Chapitre 6: Vance - 2.2
After a hearty breakfast, I took some time to relax with the television while preparing my reading material for the trial ahead. The prospect of watching Mister Pembrose, a legend rarely seen in the courtroom these days, argue a case was truly exciting. I left early to walk to the courthouse, eager to witness his expertise in action.
As I entered the dignified stillness of the courtroom, I saw Mister Pembrose standing with the plaintiff, Jessica Durdan. His presence was unmistakable: commanding and impeccably dressed, his suit perfectly tailored to reflect the gravity of the occasion. He scanned the courtroom with a practiced eye before focusing his attention on the jurors assembled before him.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury," Mister Pembrose began, his voice solemn and authoritative, "this trial is convened to address profoundly serious facts. On September 13th last year, my client, Miss Jessica Durdan, sustained irreparable trauma when a terrorist attack by The Twilight Masks claimed the lives of her son and husband."
Mister Pembrose then grabbed a clicker from his workspace and presented two graphic images of the aftermath of the attack labeled Exhibit 1 and 2, which then transitioned into an aerial photograph of a warehouse noted as Exhibit 3.
"Fact two: The leadership of The Twilight Masks was apprehended by the Bluff City Police Department at this warehouse, located at 2309 South Lionel Avenue. Fact three: this warehouse is owned by Red Ace Industrial Holdings."
Pausing to catch his breath, Pembrose's tone shifted to one of sorrow. "Ladies and gentlemen, grave errors were made. You will hear how Red Ace Industrial Holdings failed to conduct proper due diligence on their lessees. Additionally, you will learn about Nicholas Coleman, who provided this property to a known terrorist group. Mr. Coleman ignored clear signs that a tragedy was imminent within that warehouse. Our judicial system insists that such grave errors must be held accountable to the public."
Allowing the gravity of his words to sink in, Pembrose paused for a few seconds before shutting off the projector. "Miss Jessica and I stand before you today to seek justice through a wrongful death lawsuit against Red Ace. The evidence will show that Red Ace and Mr. Coleman are directly liable for the deaths of Henry and Levi Durdan. At the end of this trial, I will ask you to provide Miss Jessica some measure of closure for her profound loss."
As Mister Pembrose laid out the case during his opening remarks, I couldn't help but admire how effectively he was setting the narrative, skillfully persuading the jury to see our facts and framing before the defense even had a chance to speak.
The opposing counsel, Miss Helen Cartwright, began her opening with calm confidence. "Your Honor, members of the jury," she said, her voice smooth and measured, "the events in Old Town were indeed tragic, but it is our contention that Red Ace Industrial Holdings operated within all applicable legal standards and regulations. Furthermore, we argue that the responsibility for criminal actions lies with those who commit them, not with the environments or tools they misuse. We will provide expert testimony to demonstrate that Red Ace could not have reasonably anticipated such misuse of their property."
Helen's strategy is clear, shifting blame from RAIH by focusing on foreseeability and individual responsibility. We'll need to be sharp in countering this by demonstrating that the foreseeability of misuse, especially in an era known for superhuman activities, should have prompted Red Ace to implement stricter security measures.
After the opposing counsel concluded, Mister Pembrose began our presentation. "Your Honor, may we proceed with our evidence?" he requested respectfully, receiving a nod from the judge.
We started with a detailed timeline of events leading up to the attack, featuring testimony from Jessica Durdan about her family's routine, which tragically did not differ on the day of the attack. Following Jessica, a realtor testified about selling the property to Mr. Coleman five years prior, and Mr. Coleman's accountant detailed a sudden shift in leasing practices, with a new tenant paying triple the previous rent.
Each testimony meticulously built our case of negligence. When it was time for our security expert, Ron Goddard, to testify, After establishing Ron's credibility on the record, Mister Pembrose inquired about standard security measures.
"How would you secure a property like this?" Pembrose asked after displaying Exhibit 3 again for Ron to review.
"To start, I'd install security cameras at every entrance and interior cameras covering all windows. Alarm sensors at all entrances and windows, with a team of 10-16 guards to monitor and patrol," detailed Ron.
"And would it be reasonable for someone to access this property without Red Ace's knowledge?" Pembrose continued.
"Not without breaking in. The only unmonitored areas would be the windows," Ron confirmed.
As the cross-examination began, the opposing counsel, Miss Cartwright, tried to steer the narrative. "Mister Goddard, isn't it true that these measures would be ineffective against determined individuals?"
Before Ron could answer, Mister Pembrose stood sharply. "Objection, Your Honor. Argumentative."
The judge nodded. "Sustained. Rephrase your question, Ms. Cartwright."
The careful orchestration of our case continued, with each piece of evidence and testimony strategically reinforcing our narrative of negligence and oversight by Red Ace, setting a compelling stage for the jury to consider the full scope of responsibility for the tragedy in Old Town.
Miss Cartwright, slightly unsettled by the sustained objection but undeterred, quickly adjusted her approach. She cleared her throat and shifted her stance to directly address Ron Goddard again. "Mister Goddard, based on your extensive experience in security, isn't it true that no security system can guarantee 100% protection against all potential breaches?"
Ron nodded thoughtfully before answering. "That is correct. While security systems significantly enhance protection, they cannot completely eliminate the risk of a determined breach."
Miss Cartwright smiled subtly, pleased with this concession. "Thank you, Mister Goddard. So, in your expert opinion, would it be reasonable to expect that Red Ace could have fully prevented individuals with criminal intent from accessing their property, given the sophisticated nature of these potential criminals?"
Ron hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "It would be unreasonable to expect absolute prevention, but the standard in the industry is to implement sufficient deterrents that significantly reduce the risk and increase the chance of intercepting such individuals before they can cause harm."
"Thank you for clarifying that, Mister Goddard." Miss Cartwright turned back to the jury, her expression conveying a mixture of confidence and reassurance. She continued, "So, ladies and gentlemen, as we can see, while security measures are crucial, their effectiveness against highly motivated and sophisticated parties has its limitations."
Mister Pembrose, sensing the potential sway of the jury by this line of questioning, prepared for his rebuttal. Once Ms. Cartwright concluded her examination and sat down, he rose swiftly.
"Your Honor, if I may redirect?" Pembrose requested, receiving a nod from the judge.
"Mister Goddard," Pembrose began, his tone calm but assertive, "You mentioned industry standards for security measures. In your expert opinion, did the security measures taken by Red Ace meet these industry standards, particularly in the context of a property known to be renting to new, possibly high-paying tenants under unusual circumstances?"
Ron shifted in his seat, ready for the question. "No, they did not. The measures in place were minimal and did not adequately cover potential points of entry nor did they include enough monitoring to assess threats effectively. Given the nature of the tenant and the heightened rent, more rigorous measures should have been anticipated and employed."
Pembrose nodded, satisfied with the clarity of the response. "So, while no system is foolproof, there are standards that, if met, greatly improve security and oversight, correct?"
"Correct," Ron affirmed.
"Thank you, Mister Goddard." Pembrose turned back to the jury, emphasizing the gap between what was done and what could have reasonably been expected given the circumstances. "Ladies and gentlemen, while we acknowledge that no security system is infallible, failing to meet basic industry standards leaves a gap that can lead to tragic outcomes, as it did in this case."
As Pembrose concluded his redirect examination, the depth of his experience was evident. He had skillfully steered the narrative back towards the negligence of Red Ace, highlighting their failure to adhere to expected security standards. The jurors nodded, clearly understanding the implications of these facts as they considered the evidence laid out before them.
The courtroom fell into a thoughtful silence as the next witness was called.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone