My Wife is a Counsel Chapter 39: Chasing step by step
www.lnmao.org, the fastest update to the latest chapter of My Wife is an Archon!
Du Laifu sat on the witness stand again.
He is tall and thin, in his thirties, with a black mole on his face and a sinister look on his face. He looks very cunning.
Lu Ming sat and looked at the note in his hand.
It was the information from Lao Gui's investigation that Datou had just sent to him.
It is said above that it turns out that Li Xiaoyan’s husband, Liu Shoucheng, the second shareholder of Mingjia Entertainment, went to the Jincheng Hotel at around four o’clock on the night of the incident.
However, the witness will not appear in court to testify in any case, and the old ghost also promised that the identity of the witness will never be revealed.
Lu Ming frowned and thought.
"Defense?" Seeing Lu Ming not moving for a long time, Cao Guan had to remind him.
"Yes." Lu Ming stuffed the note into his pocket, stood up slowly, and walked in front of Du Laifu, "Mr. Du Laifu, what is your relationship with the victim, Ms. Li Xiaoyan?"
Du Laifu leaned forward to the microphone and said, "I am her cousin."
"Please introduce it in detail."
Du Laifu looked at Lu Ming with some confusion.
"For example, how did your relationship come about?"
Du Laifu hesitated for a moment and said: "Ms. Li Xiaoyan's mother and my mother are from the same hometown and have been good friends since they were very young."
These questions have been prepared for a long time. Liu Hanxuan asked his assistant to practice with him and told him not to lie. He just thought that he would be asked by the defense on the first day of the trial, but he did not expect that it would be delayed until today.
Lu Ming nodded: "In other words, you are not related by blood."
"Yes, but she takes good care of me. Since childhood, I have regarded her as my sister."
"Ms. Li Xiaoyan, what kind of person is she?"
Du Laifu gradually breathed a sigh of relief. These questions had almost been rehearsed before, "She is kind and kind. She has always been very good to those close to her."
"Jincheng Hotel is a very simple small hotel. Does she often stay there?"
"Yes, actually she doesn't like luxury people very much. She said that she is more comfortable in Jincheng Apartment and will think of the time she spent with the neighbors when she was a child." Du Laifu answered with a familiarity.
"So, she made an appointment with Mr. Li Haoran to go to her room late at night. You will understand that two lonely and pitiful people tend to be attracted to each other, right?"
Du Laifu was stunned. According to the original rehearsal script, the following question should be asked by the other party whether Li Xiaoyan often brings men to Jincheng Hotel.
His answer should be all kinds of proof that Li Xiaoyan is not a loose woman.
But I didn’t expect that the other party didn’t follow the routine.
"Just because you understand, you don't feel strange about Ms. Li Xiaoyan's abnormal behavior, and you don't think there will be any problems, right?"
Du Laifu looked at the prosecutor's seat and saw Liu Hanhuan frowning and looking unhappy.
"Yes, yes..." Du Laifu answered randomly.
Liu Hanhuan looked very ugly, but he was still tricked. The original answer was that the defense would try its best to attack the victim's character, but he didn't expect that from the very beginning, Lu Qianxing had no intention of attacking Li Xiaoyan's character. mean.
In this way, in the eyes of the jury, Li Xiaoyan gradually turned into a pitiful and kind-hearted abandoned woman who was completely ignored by the heartless man who liked the new and disliked the old.
This guy Lu Qianxing is even more swaying and taking the opportunity to shape Li Si's character, which is equally pitiful and pathetic.
And Li Xiaoyan, they became the fallen people in the world.
The crimes of robbery, **** and attempted murder, etc., seem to be very unreasonable.
Even if I am now shaken in my heart, is it really not Li Si who killed him?
I did not understand this case in depth. Originally, it was just a formality.
Liu Hanhuan was stunned for a moment, why did he have such an idea? This is not a good sign!
In front of the witness stand, the cross-examination continued.
"According to your testimony, you discovered that Li Xiaoyan was killed four hours after Mr. Li Haoran left, at around five in the morning, right?"
Du Laifu nodded lightly, "Yes!"
"During this period, you did not see a third person entering Li Xiaoyan's room again? Right?"
"Yes."
"Have you been staring at Ms. Li Xiaoyan's room? Even if Mr. Li Haoran left, according to common sense, Ms. Li Xiaoyan has fallen asleep and rested, but you have still been keeping an eye on Ms. Li Xiaoyan's room?"
