“Guilty on all counts,” read the forewoman, setting off a flurry of reactions and camera flashes. Alice collapsed back into her chair, too stunned to care about decorum, too cold suddenly to react in any other way. It was such bullshit. But everything had gone wrong since she’d met that white tortoise in the FedEx uniform, so Alice didn’t know why this came as such a surprise. Alice did know, however, that she had no energy left to fight the verdict.
Fortunately, her lawyer spoke up, perhaps drawing on a reserve of indignation, greed, and general belligerence.
“Your Honor, this verdict is a sham,” he roared into the tumult of onlookers and opinions. “I plan to file an immediate appeal, and I move for a mistrial!”
Hunching forward, the judge aimed her gavel at the shouting lawyer.
“On what grounds, Counselor?” she growled.
“This has been a witch hunt from the beginning, and the police have focused undue attention on my client from the start! Furthermore, the makeup of this jury is irregular and highly prejudicial.” The lawyer stalked forward and pointed an accusatory finger at the largest person in the jury box. He gave everyone a moment to take in the broad forelegs, wrinkly gray skin, and unmistakable profile with its curling trunk and flapping ears. Alice’s lawyer concluded, “Everyone knows elephants never acquit!”