December 19, 2021 (Done in December 21)
Words: Judicial
"Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Calling the case of the People of the State of California versus Lawrence Smith. Are both sides ready?" the judge asked, expecting both parties to respond.
During a peaceful afternoon, Inside a spacious court the case of Lawerence Smith is currently in trial. Both parties responded, "Ready, your honor." And thus, the trial began.
Lawrence Smith was charged with first degree murder. The evidence showed surveillance footage of Lawrence Smith brandishing a knife towards innocent bystanders, which led to homicide of various victims. He was arrested the day after the footage was reviewed as well as statements from witnesses. With the evidence presented, the Deputy DA suggested death penalty.
"Your Honor and ladies and gentlemen of the jury: while evidence shows Lawrence had committed such an atrocious crime, during this trial, you will come to know the truth: that Lawrence was not in the right mind when the unfortunate event took place. Reviewing the life of Lawrence, we discovered domestic violence from his family members as well as substance abuse. Therefore I suggest reducing his sentence as well as rehabilitation," the public defender stated.
The judge gave permission to call the witnesses of both sides. The people's witness was the store clerk, who witnessed the event. The store clerk described Lawrence's cold behavior and the dying eyes of the victims. While the defendant's witness was Lawrence's neighbors during his childhood days. They described the hysterical screams of a little boy which would happen when the father would return home. They contacted child protection, which was not fruitful.
After the witness statements, the clerk asked the defendant to swear that he would give them the whole truth, to which Lawrence replied, "yes."
"Did you attack the customers in the store?" the clerk asked.
"It seems so," Lawrence replied with a deadpan expression.
"Why would you do such a thing?"
"Maybe because they appeared like my father."
"Could you expand on that?"
"I have a deep hatred towards my father. During my childhood days, I never had the power to stop what was happening to me and my mother," the audience gasped,"and so, when I finally escaped my father's grasps, I rejoiced."
"How does that relate to your actions towards the victims?"
"My father would sometimes appear in my head, like a guardian angel expect it was terrorizing me. People around me would look like that bastard's face, tempting me."
"Tempting you to?"
"Tempting me to do something about it. Every Time he appears, wrath envelops me. Maybe during the time I took a trip to the convenience store, rage blinded me to commit such a thing," he said with a concerned expression.
"I sincerely apologize to the families affected," Lawrence apologized, bowing his head towards the crowd.
After exchanges of arguments between the Deputy DA and public defender, the Judge came to a conclusion. To reduce Lawrence Smith's sentence. After the trial, he was sent to a mental hospital, the house of the mentally ill, to recover from the trauma.
The next morning, when he was brought food, he disappeared from his room with no evidence. After contacting the authorities, they discovered that he was an orphan. His adopted father was the main suspect of a serial killing. Inside of the man's property was a deceased wife and the bodies of children. Lawrence Smith was an accomplice.