Du Laifu shook his head: "No, because I had a few friends that day who stayed in the room opposite Ms. Li Xiaoyan, so I stayed with them there, but they were all too good at smoking, so they later opened the doors and windows of the room. , the door has never been closed.”
"Yes, I saw your testimony said this. The testimony of several of your friends was that some of them went to the bedroom to sleep after being drunk, and some left early. Looking at the timeline, it started at 3 a.m. At first, it’s just you, continuing to drink in the outer room of the suite, right? The door to the outer room of the suite is open, and your seat is facing the door of Ms. Li Xiaoyan’s suite, so you can clearly see people entering and exiting. ”
"Yes!"
"Then, at 5:11 in the morning, you suddenly found that the door outside Ms. Li Xiaoyan's suite was ajar. You wanted to help her close the door, but you smelled the smell of blood in the bedroom, and then you discovered that Ms. Li Xiaoyan had been murdered. ."
"Yes."
"At that time, the wind happened to be blowing. Because you opened the window and door, the strong wind blew the door of Ms. Li Xiaoyan's room opposite, and you realized that the door was ajar. Looking at the weather records, it was indeed early in the morning. Wind, very windy.”
"Yes." Du Laifu nodded again.
"How much alcohol did you drink at that time?" Lu Ming asked suddenly.
"Probably, probably together, there are two kilograms of brandy."
"Why are you drinking alone? After your friends left, you continued to drink by yourself. Is there anything bothering you?"
"No, I usually like to drink." Du Laifu gradually calmed down. It seemed that his answer was okay and he would not be scolded by lawyer Liu Hanxuan. The question had come to an end.
"You like Ms. Li Xiaoyan, right?" Lu Ming asked suddenly.
Du Laifu looked up in shock.
"Objection to the defense's baseless speculation!" Liu Hanxuan stood up fiercely.
"In court, my question is very important, and it is not without reason." Lu Ming bowed slightly to Cao Guan.
Cao Guan nodded: "The witness needs to answer this question."
"You like Ms. Li Xiaoyan, right?" Staring at Du Laifu.
Du Laifu shook his head, "No, I have always regarded her as my biological sister!"
"So, how do you explain that you have a tattoo of her country name Xiaohua on the private parts of your body?"
Du Laifu was stunned and never thought that the other party's lawyer would know such a secret.
Liu Hanhuan frowned and was about to stand up when Du Laifu already said: "Even if I have a tattoo of Xiaohua on my body, it doesn't mean that she is my cousin. The name Xiaohua is very common. I also have a waiter in the store now who calls me "Xiaohua". The little flower is also very beautiful. ”
Liu Hanhuan's face was a little gentle and he answered well. This guy is not completely brainless.
Lu Ming nodded: "Actually, you drank wine that night, and you opened the door to Ms. Li Xiaoyan's door to drink wine because you were angry, right? Because what you couldn't get was easily obtained by a cripple. Get."
"I said, there were many people smoking in the room at that time..."
"However, your reason is unreasonable. A woman like your sister brought her lover into the room, but you were in the opposite room, leaving the door open. Your drunken friends raised their heads and Do you think it’s reasonable to be able to see the door of your sister’s room and imagine what’s going on inside?”
"Shouldn't you get over it and close the door tightly? Or take your friends and change rooms?"
Du Laifu hesitated, "I, I drank too much at the time, I didn't think so much..."
Liu Hanhuan frowned. He didn't think of the unreasonableness here, and he never thought it was unreasonable.
Because, from the objective facts, it seems very logical. The smell of cigarette smoke is too strong. There are a few drunken people eating and drinking with the door open. This is normal and often happens.
However, this omission is precisely because it is too objective. If he puts himself into Du Laifu's perspective, the person in the opposite room is like a biological sister. With his lover, he may be a mess. How could he allow himself to be in the opposite room across the corridor? Wouldn't it be embarrassing if the door to the room was open and a sound was heard?
In fact, he should take his friend to change rooms. After all, he is a hotelier and has this convenience.
The jurors were also discussing quietly.
Lu Ming looked at Du Laifu and suddenly said: "You killed Li Xiaoyan, right?!"
Du Laifu trembled violently and raised his head in shock.
