Chapter 11 - BRANDON’S TRIAL
Brandon rejected a plea agreement.
The case went to trial.
I testified.
Seeing him again made my hands shake.
I hated that.
Then stopped hating myself for it.
I described the financial discovery.
The confrontation.
The phone.
The balcony.
The push.
The fall.
Cross-examination was difficult.
Had I been angry?
Yes.
Had I threatened divorce?
Yes.
Had I told Brandon I would expose him?
Yes.
Had I suffered a concussion?
Yes.
Could concussion affect memory?
Yes.
I refused to pretend weaknesses did not exist.
The prosecution did not depend on my certainty alone.
Video.
System logs.
Search history.
Audio.
Financial motive.
Margaret’s testimony.
Physical evidence.
Brandon testified too.
He claimed he reached for the phone and accidentally caused me to lose balance.
That explanation confronted the video.
Jurors watched it repeatedly.
His arms extended.
My body accelerated backward.
The prosecution argued force.
Defense argued struggle.
Then the audio played.
“Don’t touch me.”
“Give me the phone.”
“No.”
Those were my last clear words before falling.
May you like
The jury deliberated.
I waited.
