ACT TWO
(Curtain up. Courtroom all seated. Witness Mr.
Blacksock in witness box.)
(Judge) Mr. Harris you may question your next
witness.
(Harris) Please state your name and address.
(John) John
Blackstock. I live at 610 Park Street, Lakeville.
(Harris) What is your
occupation?
(John) I teach sixth grade at Lakeville Elementary.
(Harris)
Do you know Dr. Burton?
(John) I know about him, but have never met
him.
(Harris) Did you know his wife Shirley Burton?
(John) Yes, I
did.
(Harris) How did you know Shirley Burton?
(John) She was a teacher at
Lakeville High. My daughter was in her class last year, and Shirley and I were
in the same class last summer at the community college.
(Harris) So you were
friends?
(John) Yes.
(Harris) In your opinion was Shirley Burton
unstable?
(John) No.
(Harris) On March 3rd. where were you?
(John) I
was in Columbia.
(Harris) And Columbia is 120 miles from Lakeville. What was
your business there?
(John) I have a sick sister living there and went to
visit her.
(Harris) Did you see Dr. Burton on that day while you were in
Columbia?
(John) Yes.
(Harris) Where and at what time did you see
him?
(John) I saw him at the McDonald's drive-in about 9 P.M.
(Harris) How
did you know it was Dr. Burton?
(John) I know the car; Shirley drove it
sometimes, and I saw Dr. Burton driving the car.
(Harris) Do you know why he
was in Columbia?
(John) No, but I have never seen him in Columbia
before.
(Harris) How much time do you spend in Columbia?
(John) I go there
almost every weekend. My parents live there too.
(Harris) No further
questions at this time.
(Harris sits down and Toms gets up.)
(Toms) Mr. Blackstock, Dr.
Burton had a reason to be in Columbia. I would like to enter into evidence
Affidavit number A1.
(Judge) Clerk, please read the affidavit.
(Clerk) On
March 3rd. I went to Columbia to pick up some necessary medicine for my office
not available locally. Sworn and signed, Thomas J. Burton, phd.
(Toms) Mr.
Blackstock, you didn't see Dr. Burton doing anything wrong, did you?
(John)
No.
(Toms) No other questions. (Toms sits down.)
(Judge) Mr. Harris, you
have another witness?
(Harris) Yes, your honor.
(Clerk) The State calls
Dr. Paul Montsuma.
(Dr. Montsuma and Harris go to the witness
box.)
(Harris) Dr. Montsuma what is your profession?
(Paul) I am the
Department Head of the State's forensic laboratory.
(Harris) And you are
qualified in forensic chemistry?
(Paul) Yes. I have a doctor's degree in
criminal science from the University of Virginia.
Harris) How long have you
been the head of the State's laboratory?
(Paul) Two years.
(Harris) Blood
and hair samples found in Dr. Burton's car were identified by you. What were the
results?
(Paul) They matched Shirley Burton's.
(Harris) How were they
matched?
(Paul) With samples taken from her home.
(Harris) And a dress
with blood on it found in a dumpster was tested in your laboratory?
(Paul)
Yes.
(Harris) What were the results of those tests?
(Paul) The blood
matched Shirley Burton's blood, and the dress matches one worn by Mrs.
Burton.
(Harris) We submit this photograph of Mrs. Burton wearing the same
dress found in the dumpster, and the dress itself into evidence. Dr. Montsuma,
what is the probability that these results are accurate?
(Paul) One hundred
percent accurate.
(Harris) No further questions.
(Judge) Mr. Toms, do you
want to cross examine?
(Toms) No, your honor. We would like to call a
witness.
(Clerk) The defense calls Shirley Ann Burton.
(Toms) Shirley,
what is your relationship to Dr. Burton?
(Ann) I'm his daughter.
(Toms)
How old are you?
(Ann) Seventeen.
(Toms) Do you live at home with your
father?
(Ann) Yes sir.
(Toms) Did you ever hear your parents
arguing?
(Ann) No, not really.
(Toms) What do you mean?
(Ann) Well they
might disagree about something, but never got mad at each other.
(Toms) In
your opinion, were your mother and father happy together?
(Ann) Yes
sir.
(Toms) Was it true that your mother was depressed at times?
(Ann)
Maybe just a little.
(Toms) So your mother could have been unhappy, and you
didn't know it?
(Ann) I guess...but I don't think so.
(Toms) Did your
mother take any medicine?
(Ann) Yes sir.
(Toms) I submit into evidence
prescription records documenting that Shirley Burton was using methophenalate, a
drug for depression. I have no more questions for Ms. Burton. Thank you Shirley.
(cross examination)
(Harris) I'm sorry about your mother. Shirley what
are you planning to do after High School?
(Ann) I plan to go to college, but
I don't know what I'm going to study, maybe Biology.
(Harris) You are an A
student?
(Ann) Yes sir.
(Harris) Were you happy growing up at
home?
(Ann) Yes sir.
(Harris) Did you ever see your father get angry about
anything?
(Ann) No sir.
(Harris) Remember, you are under oath to tell the
truth. When we talked two weeks ago you told me about an incident.
(Ann) Yes
sir. One time.
(Harris) When was that?
(Ann) Back in December when a
patient sued him.
(Harris) How did he act?
(Ann) He raged and he cursed,
but I don't blame him. It wasn't his fault.
(Harris) Was he violent?
(Ann)
He broke a few things, but he wouldn't hurt anyone.
(Harris) Do you think
your mother would have left home without taking anything, or telling you or
anyone?
(Ann) No sir.
(Harris) No further questions. Thank you
Shirley.
(Clerk) The defense calls Harold Hill.
(Toms) Mr. Hill, what is
your profession?
(Hill) I am a polygraph specialist for the State.
(Toms)
Well, we won't question your credentials. Did you administer a lie detector test
to Dr. Burton?
(Hill) Yes, I did.
(Toms) When was that done?
(Hill) One
week ago.
(Toms) Did you question him about his involvement in this
case?
(Hill) Yes, I have the transcript and results right here.
(Toms) I
would like to submit this transcript into evidence. Mr. Hill, will you tell the
court the results.
(Hill) He passed the test.
(Toms) He passed. No further
questions.
(Judge) Mr. Harris, do you wish to cross examine?
(Harris) No,
your honor.
(Judge) I believe we have one more witness.
(Clerk) The
defense calls Reverend James Sparks.
(Toms) Good afternoon Reverend. For the
court records you are the minister of East Side Baptist Church in
Lakeville?
(Rev.) Yes.
(Toms) Thomas and Shirley Burton are members of
your church?
(Rev.) Yes, they are.
(Toms) Is Doctor Burton a
Christian?
(Harris) Objection. That would be a second hand opinion, and we
all know Christians can commit crimes.
(Judge) Sustained.
(Toms) In your
opinion does Doctor Burton live and act like a Christian?
(Rev.) Yes, he
does.
(Toms) Were the Burtons having any problems with their
marriage?
(Rev.) I was not aware of any.
(Toms) Thank you
Reverend.
(cross examination)
(Harris) Reverend Sparks, you knew Shirley
Burton real well, didn't you?
(Rev.) Yes, I have known her for about ten
years.
(Harris) Would you say she was a very stable person?
(Rev.) Yes,
she was.
(Harris) Did she ever appear depressed?
(Rev.) No.
(Harris)
Thank you. No more questions.
(Judge) Is there any additional evidence? (no
reply) Alright. We will adjourn until Wednesday at 10 A.M. Mr. Harris and Mr.
Toms be prepared with closing statements.
(Bailiff) All rise.
(Curtain
down)(End of Act 2.)(Short music
interlude.)
**continue**