"Because your love turned into hatred, you kept drinking in a depressed manner. Prompted by alcohol, you entered Li Xiaoyan's room to question her! However, Li Xiaoyan has always disdain for your ugly appearance and just regards you as a human being. Therefore, you are angry I lost my mind and hit the flying eagle sculpture once, twice, three times..."
"She finally stopped moving. You woke up, wiped off your fingerprints, went back to your room, woke up your drunk friend, and said you found Li Xiaoyan's body."
"And the ready-made scapegoat is the one you hate most now, Mr. Li Haoran, who took away the sister you have secretly loved for many years, isn't it?!"
Lu Ming Lianzhujie's question, regardless of Liu Hanxuan standing up, has been objecting.
The jury box and auditorium were already in an uproar.
Du Laifu looked pale and kept shaking his head, "It's not me, it's not me..."
Lu Ming nodded: "Actually, you may not have had time to commit the crime, because that night, a distinguished guest came to your hotel. You went to entertain him, right?"
"Yes, that's right..." After Du Laifu finished speaking, his face immediately turned pale.
Lu Ming looked at him and said word by word in a calm tone: "So, you didn't keep staring at Ms. Li Xiaoyan's room door. During this period, if someone came in or out, you wouldn't know."
Du Laifu's face turned pale and he almost collapsed on the witness stand.
"I have no problem in court!" Lu Ming leaned forward slightly and walked towards his seat. Suddenly he stopped and looked at the jury box: "Actually, the most important witness for the prosecution is a dishonest person. witness."
"The most important confession the prosecutor made against my client came from Mr. Du Laifu. In fact, there was no other strong evidence at all."
“The so-called stolen goods found by the police in my client’s home are just Ms. Li Xiaoyan’s way of venting her feelings about life.”
"But the police did not investigate in depth at all. There was only one person named my client on their list of suspects. Yes, they only investigated my client!"
"There are too many doubts in the evidence provided by the police, and it cannot form a closed chain of evidence. Here, the principle that the benefit of the doubt belongs to the defendant is not required. Rather, the prosecution's judgment of the motive for the murder is wrong."
"The prosecution determined that the motive for my client's murder was attempted **** and robbery. Based on the existing evidence, this is simply wrong."
Lu Ming looked at Cao Guan, "In court, if it is a grand jury hearing now and I request to drop the case, will you agree? Because if you step back 10,000 steps, even if my client is the murderer, but... Nor should he be charged with intentional murder. The prosecution did not mention that my client's motive for the murder may have been emotional disputes. As long as I prove that the motive for the murder determined by the prosecution is wrong, the grand jury hearing will inevitably dismiss the case. ”
Cao Guan stared at Lu Ming without saying anything, but there was some appreciation in his eyes.
Lu Ming then sighed, "Unfortunately, I did not have this much evidence before the trial, so the case has entered the trial stage. Here, I ask all jurors to follow the principle of giving the defendant the benefit of the doubt. , declare my client innocent!”
"Although he was despicable and not a good person, and took advantage of the victim, Ms. Li Xiaoyan, he did not kill Ms. Li Xiaoyan."
"The real murderer is still at large! Only by finding the real murderer, Ms. Li Xiaoyan, can we find true peace!"
Liu Hanhuan's face was livid. Is this guy making his closing statement here?
However, at this moment, it is really difficult to refute anything.
"Prosecution, can your psychological expert witness come to court to testify?" Cao Guan asked.
"I need time to prepare!" Liu Hanhuan stood up.
It feels like a psychologist has now come forward to prove that Li Mingxuan is mentally abnormal, which is why he killed someone and wiped his fingerprints off, then went back to sleep.
It seems that the current situation in the court will not be alleviated. It is better to wait a few more days and the jurors' emotions will be different.
But can the disadvantage really be reversed?
I was careless for a moment, but by the time I paid attention to it now, it seemed to be too late. The other party was pressing me step by step, and the case had completely entered the rhythm of the other party. It would be very difficult to come back to the situation now.
Liu Hanhuan looked at the back of the young lawyer and was confused for a moment.
Besides, Zhang Jingjing noticed the confusion in the master's eyes, and couldn't help being startled, with a vague feeling that the building was about to collapse.
Cao Guan looked at the time and picked up the gavel, "Adjourn the court! I'll give you one day to prepare new witness statements."
