Right Side Up

Nine

Another two weeks of torture pass and it is finally time for the lawyers to give them closing statements and for the jury to give the verdict in my father's case.

We all file into the court room and take our seats.

The last two weeks have been chaos within these walls. My father's lawyers have done nothing but work to make my mother seem like an unstable monster whereas the lawyers on our side are trying to convince the jury that they were murdered in cold blood by my father.

It has not been easy for the lawyers on our side.

My father's lawyer stands before the jury to give him finishing statement. "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, one month ago you were brought here to decide the fate of this man sitting in front of you. Now, other people here may tell you that my client is a killer. I am here to tell you otherwise. I showed you the prescriptions for Mrs. Sweeney's anti-depressants. I showed you the police report that stated her death was by suicide. I brought witnesses to the stand that, I believe, prove that each of these women died in ways other than cold blooded murder."

I lean forward in my seat. I want to hear every vile word this man is spewing.

"These women killed themselves, leaving my client in the dust, to take care of six children all by himself! I think that if you look at all of this evidence, you will see that my client is no killer. He himself is the victim." He nods and takes his seat. "Thank you."

Now, it is the prosecution's turn to give their statement. "Brittany Sweeney. Hillary Greene." He holds up images of the women. "Human beings. Both of them had their lives taken from them. Not by their own hands but by the hands of that man right there. William Kash. He killed each of these women and made their deaths seem like suicides. He tried to do it to his own daughter! He almost got away with it too. It is clear these women are not the first to have died by his hands. If you find him not guilty today, he will continue to do this. Think about your wives, your mothers, your sisters and daughters. If this man walks out of here today as a free man, they could be next. Thank you for your time."

The judge dismisses the jury to their private room where they will be able to deliberate and make their decision.

As for the rest of us, we are released on recess until we are called back.

I pace the floor in front of the courtroom, staring at my shoes as I walk. Out of the corner of my eyes, I can see my family follow me with their heads. I am sure they are as nervous as I am.

"What is taking them so long? We've been waiting out here for hours!" I complain.

"Avery," Logan looks at his watch. "We've only been out here for three minutes."

"Oh." I reply sadly. "Well it feels like it's been hours. I'm tired of waiting. What do they need to deliberate anyways? It's clear that he's guilty."

"They legally have to give the jury time to deliberate. I'm sure it will only be a little while before they call us back in there though." Leigh adds.

I stare at the clock on the wall, counting the seconds. Each minute feels like a lifetime.

I just want to know my father is going to rot in jail for the rest of his life for what he did to my mom and Hillary. Those other women he killed deserve justice too. I won't rest until he is behind bars forever.

Just over six hours pass before we are called back into the courtroom.

The jury has reached a decision.

"Ladies and gentleman of the jury, have you agreed upon your verdict?" The judge asks.

"Yes ma'am." They all agree.

"Would the jury please read the verdict?"

The jury members in charge of speaking stands. Her hands shake slightly as she reads the words from the paper.

"We the jury, in the case of William Kash v. The state of Pennsylvania, find the defendant, William Kash to be-"

Author's note: what do you think the verdict will be?