The Moment of Truth

Mid-August 1990

The Assistant District Attorney for the State of Florida was in court when he received the news about his wife.  Mike Frampton rose slowly to his feet and as he adjusted the knot of his tie, he took center stage.  He stuffed his hands into his pockets and cast his eyes across the twelve men and women sitting in the jury.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he began slowly, taking his time and using his hands to punctuate various sentences as he spoke, “as we near the end of our time together, which I know you must all be really relieved about, I want to leave you with just one thought.  Any person, who kills another person, deserves to be punished to the fullest extent that the Law allows.

“Yes, my esteemed opponent has tried to convince you of her client’s innocence, as she should.  I mean, after all, it is her job.  Just as mine is to the contrary.”

He walked back to his desk and poured himself a glass of water.

“Unfortunately, all is not over,” he continued, taking a mouthful of water.  “It is now down to you twelve people to decide on his fate.  If you feel that my performance has been inadequate – something my wife takes great pleasure in telling me,” he continued, getting the rise he had been expecting from the people inside the courtroom; even the Judge allowed for a smile, “and you feel that all the evidence against him is insufficient, then by all means, find the defendant innocent of all crimes and let him get back on with his life.  She’ll still be dead, but hey,” he shrugged, “c’est la vie.

“However, if you feel that the evidence before you is enough, then find him guilty.  I would then plump for the death penalty.  She’d still be dead, but then so would her killer and justice will have been done.  I therefore leave it in your capable hands to make the right decision.”

January 25 1990

He was a man on a mission.  It was a mission that no one would understand, least if all his wife, which was why he had not let anyone know where he was going, or what he was going to do, or why.  Hell, he didn’t even understand it himself, so how could he expect anyone else to.

All this surreptitiousness because he had a goddamn dream!  Granted, it had been as vivid as they come, and more real than any he had had in the past, but there was one thing he was sure of.  When all this was over, nothing would be the same again.  His life would be over; he would never be able to practice law, either here in