Worship You

Chapter Seventeen - Homeland Security

Next morning, the DA called a tall thin man to the stand. The prosecutor asked him his name and occupation. He said his name was Salcedo and he worked for Homeland Security. He testified that Homeland Security had intercepted Mr. Gazowski's emails in which he made threats against the institution of the high school. These emails were sent to Ms. Cioukowsky. Cassie's lawyer leaped to her feet. 

"Objection, your honor. These emails have not been introduced. What are the sources of these emails?" 

The District Attorney said, "Much of this testimony is classified, your honor, under the Patriot Act and other Homeland Security legislation."  

Then he explained that all of this (or most of it anyway) could be told to the judge in closed session. All three of the lawyers went up to the bench where they whispered together. Finally, they returned to their seats. The judge ruled that the emails could be entered into the testimony as he was convinced of their authenticity. 

At first, it looked like the county didn't want to read the emails in court. They had the guy from Homeland Security paraphrase them. Both our lawyers objected and Salcedo had to read the emails aloud.(Later, Cassie's lawyer made Ron Gazowski read the emails to the jury. And the judge said it was fine by him. He wanted to hear Ron read his love notes out loud.) 

Salcedo read: "so I will reck that place if tht's what you want becuz that's what U mean 2 me. Trust me. I know where to get bomb stuff."  

The emails went on and on like that, some of them with even less grammar and spelling. Gazz threatened to shoot the principal. And also his homeroom teacher because she had just given him a failing grade in Social Studies and "I hate that bitch cause she always call on me when I ain't study." He also offered "to shoot any persons you hate and name. As since I am in for a penny in for a pound. They can only kil me 1x."  In order that the whole court could enjoy Gazz's spelling and grammar they used an overhead projector to show Gaz's love notes on a screen,  just like in health class.

The Homeland Security agent had a tough time making it sound threatening or sinister. It sounded like what it was: stream of consciousness of a truly inferior brain. And there he was, Star Witness for the Prosecution. People in the jury box seemed to be laughing silently. There was no way this idiot was serious. Although he may be dangerous. 

 They finally put Gazz himself on the stand. And the jury was not disappointed. Gazz came into the court, all six two, two hundred twenty-five pounds of him, from a special holding area. He was wearing his orange Juvee Dee jumpsuit. He looked like fresh-picked fruit from Florida. He also looked like an inmate of an institution and, being Gazz, he looked like he belonged in one. Maybe that was the point. 

Gazz kept his eyes fixed on a spot in the back wall. He didn't look at me or Cassie. The District Attorney was frowning at him like he had just realized that his star witness looked untrustworthy, and much worse for wearing those prison coveralls. But heck, they're not made of money at the District Attorney's office and part of this witness's value is that he backs up the whole teen psycho killer deal so he doesn't have to look good. But did he have to look this bad? 

The DA asked Gazz to explain who he was. Gazz answered them in his usual surly tone, except when he was asked to explain his relationship to us. Then he said cheerfully, "They're friends of mine." 

"Good friends?" 

"Yeah I guess." 

The DA then asked Gazz to tell the jury a little bit about himself. Gazz gave them the agreed-upon answer: seventeen, high school student, youngest in a family of five - all of it rehearsed with the DA. Then he finished by saying, "And like they say in the papers, I'm a big football star."