness’s statement of bullying is explanatory to his motive for committing perjury before this court.” He paused. “Do you have further questions for the witness?”

This response seemed to render Scowsen almost speechless. “Uh, no. No, Your Honor.”

“Mr. Baca, you are excused from the witness stand.”

Baca climbed down and stiffly made his way out of the courtroom.

Scowsen, after a moment of pure paralysis, finally mumbled to no one in particular that he was resting the people’s case. The judge called on Lightfeather to present his defense.

Lightfeather stood up. “I call Nora Kelly as a witness.”

Nora went up to the stand. She sat down, took the oath, and stated her name.

“Dr. Kelly,” Lightfeather said, “you heard Deputy Baca’s testimony. Both the first testimony and the second, which contradicted the first. Which is true?”

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