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The courtroom fell silent as Shetrell Harting entered, took her seat in the witness box, and was reminded by the judge that she was still under oath. “I understand, Your Honor,” Harting said, settling her slim form into the black bucket seat.
“Ms. Rosato, you may begin your cross-examination,” Judge Guthrie said, without looking up, and Be
“Ms. Harting, you are currently an inmate at county prison, is that right?”
“Yeah.” Harting had changed her outfit and wore a light, white cotton sweater with her blue jeans, but her expression remained as remote as yesterday.
“And you testified yesterday that you were serving time for possession and distribution of crack cocaine, is that right?”
“Yeah.”
“That conviction wasn’t the first time you’ve broken the law, was it?”
“No.”
“You have another conviction, two years before that, also for drug dealing, is that correct?”
“Yes.”
“And several before that, for solicitation.”
“Uh, yes.”
“In fact, three times in a two-year period you were convicted for solicitation, is that right?”
“Yes.”
Be
“Yes.”
“And you testified about a conversation you had with Alice Co
“Yes.”
“And you testified that Alice Co
“Yeah, I said that, but I’m thinkin’ I should tell the truth today.”
Be
“I’m goin’ to tell the truth today.”
Be
“I mean, that was wrong, what I said yesterday.”
Be
“Yeah.” Harting’s eyes flickered a flat green. “Alice never tol’ me nothin’ like that.”
Be
“Ms. Harting,” Be
“Yes. I lied on her yesterday.”
“Objection!” Hilliard said, snatching his crutches and rising to his feet almost before they were completely supporting him.
“On what grounds?” Be
Hilliard looked over, his mouth open slightly. “The question was leading.”
“It’s your witness,” Be
“Order!” Judge Guthrie barked, reaching for his gavel. “Mr. Hilliard, please take your seat. Ms. Rosato, please address your questions to the witness.”
“Thank you, Your Honor,” Be
“Yes.”
“Were you lying when you testified that Alice Co
“Yes.”
“Ms. Harting, is it your testimony today that everything you said on this stand yesterday was false?”
Judge Guthrie leaned toward the witness, his mouth set in a grim line and his forehead wrinkling deeply. For the first time in this trial, his plaid bow tie looked askew. “Ms. Harting, it is incumbent upon the Court, since you appear without counsel in this matter, to inform you that perjury, which is the making of a false material statement under oath, carries a heavy penalty in Pe
“Yeah,” the witness answered, and blinked once. It was the only reaction evident on her face. “Alls I said yesterday was a lie. I lied on Alice and I’m sorry.”
For a minute Be
“Because I wanted Alice to go up for the murder. We was never friends. She did somethin’ bad to me, somethin’ real terrible, between us. I wanted to get her back, so I called up the D.A.” Harting paused. “But las’ night in bed I thought about it and I prayed to my Lord Jesus and I knew I couldn’t go through with it. I’m sorry. I truly am.”
Be
Hilliard took the podium and swiped his head with an open palm. “Ms. Harting, I must say, I am absolutely astounded at your testimony this morning.”
“Objection,” Be
Judge Guthrie shifted forward in his chair. “Mr. Hilliard, please.”
“Yes, sir,” Hilliard said, sighing theatrically. “Ms. Harting, is it your testimony today that everything you said yesterday was a complete and utter fabrication?”
“Objection, asked and answered,” Be
“Sustained. Mr. Hilliard-”
Hilliard raised a hand. “I’m sorry, Your Honor. This comes as such a shock.”
Be
“Ms. Harting,” Hilliard said, “you took an oath to tell the truth yesterday, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Ms. Harting, did you understand you took that oath yesterday?”
“Yes.”
“But you didn’t tell the truth yesterday?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Even though you swore on a Bible, before your Lord Jesus, when you took that oath to tell the truth?”
“Yes. I’m sorry. I truly, truly am.”
Hilliard nodded. “When you got up on the stand this morning, the judge reminded you that you were still under oath, didn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“So that means you took an oath to tell the truth today, do you understand that?”
“Yes.”
“So you took an oath to tell the truth yesterday and you took an oath to tell the truth today. How do we know you’re telling the truth today?”
Be
Hilliard straightened his broad shoulders at the podium. “Your Honor, in view of the morning’s events, the Commonwealth requests permission to question Ms. Harting as a hostile witness.”
“Granted.” Judge Guthrie shifted back in his chair.
“Ms. Harting,” Hilliard said, rapid-fire, “were you lying yesterday or are you lying today?”
“I’m tellin’ the truth today, I swear it.” Harting turned her body toward the jury, though she didn’t make eye contact with a single juror. “I am tellin’ the truth now, I swear to you. I prayed to Jesus, and he helped me. I done wrong in my life, I know, and I wanted to get Alice back, but it was wrong and I want to do the right thing-”