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"I could not get through this without you," she told hilad you don’t have to You’ll never have to go through anything alone again"
When the day for Brie to testify finally arrived she went bravely and calmly to the stand to be sworn in No testimony about her prosecution of him for previous crimes could be admitted by the prosecutor, so she was left to describe the details of her rape As she took her seat and looked into the courtrooht, he was a part of it all, like it or not Maybe they could all get their closure and get on with their lives
"I had to work late and wasn’t hoe door, but I parked in the drive because the garage was full of junk that I’d beento clean out for rabbed from behind, by the hair He smashed my head into the top of the car Then an ar et intoaway--I’m not sure if he did it or if I lost control of it in the struggle"
"Did you struggle, Ms Sheridan?"
"I fought with everything I had, and he hit me, three or four times in the face I blacked out for aover , I froze That’s when he reached under my skirt and tore my hose and my underwear off Well, not off Down He held a hand around my throat to keep me still while he undid his trousers with his other hand I was choking"
She looked at her brother and Mike Jack frowned and looked down, but Mike held her gaze Steady She knew that inside he was in terrible pain, hearing what she’d been through, but for her he kept a strong front, chin up, eyes level
"Did he say anything?" the prosecutor asked
"Objection Your Honor?"
The judge put his hand over the microphone and leaned toward Brie "Can you answer the question without introducing any prohibited information?"
"Of course," she said She had to focus on the lawyers’ faces "He said, ‘Look atany evidence behind I’ to kill you I want you to live’"
"And did thaton a condoto choke to death I felt like I was being ripped apart When he was done, he pulled his pants up and I watched--that condom ith him, inside his pants Then he stood up and kicked me several times I lost consciousness" She went on to describe the injuries she sustained as photos taken at the hospital were passed around the jury box Her voice was steady, her words well chosen and clear, but tears ran down her cheeks and dripped onto hands folded in her lap And inside, her stoh to double her over
"Did he say anything else?"
"Objection! Your Honor?"
"Sustained," he said
"That’s all I have for now," the prosecutor said
The defense attorney got up and started asking her questions about the tilasses, was it dark or was the drive well lit, all ai doubt on her ability to an to sway before her eyes and she wavered a bit The judge leaned over and asked her if she could continue "You’re looking a little pale," he pointed out
"Let’s just do it," she whispered back
The defense took up an hour with questions about her schedule, her health, her mental stability, even her divorce Finally he said, "Did you pick the suspect out of a lineup?"
"No He fled"
"Did the police show you photos?"
"I did look at photos, yes"
"And that was how long ago?"
"Seven listened in sweat
"Do you see the man you identified in this rooht there," she said, pointing "Jerome Powell"
"And you’re confident that a o is this man?"
Her head snapped up, her eyes wide, at attention The prosecutor in her had kicked in
"Yes or no, Ms Sheridan"
She leaned forward "No," she answered
By the look on his face, the defense attorney immediately knehat he’d done
"Your Honor, may we approach?" Brie’s lawyer asked
The lawyers went to the bench and a heated argument ensued, every bit of which Brie could hear The prosecutor argued that he was entitled to explore that last anshile the defense argued that it would ultith the judge admonished the defense attorney that he had opened the door and the prosecution could proceed
"Ms Sheridan," the prosecutor asked, "how is it you’re not confident that the man you identified from the photo is this man?"
"Because I looked at photos, but I didn’t identify him froave the police his name I knew him"
"And how did you know him?"