The Testimony of The Deceased’s Father under Questioning by The District Court Judge

That is true, Your Honor. I am the one that found my fifteen-year-old daughter on the floor. She was covered in blood and spilled milk that fell over, landing near her head. She wasn’t wearing underwear. Her fleece sweats were pulled down. Her fleece button-down was ripped off with the blue buttons on the floor covered in blood. Her mouth had smeared lipstick, it reminded me of something my older daughter did when she was young. She used to play dress-up with her mother’s clothes and make-up. She would smear lipstick on her. Her younger brother said she looked like a clown. I laughed. She got mad. But, my little Lucy, she never wore lipstick, especially that shade. She said that pastel pink or any pastel made women look like cheap hookers. I remember when she…

I’m sorry, Your Honor. I got lost in the memories.

The question? Yes, the question. Did I see anyone run out of my house? I believe so. I think I saw someone, but it was too dark to see. The rough measurements were about five-eight to six-three. I wasn’t sure. I was in a moving car. And it was dark out.

I remember the police detective on the scene was my brother, her uncle, Issac. He arrived about thirty minutes after he got the call. I remember what he said in that thick voice of his that he ruined from smoking. I told him to stop. He didn’t listen.

My sister-in-law, his wife, is a nurse. She told him about the dangers of smoking, but he always does it, especially after… I’m sorry.

When he arrived on the scene; he said, in a voice that smelled of menthols:

--I would find the people who did this to Lucy!

And sure enough, he did. One of his buddies saw someone biking from the area in a hurry. It was late. I think one, maybe two. I know it was late. I would be at a restaurant as the dinner shift kitchen manager.

Oh, Your Honor, I’m sorry, that’s all I can remember about that night.

Thank you, Your Honor. (Lucy’s Father begins to sob loudly until he is escorted out).

The Testimony of a Lucy’s Friend under Questioning by the District Court Judge

Yes, Your Honor, I was the last one to speak with Lucy. No, Your Honor, it was over a text chain on Snapchat, it wasn’t in-person. Her location was on, so she wasn’t ghosting. She didn’t move from her house all night. It would have said something. Her little Bitmoji was in the same place. What does that mean, Your Honor? Oh, Snapchat uses global tracking like GPS for your friends. If you follow someone, they can know your location. Unless you turn it off.

Did she have any enemies? No she didn’t. She was loved by everyone at school. Did you know she was saving herself for marriage? After reading books of love and virtue, she dreamt of her own. She would rehearse lines from Emma by Jane Austen. She adored the character. She wanted what Emma had. She wanted love. Though it may not be girly or popular with the girls at school. She loves, well, loved, the Cholera Love novel by Marquez. Maybe Gabriel was his name. She adored that book. She thought:

--Would I ever find love?

Was she a smoker or partake in illicit activities? No, Your Honor. You know, Lucy hated the smell of menthols, so I stopped smoking for her. But, I would steal my brother ZYNs to get the nicotine.

Lucy Le Blanc. She was such a wonderful girl. She would never have sex with a man until she knew he was the one. She was dating a boy from a rival school. It wasn’t like Romeo and Juliet. Our schools were rivals, but no one would kill each other over stupid reasons. Plus, if you said their relationship was like Romeo and Juliet, she would not scream, but stand her ground and say:

--A Comedy posed as a Tragedy that leads to six deaths within three-to-four days.

She hated that stupid play. When we read it for class. She would state:

--So, Romeo is seventeen, maybe eighteen and Juliet is fourteen, maybe thirteen. Are we reading the same story? Romeo clearly couldn’t catch a date his age, so he ordered off the kid’s menu. If this was set from Juliet’s perspective in modern day. He would be in prison for wearing a fedora and neckbeard to match because he was planning to meet a thirteen-year-old girl at the park.

The teacher would say:

--I know Shakespeare is hard to understand, especially with the weird English…

She would go-off on that Freshman English teacher, especially when they said that statement. That statement ticked her off the most.

--I’ve read Shakespeare. Maybe more than you. Not all of it’s gold…some of it’s just bad. My uncle raised me on it when I was twelve, and I read some things that should not be read. Titus Andronicus. Gratuitous violence. Pericles, Prince of Tyre. Disgusting at the start. Another thing, I solved Antiochus' riddle before Pericleus? Forget worshipping Shakespeare. There were better writers and thinkers, but we only focus on one gender. We say merit counts. Then what about Margaret Cavendish? Ever heard of The Convent of Pleasure? No, of course, you haven’t…

         Then the English Teacher would say that’s enough. Then Lucy was sent to the principal's office. (Lucy’s Friend begins to laugh, slowly breaking down into tears).

         I’m sorry, Your Honor. (She wipes away her smeared mascara, leaving behind a mess on her face.) I got distracted. Lucy Le Blanc made an impact on me because she was outspoken, true, and she stuck to her own values.

