Verdict
It was hot even in the shade, but I had no desire to be inside that courthouse; inside anywhere. Outside there is fresh air, sky, birds,life. Freedom.
“Bllaaake! They’re ready!” it was my mom yelling from the courthouse doors. “Why does she sound so excited?” I thought. I went inside. It took all my character not to walk the other way. Towards my mountain home. Freedom.
My seat was at the defendants table, next to my lawyer. We had to stand for the judge to enter. He gave the courtroom a lecture on not making a scene when the verdict was announced. You could tell the judge thought it was a guilty verdict. There was a good-sized audience, all there for me. For the last two days we had sat in front of that ass-hole while he did what he could to obstruct my defense. Guilty verdicts give judges power. He had told the jury that even if they didn’t like the laws or the way they were applied to my case, they must find me guilty. That is a lie. An informed jury tries the law as well as the case. The founders of our country knew the jury was the people’s last peaceful defense. Freedom.
I studied the jurors faces as they entered the court through their own door. I knew a little about each one of them from the selection process. There was the young rancher, the middle-aged school teacher, the retired forest service ranger, the housewife, the waitress. “They look happy.” I thought…”But why won’t they look at me? Is there any way they could look happy about sending me to prison? No way, the teacher lady is smiling…is that a smile? Whatever happens, I have fought for whats right, no man will own my soul.” Freedom
Just like on television;
Judge: “Has the jury reached a verdict?”
Young rancher: “Yes we have”
Judge: “Is the verdict unanimous on both charges?”
Young rancher: “Yes”
Judge: “Will the defendant please stand.”
“On the charge of second degree felony aggravated assault we the jury find the defendant Blake Sparks Fluhart…Not Guilty.”
“On the charge of simple assault we the jury find the defendant Blake Sparks Fluhart…Not guilty.”
Freedom
click the link below to learn more about your rights
http://www.ibiblio.org/fija/fijaintr.htm
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July 11, 2010 at 4:41 pm
Good Hell that got my adrenaline pumping!
July 11, 2010 at 6:30 pm
Thanks for reading Ben. I am experimenting with telling stories in different ways.
July 12, 2010 at 3:30 am
Damn good story. I knew how it ended because you told me about this in the parking lot one day.
July 12, 2010 at 5:06 am
Thanks for reading Justin! Just thought I would try some new writing “moves”…
July 15, 2010 at 6:04 am
Allan told me you guys have had some adventures…
July 15, 2010 at 10:12 pm
I miss Allan. But I am happy for him that he lives with a way hot girl in San Diego now and just plays video games all day while she goes to work.
February 16, 2011 at 8:15 pm
Hi Blake,
Hope you don’t mind, but Kristine sent me your blogspot (hope you don’t mind about that – I’m not sure she okayed that with you) and I just read this entry and found it very interesting. I also went to the FIJA website and read that and ended up sending their flier to a lot of my family and friends. More people need to understand their constitutional rights but unless they get busy and study it on their own, they don’t learn it because it certainly isn’t being taught in the public school system and most people are too apathetic to realize that their lack is coming down to us in the loss of freedoms.
I was happy that your lawyer worked out for you. I didn’t know what kind of lawyer he was when I recommended to Kristine that you try him, but I believe him to be a person of high character and he is presently my bishop.
Our whole family was happy about your acquittal.
February 16, 2011 at 9:22 pm
Thanks for reading and everything else!
February 28, 2011 at 6:14 pm
Hi Blake, I like the way you write. My sister Kristine told me this story from the beginning, when it first happened. I never thought it would go so far, and I’m so glad it’s over for you now. Your story took me emotionally back to the courtroom; I have sat with a jury for two different murder trials now. The last one was so crazy because of the way the police and court tried to get an innocent kid for murder. The whole town seemed to want him put away for stabbing a guy when he was basically attacked by a whole gang of people. The cops hid or covered up information. The witnesses perjured themselves. Many in the town were quite upset with us for letting him off, but I was proud to have been able to do it and to give the judge the “Not Guilty” verdict. I, like the lady juror who smiled at you, tried to catch the boy’s eye to give him a smile before the verdict was read – I could tell he was so scared he’d be spending his life in jail. I’m so glad we live in a country where there’s a jury system, and that it usually, hopefully works out for the innocent.
Thanks for the link. I’m going to go read more in case I ever have to be on a jury again. It took some talking to get the men on the jury around to my way of thinking. They wanted to put the kid away just because he was of mixed race, looked like a punk, and might go out and cause trouble if he weren’t locked up. “If we don’t lock him up now, he might go out and murder someone on purpose next time.” Sorry guys, that’s not why we lock people up!
February 28, 2011 at 11:04 pm
Alicia, that is cool! Thanks for reading and being a good person..