My Wife is a Counsel Chapter 39: Chasing step by step
www.lnmao.org, the fastest update to the latest chapter of My Wife is an Archon!
Du Laifu sat on the witness stand again.
He is tall and thin, in his thirties, with a black mole on his face and a sinister look on his face. He looks very cunning.
Lu Ming sat and looked at the note in his hand.
It was the information from Lao Gui's investigation that Datou had just sent to him.
It is said above that it turns out that Li Xiaoyan’s husband, Liu Shoucheng, the second shareholder of Mingjia Entertainment, went to the Jincheng Hotel at around four o’clock on the night of the incident.
However, the witness will not appear in court to testify in any case, and the old ghost also promised that the identity of the witness will never be revealed.
Lu Ming frowned and thought.
"Defense?" Seeing Lu Ming not moving for a long time, Cao Guan had to remind him.
"Yes." Lu Ming stuffed the note into his pocket, stood up slowly, and walked in front of Du Laifu, "Mr. Du Laifu, what is your relationship with the victim, Ms. Li Xiaoyan?"
Du Laifu leaned forward to the microphone and said, "I am her cousin."
"Please introduce it in detail."
Du Laifu looked at Lu Ming with some confusion.
"For example, how did your relationship come about?"
Du Laifu hesitated for a moment and said: "Ms. Li Xiaoyan's mother and my mother are from the same hometown and have been good friends since they were very young."
These questions have been prepared for a long time. Liu Hanxuan asked his assistant to practice with him and told him not to lie. He just thought that he would be asked by the defense on the first day of the trial, but he did not expect that it would be delayed until today.
Lu Ming nodded: "In other words, you are not related by blood."
"Yes, but she takes good care of me. Since childhood, I have regarded her as my sister."
"Ms. Li Xiaoyan, what kind of person is she?"
Du Laifu gradually breathed a sigh of relief. These questions had almost been rehearsed before, "She is kind and kind. She has always been very good to those close to her."
"Jincheng Hotel is a very simple small hotel. Does she often stay there?"
"Yes, actually she doesn't like luxury people very much. She said that she is more comfortable in Jincheng Apartment and will think of the time she spent with the neighbors when she was a child." Du Laifu answered with a familiarity.
"So, she made an appointment with Mr. Li Haoran to go to her room late at night. You will understand that two lonely and pitiful people tend to be attracted to each other, right?"
Du Laifu was stunned. According to the original rehearsal script, the following question should be asked by the other party whether Li Xiaoyan often brings men to Jincheng Hotel.
His answer should be all kinds of proof that Li Xiaoyan is not a loose woman.
But I didn’t expect that the other party didn’t follow the routine.
"Just because you understand, you don't feel strange about Ms. Li Xiaoyan's abnormal behavior, and you don't think there will be any problems, right?"
Du Laifu looked at the prosecutor's seat and saw Liu Hanhuan frowning and looking unhappy.
"Yes, yes..." Du Laifu answered randomly.
Liu Hanhuan looked very ugly, but he was still tricked. The original answer was that the defense would try its best to attack the victim's character, but he didn't expect that from the very beginning, Lu Qianxing had no intention of attacking Li Xiaoyan's character. mean.
In this way, in the eyes of the jury, Li Xiaoyan gradually turned into a pitiful and kind-hearted abandoned woman who was completely ignored by the heartless man who liked the new and disliked the old.
This guy Lu Qianxing is even more swaying and taking the opportunity to shape Li Si's character, which is equally pitiful and pathetic.
And Li Xiaoyan, they became the fallen people in the world.
The crimes of robbery, **** and attempted murder, etc., seem to be very unreasonable.
Even if I am now shaken in my heart, is it really not Li Si who killed him?
I did not understand this case in depth. Originally, it was just a formality.
Liu Hanhuan was stunned for a moment, why did he have such an idea? This is not a good sign!
In front of the witness stand, the cross-examination continued.
"According to your testimony, you discovered that Li Xiaoyan was killed four hours after Mr. Li Haoran left, at around five in the morning, right?"
Du Laifu nodded lightly, "Yes!"
"During this period, you did not see a third person entering Li Xiaoyan's room again? Right?"
"Yes."
"Have you been staring at Ms. Li Xiaoyan's room? Even if Mr. Li Haoran left, according to common sense, Ms. Li Xiaoyan has fallen asleep and rested, but you have still been keeping an eye on Ms. Li Xiaoyan's room?"