The Testimony of Lucy’s Former Boyfriend under Questioning by the District Court Judge

Yes, Your Honor, I dated Lucy Le Blanc for two years. She ended it, Your Honor. She said she couldn’t commit. I was angry, and I began to drink. Yes, Your Honor, I am aware that underage drinking is against the law. How did I get the alcohol? It was from a liquor store near the local university. Who supplied it? I honestly don’t know his name. He looked roughly six-two, six-four. What was his appearance, Your Honor? He was Black, Your Honor. If that is what you’re asking.

Why did I drink? Because of something I can’t tell you. It’s not my place. Someone close to me was hurt, and this friend, she had me swear not to tell. Once, on a call, I heard a man’s voice, older, rough, like a smoker. He begged her to talk. She said:

--Don’t worry about it.

Then she mentioned in the softest tone.

--It was someone I once loved. And someone who still loves me.

And when I came to pick her up for Homecoming. I swore I heard his voice in the other room. She denied it. (Lucy’s Ex-Boyfriend begins to cry, and he immediately wipes away his tears.)

I’m sorry, Your Honor, I don’t want to talk anymore. Why, Your Honor? A theory is less than solid evidence.

What, Your Honor? You are placing me in contempt? for what! Disobedience! Because I am aware of someone who I know who killed her! Go ahead! I’ll sit in silence, so I don’t smear her good name!

Justice? You claim it will give Lucy Le Blanc justice. Justice is theatrical closure. There is no justice or absolute truth in this world, only defeat by another, either by law or by death.

You asked who HER, I am referring to? I am referring to a good person snuffed at the end in a mousetrap.

I’LL DIE FIRST BEFORE I SMEAR HER GOOD NAME. AND PROPS OFF TO THE COPS, SERVE AND PROTECT, YOU DID YOUR DUTY, YOU KEEP THE INNOCENT OFF-THE-STREETS.

The Testimony of The Mortician under Questioning by the District Court Judge

Yes, Your Honor, I was the one who did the autopsy. There was vaginal trauma through penetration. Lucy Le Blanc was raped before her death. And what was interesting was the stab wounds. The seven consecutive stab wounds were consistent in the same area, it was contained to the abdomen right where the uterus would be in the first trimester. Yes, Your Honor, it appears from the autopsy she was pregnant before her rape and murder. There is consistency with other pregnant women that Lucy’s pregnancy was in the first trimester and conceived sometime in mid-to-late January. I did not find seminal fluid within the vaginal canal. I am sorry, Your Honor, I do not have much else to say, but I hope the evidence I provided was able to accomplish some type of closure for the family.

The Testimony of An Officer under Questioning by the District Court Judge

Hello, Your Honor, I am the one who apprehended the suspect and who is now in custody. I found Mr. Schwartz biking in the neighborhood about two blocks away from Ms. Le Blanc’s house and where her body was discovered. The time I found him was around two in the morning. He was on a red bike. There was no blood found on him, but we did find a pair of used woman’s panties and a used pastel pink lipstick in his coat pocket. He denied both. When did we find them? After he was searched by Detective Le Blanc. After he found them, the suspect denied them. The underwear and the lipstick both have traces of blood. We did not find the murder weapon on Mr. Schwartz. He did accept that a pack of menthols were his, Your Honor. We did take him into custody as a person of interest. I read his Miranda Rights; the following was:

--I would like to talk to my lawyer. I plead the fifth.

Upon arrival. Whose vehicle did he arrive in? Detective Le Blanc’s. I told him to step out of the case because of conflict of interest. I looked at his face. He wasn't sad, worse, he was angry. I can understand that, if it was my niece or daughter, I would do the same thing. But I don’t excuse Detective Le Blanc’s methods. I’m not sure what happened in Detective Le Blanc’s car. He appeared safely and returned to the precinct.

What happened before before the arrival of Mr. Schwartz’s lawyer? It was me and Detective Le Blanc in the room. It was a standard procedure. What does a standard procedure entail? It entails interrogation. As well as collection of DNA to see if he has any priors. We did a Background Check, and it stated, he had a Class A Misdemeanor: Selling Alcohol to a Minor. This occurred near his former employment at the university. It said, he was fined $500 and community service, and no pending jail time.

Yes, Your Honor, according to his State Identification Card, he lives about two blocks away where the murder took place. His height is recorded at six-three. I hope that is relevant information.

Was that the only thing? Yes, Your Honor. Was he abused while in our care? I would assume so by other inmates in holding cells. We immediately broke it up because his face was bruised and swollen. You have a sworn testimony, that Mr. Schwartz said, we used excessive force during his interrogation. I believe we used the right amount of force. According to him, Your Honor. Detective Le Blanc did not abuse Mr. Schwartz while in our care. Fine, Your Honor, I admit, I messed up.

In my honest opinion, I was too quick for identification, all of this is circumstantial, Your Honor. I was planning to release him, I do not know how nor does Mr. Schwartz knows how “Evidence A” or “Evidence B” appeared in his pocket. And upon Mr. Schwartz entering a holding cell, he stated:

--You always blame the melanin.

Thank you for your time, Your Honor.

