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“The prosecution calls Shetrell Harting to the stand,” Dorsey Hilliard a
“Here comes trouble,” she said under her breath.
“What?” Be
Co
“Please approach the stand, Ms. Harting, and the deputy will swear you in,” Judge Guthrie said, peering over the dais. The jurors’ heads wheeled expectantly to the back of the courtroom, but the witness entered from the side, through the door that led to the holding cells.
“A prisoner?” Be
“She’s go
Oh, no. Be
“What?” Mary whispered.
“Go, now. Find out everything you can about this woman. Take Lou with you. Tell him to get the dirt from his cop buddies.”
“Lou’s not here.”
Be
“He left when court started. Said he’d be back tonight.”
Be
DiNunzio took off, and Be
“County prison, sir.”
“That same prison that housed Alice Co
“Yes, sir.”
“Please tell the jury why you were incarcerated, Ms. Harting.”
“I’m doin’ time for possession and distributin’ crack cocaine. Also some weapons violations, I think.”
The jurors in the front row sat engrossed, while the videographer stifled a smile. The court reporter typed away, the steno machine spitting a white paper tape into a tray, in folded strips.
“Ms. Harting, did I contact you and ask for your testimony, or did you contact me?”
“I called up your office from the house, I mean, prison.”
“Ms. Harting, have I or anyone else representing the Commonwealth made any threats or promises to you in return for your testimony today?”
“No.”
“So, Ms. Harting, it’s your testimony that you came here today on your own initiative?”
“Yeah. Yes, I called you and axed could I come.”
“Fine.” Hilliard nodded and thumbed through a folder on the podium. “Now, would you please tell us how you know the defendant?”
“We on the same unit. We friends, her an’ me, and she teaches the computer class I take.”
At defense table, Be
“Ms. Harting,” Hilliard continued, “did there come a time when the defendant had a conversation with you alone, after computer class?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you remember when that conversation took place?”
“It was sometime last year is all I remember.”
Co
Hilliard checked his notes. “Ms. Harting, please tell the jury about the conversation you had with the defendant on the day in question, if you would.”
“Well, Alice tol’ me-”
“Objection,” Be
Hilliard shook his head. “Your Honor, it’s not hearsay. It’s not offered for the truth and again, it’s an admission.”
“Overruled, Ms. Rosato.” Judge Guthrie waved Be
“Ms. Harting, please face the jury and tell them what the defendant said to you.”
The witness turned her chair toward the jury. “Well, Alice tol’ me that she capped her boyfriend, Anthony. That she killed him. She said that nobody would never catch her. Said she was too smart for the cops, too smart for everybody.”
A juror in the front row gasped, and two others exchanged looks. Be
“Ms. Harting,” he said, “what did you say to the defendant when she said this?”
“I tol’ her you kill a cop in this town, you pay with your life.”
“And what did she say in response?”
Be
“Duly noted,” Judge Guthrie said dismissively.
Harting nodded, shaking off the interruption. “She said she’d get away with it, ’cause she was about to hire her the best lawyer in Philly. Was go
On the dais Judge Guthrie cocked an eyebrow and looked over, and at defense table Be
“Ms. Harting, did you believe what the defendant told you about her plans?”
“Yes, sir, I did.”
“Why was that?”
“Because I seen her. Alice was the computer teacher, like I said, and she got in the computer room all the time. She studied about that lawyer on the computer, looked up pictures of her, got all kind of information. She had it all pla
Be
Hilliard skimmed his notes. “I have no further questions, Your Honor.”
Judge Guthrie nodded at defense table. “Ms. Rosato, do you wish to cross-examine?”
Be
“Your Honor,” Hilliard said, raising his chin, “the Commonwealth objects to recessing right now. My office promised the warden of the county prison we would return Ms. Harting tonight.”
“Your Honor,” Be