Du Laifu shook his head: "No, because I had a few friends that day who stayed in the room opposite Ms. Li Xiaoyan, so I stayed with them there, but they were all too good at smoking, so they later opened the doors and windows of the room. , the door has never been closed.”
"Yes, I saw your testimony said this. The testimony of several of your friends was that some of them went to the bedroom to sleep after being drunk, and some left early. Looking at the timeline, it started at 3 a.m. At first, it’s just you, continuing to drink in the outer room of the suite, right? The door to the outer room of the suite is open, and your seat is facing the door of Ms. Li Xiaoyan’s suite, so you can clearly see people entering and exiting. ”
"Yes!"
"Then, at 5:11 in the morning, you suddenly found that the door outside Ms. Li Xiaoyan's suite was ajar. You wanted to help her close the door, but you smelled the smell of blood in the bedroom, and then you discovered that Ms. Li Xiaoyan had been murdered. ."
"Yes."
"At that time, the wind happened to be blowing. Because you opened the window and door, the strong wind blew the door of Ms. Li Xiaoyan's room opposite, and you realized that the door was ajar. Looking at the weather records, it was indeed early in the morning. Wind, very windy.”
"Yes." Du Laifu nodded again.
"How much alcohol did you drink at that time?" Lu Ming asked suddenly.
"Probably, probably together, there are two kilograms of brandy."
"Why are you drinking alone? After your friends left, you continued to drink by yourself. Is there anything bothering you?"
"No, I usually like to drink." Du Laifu gradually calmed down. It seemed that his answer was okay and he would not be scolded by lawyer Liu Hanxuan. The question had come to an end.
"You like Ms. Li Xiaoyan, right?" Lu Ming asked suddenly.
Du Laifu looked up in shock.
"Objection to the defense's baseless speculation!" Liu Hanxuan stood up fiercely.
"In court, my question is very important, and it is not without reason." Lu Ming bowed slightly to Cao Guan.
Cao Guan nodded: "The witness needs to answer this question."
"You like Ms. Li Xiaoyan, right?" Staring at Du Laifu.
Du Laifu shook his head, "No, I have always regarded her as my biological sister!"
"So, how do you explain that you have a tattoo of her country name Xiaohua on the private parts of your body?"
Du Laifu was stunned and never thought that the other party's lawyer would know such a secret.
Liu Hanhuan frowned and was about to stand up when Du Laifu already said: "Even if I have a tattoo of Xiaohua on my body, it doesn't mean that she is my cousin. The name Xiaohua is very common. I also have a waiter in the store now who calls me "Xiaohua". The little flower is also very beautiful. ”
Liu Hanhuan's face was a little gentle and he answered well. This guy is not completely brainless.
Lu Ming nodded: "Actually, you drank wine that night, and you opened the door to Ms. Li Xiaoyan's door to drink wine because you were angry, right? Because what you couldn't get was easily obtained by a cripple. Get."
"I said, there were many people smoking in the room at that time..."
"However, your reason is unreasonable. A woman like your sister brought her lover into the room, but you were in the opposite room, leaving the door open. Your drunken friends raised their heads and Do you think it’s reasonable to be able to see the door of your sister’s room and imagine what’s going on inside?”
"Shouldn't you get over it and close the door tightly? Or take your friends and change rooms?"
Du Laifu hesitated, "I, I drank too much at the time, I didn't think so much..."
Liu Hanhuan frowned. He didn't think of the unreasonableness here, and he never thought it was unreasonable.
Because, from the objective facts, it seems very logical. The smell of cigarette smoke is too strong. There are a few drunken people eating and drinking with the door open. This is normal and often happens.
However, this omission is precisely because it is too objective. If he puts himself into Du Laifu's perspective, the person in the opposite room is like a biological sister. With his lover, he may be a mess. How could he allow himself to be in the opposite room across the corridor? Wouldn't it be embarrassing if the door to the room was open and a sound was heard?
In fact, he should take his friend to change rooms. After all, he is a hotelier and has this convenience.
The jurors were also discussing quietly.
Lu Ming looked at Du Laifu and suddenly said: "You killed Li Xiaoyan, right?!"
Du Laifu trembled violently and raised his head in shock.
