Preparing for Trial

Marie arrives at the office and sits down at her desk.  She has a meeting about her upcoming court case at 10am that will likely last most of the day. 

2020-10-27 · Charlie Samra ·

Preparing for Trial

Marie arrives at the office and sits down at her desk.  She has a meeting about her upcoming court case at 10am that will likely last most of the day.  Almost immediately, she gets a text from Jenny.

Jenny texting...   Hey you, John has your number.  He should be getting in contact with you sometime today, I think.  

Marie texting...  Thanks Jenny.  I wonder.   Marie adds a deadpan emoji.

It's 10am, and the defense team gathers in the conference room.  Marie connects her laptop to the overhead projector so everyone can see her presentation.

Marie:  Ok, let's get started.  As you know, this meeting is about the Joey Lasso case.  Mr. Lasso was out with a group of friends at the Philadium bar on June 20th.  Another group arrived at around 11pm that included Brian Carter, the plaintiff.  Brian Carter is a professional baseball player for the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Physically, Mr. Carter is a pretty big guy - around 6'4", 220 pounds.  Mr. Lasso is around 5'10", 190 pounds.   

A couple of junior law clerks join the meeting a little late.  Marie looks up with a frown but continues her explanation of the case.

Marie:  At around midnight, there was apparently an argument about the music. Greg Moran, a person in Mr. Lasso's group, told the bartender to change the music.  The bartender refused, stating that he has no control over the music.  Mr. Carter overheard the conversation, and said to Mr. Moran in no uncertain terms that the music will not be changed, using a lot of colorful language as you can imagine.  Mr. Carter pushed Mr. Moran as he was making his point.  Mr. Lasso saw that, and walked up to Mr. Carter and punched him in the face.  Mr. Carter did not see it coming, and went down hard, and the rest of Mr. Carter's group jumped on Mr. Lasso and he went down.  Bouncers at the bar broke the fight up fairly quickly, and the police were called and they took statements.  Mr. Lasso was arrested for assault, and was taken to the 3rd district police headquarters.  He spent the night there, and was bailed out by his parents the next day.  Mr. Carter was taken to a local hospital with a possible concussion.  The whole thing was video recorded by Mark White, who was just another customer at the bar.  He almost immediately uploaded it to Instagram.  Questions?  

 Linda: So, Lasso sucker punched Carter.  I saw the video.  It's pretty clear what happened.  

Marie: Well, yes and no.  The video does not show Mr. Carter push Mr. Moran.  This is a key point for our defense. 

 Bob: So the defense will be "self-defense"?  I can see making that case, considering the push as well as the size advantage that Carter has over Moran.  You're going to say that Lasso punched Carter to protect Moran? 

Marie: Exactly.  It's clear cut to me.  If Carter had not pushed Moran, I think our case would be much more difficult.  Fortunately we have witnesses, so I am confident that we can exonerate Mr. Lasso.  I wonder if a deal can be worked out before the trial.  

 Ellis: At the initial hearing he pleaded not guilty, right? 

Marie: That's right, Ellis.  

 Ellis: Ok, what are the key dates?  When will the actual trial happen? 

Marie: The key dates are on this slide.  

Marie displays a slide that shows the following:

 Date and Schedule Timeline

  • July 20 - initial hearing
  • September 14 - follow-up hearing
  • November 4 - pre-trial hearing
  • November 22 - trial begins

Marie: After my opening statement, the prosecution will call witnesses.  Let me share that list with you... 

Marie shows a few more slides about the case, including the witness list and some thoughts on the prosecution's case.  The meeting goes on until a little after 3pm.  After the meeting, Marie goes back to her desk and checks emails and phone messages.  At a little after 5pm, she gets a text.

John texting... Hi this is John Chestnut from the other night.  

Marie texting... Hi John. How are you? 

John texting... Good.  Hey, would you like to go for drinks after work sometime?

Marie pauses for effect... 

Marie texting...   Sure.  How about Friday?  Where?  

John texting... I know a place...

Marie smiles as she blocks her calendar for Friday evening.