The Testimony of Detective Issac Le Blanc under Questioning by the District Court Judge

Greetings, Your Honor, I was the Detective, first on the scene. I am aware that Lucy Le Blanc is my niece. In fact, I am aware this is frowned up because of conflict of interest. But when I make a promise, especially to my family, I will achieve my goals. However, I was off duty getting a drink at the nearest bar, when I received from dispatch that my brother’s house was broken into. Who called? It was the neighbor, Your Honor. Her name was Ms. Love. She lives in the house next door to my brother’s. When I told my brother, I would find out who did this. It's not a promise, it’s a guarantee.

I loved Lucy because she was family, she was my daughter. I watched her grow from a baby to fifteen. I was the one to teach her about literature such as Shakespeare and other great authors. I was planning to become a college professor in English, but it wasn’t in the cards. So I hoped to inspire the future by teaching her about the literary titans. I applaud myself that her introduction into the literary titans led to her outspokenness. Since she was over at our place after school because my brother worked and his wife; they are divorced. She came over to my place after school and sometimes on the weekends. Who dropped her off, sometimes the bus and occasionally my wife or I picked her up. Mostly my wife. Her name? Hope. Hope Le Blanc.

Did we find a murder weapon on Mr. Schwartz? We did not find one, Your Honor, but we did find a murder weapon with her blood in Ms. Hope’s trash can. Forensics did not find any prints on the murder weapon. It was a stainless steel knife from the cutlery box.

We found the suspect as he was fleeing the scene.

The person we have in custody is Mr. Silas Schwartz. The Police Officer who found him two blocks over on Riveredge Road. He was wearing biking gear. He claimed he was preparing for a cycling marathon and trying to improve his time. The Police Officer found that suspicious, so he was taken into custody. According to the Database, he lives in the area on Riveredge Road about two blocks away from where the murder took place. He was an English Professor at the local university until his expulsion for selling alcohol for underage students from highschool to college freshman and sophomore. He pleaded guilty and received a Class A Misdemeanor. His fine was placed at $500 and community service. He worked with underage students tutoring them in English to help improve the state’s literacy. His community service was placed at six months. That is my awareness of Mr. Schwartz.

Though Lucy is my niece. I consider her my daughter. She is defiant. Rebellious. Far from the boundaries of calling someone intellectual, she had the ability to run circles around her teachers. She was athletic. She played lacrosse and softball though she protested against the school district allowing her to play baseball. It was futile as I told her. She said and I quote, this was a week before Homecoming:

--The Patriarchy holds no gender. The Patriarchy only exists when it is acknowledged, but acknowledged as biological truth in evolution. However, humans are not animals in instinct alone, we have the ability to rebel against evolution. We have the ability to rebel because of our freedom and minds.

That girl was better than anyone, I knew. I knew she was going to go far.

Yes, Your Honor? Forensics. It was revealed that she was pregnant within the first trimester, and she was raped. The cause of death was seven stabs to the lower abdomen, resulting in blood loss.

It was sad, Your Honor. You know, she was saving herself until she found the one. I think she did. She must have found the one. And someone was jealous of her, so they killed her.

The MO. It’s obvious. They were in love then it went sour. (Detective Le Blanc begins to cry, as he is someone who believes men should not cry. He cried because his niece, the one he considered a daughter died from rape, stabbing, and blood loss.)

Thank you, Your Honor.

The Testimony of Ms. Hope’s Niece under Questioning by the District Court Judge

Hello, Your Honor. I am speaking on the behalf of my aunt, Ms. Abigail Hope. The reason, she has Alzheimer's Disease. So she is easily confused and tied-in with memory loss.

Was I the one who called 911? That is correct, Your Honor. My aunt went outside late-at-night, due to sundowning. I quickly ran after. What time was it, Your Honor? It was around eight o’clock, when she left the house, wandering around the neighborhood, repeating nonsensical words.

The person who found her was Lucy, as she noticed my aunt was wandering back-in-forth in front of her house. She invited me for tea. I refused since I had to take care of my aunt. So I went back inside. I saw Lucy going back inside.

Then I heard a domestic spat going on next-door. It was yelling. It was typical, especially on the weekends, when her dad had to work, and the older boyfriend of hers would come over. Did I see him, Your Honor? No, I haven’t, but I heard his voice occasionally on the weekends. It was mostly yelling. His voice was gritty, a smoker’s voice. Then I heard her, opening the door, screaming:

--I want you out of this house, and never come back!

That’s what I mostly heard. Then later in the night, I heard him, banging on the door, screaming:

--Lulu. I want to talk! After that, I will leave you alone, forever.

Then I heard the door open-up, and he went inside.

Around one, maybe two, I was woken up by screaming from the Le Blanc house. Then I called 911.

What about the cutlery knife? I honestly don’t know it got there, Your Honor. I believe, and I think forensics told me, the scene was tampered with.

Did I see someone run out? No, Your Honor. I was already in the living room, calling 911.

Thank You, Your Honor.

The Confession of Mr. Silas Schwartz under Questioning by the District Court Judge

Hello, Your Honor. Let the record know, my full name is Silas Schwartz. No Middle name, and I plead guilty.