"Because your love turned into hatred, you kept drinking in a depressed manner. Prompted by alcohol, you entered Li Xiaoyan's room to question her! However, Li Xiaoyan has always disdain for your ugly appearance and just regards you as a human being. Therefore, you are angry I lost my mind and hit the flying eagle sculpture once, twice, three times..."
"She finally stopped moving. You woke up, wiped off your fingerprints, went back to your room, woke up your drunk friend, and said you found Li Xiaoyan's body."
"And the ready-made scapegoat is the one you hate most now, Mr. Li Haoran, who took away the sister you have secretly loved for many years, isn't it?!"
Lu Ming Lianzhujie's question, regardless of Liu Hanxuan standing up, has been objecting.
The jury box and auditorium were already in an uproar.
Du Laifu looked pale and kept shaking his head, "It's not me, it's not me..."
Lu Ming nodded: "Actually, you may not have had time to commit the crime, because that night, a distinguished guest came to your hotel. You went to entertain him, right?"
"Yes, that's right..." After Du Laifu finished speaking, his face immediately turned pale.
Lu Ming looked at him and said word by word in a calm tone: "So, you didn't keep staring at Ms. Li Xiaoyan's room door. During this period, if someone came in or out, you wouldn't know."
Du Laifu's face turned pale and he almost collapsed on the witness stand.
"I have no problem in court!" Lu Ming leaned forward slightly and walked towards his seat. Suddenly he stopped and looked at the jury box: "Actually, the most important witness for the prosecution is a dishonest person. witness."
"The most important confession the prosecutor made against my client came from Mr. Du Laifu. In fact, there was no other strong evidence at all."
“The so-called stolen goods found by the police in my client’s home are just Ms. Li Xiaoyan’s way of venting her feelings about life.”
"But the police did not investigate in depth at all. There was only one person named my client on their list of suspects. Yes, they only investigated my client!"
"There are too many doubts in the evidence provided by the police, and it cannot form a closed chain of evidence. Here, the principle that the benefit of the doubt belongs to the defendant is not required. Rather, the prosecution's judgment of the motive for the murder is wrong."
"The prosecution determined that the motive for my client's murder was attempted **** and robbery. Based on the existing evidence, this is simply wrong."
Lu Ming looked at Cao Guan, "In court, if it is a grand jury hearing now and I request to drop the case, will you agree? Because if you step back 10,000 steps, even if my client is the murderer, but... Nor should he be charged with intentional murder. The prosecution did not mention that my client's motive for the murder may have been emotional disputes. As long as I prove that the motive for the murder determined by the prosecution is wrong, the grand jury hearing will inevitably dismiss the case. ”
Cao Guan stared at Lu Ming without saying anything, but there was some appreciation in his eyes.
Lu Ming then sighed, "Unfortunately, I did not have this much evidence before the trial, so the case has entered the trial stage. Here, I ask all jurors to follow the principle of giving the defendant the benefit of the doubt. , declare my client innocent!”
"Although he was despicable and not a good person, and took advantage of the victim, Ms. Li Xiaoyan, he did not kill Ms. Li Xiaoyan."
"The real murderer is still at large! Only by finding the real murderer, Ms. Li Xiaoyan, can we find true peace!"
Liu Hanhuan's face was livid. Is this guy making his closing statement here?
However, at this moment, it is really difficult to refute anything.
"Prosecution, can your psychological expert witness come to court to testify?" Cao Guan asked.
"I need time to prepare!" Liu Hanhuan stood up.
It feels like a psychologist has now come forward to prove that Li Mingxuan is mentally abnormal, which is why he killed someone and wiped his fingerprints off, then went back to sleep.
It seems that the current situation in the court will not be alleviated. It is better to wait a few more days and the jurors' emotions will be different.
But can the disadvantage really be reversed?
I was careless for a moment, but by the time I paid attention to it now, it seemed to be too late. The other party was pressing me step by step, and the case had completely entered the rhythm of the other party. It would be very difficult to come back to the situation now.
Liu Hanhuan looked at the back of the young lawyer and was confused for a moment.
Besides, Zhang Jingjing noticed the confusion in the master's eyes, and couldn't help being startled, with a vague feeling that the building was about to collapse.
Cao Guan looked at the time and picked up the gavel, "Adjourn the court! I'll give you one day to prepare new witness statements."