単語

フラッシュカードドリル
deadpan 無表情(むひょうじょう)
  1. His deadpan expression was hilarious considering the circumstances.
    (かれ)無表情(むひょうじょう)様子(ようす)状況(じょうきょう)(かんが)えると滑稽(こっけい)でした。
in no uncertain terms はっきりと、確実(かくじつ)(てき)
  1. She indicated in no uncertain terms her disgust for the president.
    彼女(かのじょ)大統領(だいとうりょう)(たい)する嫌悪(けんお)(かん)をはっきりと(しめ)した。
colorful language (わる)言葉(ことば)
  1. He used some colorful language when referring to the president.
    (かれ)大統領(だいとうりょう)言及(げんきゅう)するときにいくつかの罵倒(ばとう)したな言葉(ことば)使用(しよう)しました。
bouncer 用心棒(ようじんぼう)
  1. Freddie worked as a bouncer in a strip club prior to getting hired as a bodyguard for the president's lawyer.
    フレディは、大統領(だいとうりょう)弁護士(べんごし)のボディーガードとして(やと)われる(まえ)に、ストリップクラブで用心棒(ようじんぼう)として(はたら)いていました。
arrest 逮捕(たいほ)する
  1. The president was arrested for tax evasion.
    大統領(だいとうりょう)脱税(だつぜい)逮捕(たいほ)された。
assault 暴行(ぼうこう)
  1. The president's son was arrested for assault of his girlfriend, which caused considerable embarrassment.
    大統領(だいとうりょう)息子(むすこ)はガールフレンドに(たい)する暴行(ぼうこう)逮捕(たいほ)され、かなりの窮迫(きゅうはく)事態(じたい)()()こした。
concussion 脳震盪(のうしんとう)
  1. The best player on the football team suffered a concussion in the first half, and had to sit out the rest of the game.
    フットボールチームのベストプレイヤーは前半(ぜんはん)脳震盪(のうしんとう)()こし、ゲームの(のこ)りはずっと(すわ)って()ていなくてはなりませんでした。
Instagram インスタグラム
  1. As the fight was unfolding, I was streaming it to Instagram.
    喧嘩(けんか)()(ひろ)げられていたので、(わたし)はそれをInstagramにストリーミングしていました。
witness 証人(しょうにん)
  1. She was the first witness called in the case. Her testimony was not very convincing though.
    彼女(かのじょ)はその事件(じけん)()ばれた最初(さいしょ)目撃(もくげき)(しゃ)でした。しかし、彼女(かのじょ)証言(しょうげん)はあまり説得(せっとく)(りょく)がありませんでした。
sucker punch 不意打(ふいう)
  1. He sucker punched Harold, and after that all hell broke loose in the bar.
    (かれ)はハロルドに不意打(ふいう)ちパンチを()わせました、そしてその()、バーでは(まった)くの地獄(じごく)様相(ようそう)となりました。
self defense 自己(じこ)防衛(ぼうえい)
  1. He plead self defense, though between you and me I think he really wanted to kill that guy.
    (かれ)自己(じこ)防衛(ぼうえい)(うった)えますが、ここだけの(はなし)(かれ)本当(ほんとう)にその(おとこ)(ころ)したかったのだと(おも)います。
athlete アスリート
  1. Professional athletes are able to get offers to endorse products, which is very lucrative.
    プロのアスリート(たち)は、色々(いろいろ)製品(せいひん)推奨(すいしょう)するという仕事(しごと)のオファーを()ることができます。それはとても(もう)かる仕事(しごと)です。
plead (もう)()てる
  1. The president pleaded not guilty at his IRS tax evasion plea hearing.
    大統領(だいとうりょう)(かれ)のIRS脱税(だつぜい)嘆願(たんがん)聴聞(ちょうもん)(かい)無罪(むざい)(もう)()てた。
guilty 有罪(ゆうざい)
  1. The president was proven guilty of multiple white-collar crimes in a court of law.
    大統領(だいとうりょう)は、法廷(ほうてい)複数(ふくすう)のホワイトカラー犯罪(はんざい)有罪(ゆうざい)とされた。
plaintiff 原告(げんこく)
  1. The trial was suspended because the plaintiff caught the coronavirus.
    原告(げんこく)がコロナウイルスにかかった(ため)裁判(さいばん)中断(ちゅうだん)された。
exonerate 免罪(めんざい)する
  1. Fortunately we have witnesses, so I am confident that we can exonerate Mr. Lasso.
    (さいわ)いなことに目撃(もくげき)(しゃ)(たち)がいるので、ラッソさんを免罪(めんざい)できると確信(かくしん)しています。

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