The Lawyer's Lawyer

CHAPTER Thirty-Two



Danni was right about Judge Holbrook. Even though Jack was successful in getting all his evidence in at the evidentiary hearing, including the coroner’s reports, the judge denied his motion for a new trial.

Mitch Jurgensen had someone from the coroner’s office, a doctor named Jessel, testify that many of the reports ten years ago had typographical errors in them because the equipment was out of date and the staff was overworked.

Jessel’s testimony gave the judge something to hang his hat on. He also threw in the fact that Jack’s evidence was not newly discovered evidence since the public defender who had represented Felton at trial could have figured out exactly what Jack had figured out simply by reading the autopsy report.

Jack did have the opportunity to meet Sam Jeffries again since he subpoenaed him to the hearing. The two men had not spoken since the Julian Reardon incident.

“I testified that the bowie knife I found was the murder weapon because I believed it was the murder weapon,” Sam told Jack under oath in Judge Holbrook’s courtroom.

“Weren’t you aware that the entry wounds on both victims were only one-quarter inch wide?”

“No. I was aware the victims were both killed because they had been stabbed. I found this bowie knife right outside the victims’ apartment complex. We later tied the prints found on that knife to your client. This bowie knife or one identical to it was used in a prior attack by the serial killer. That was the basis for my testimony.”

“Did you ever speak to the coroner?”

“No.”

“Did you attend the autopsy?”

“No.”

“Do you know anybody who did?”

“No.”



Jack had half expected Judge Holbrook to deny his motion even though the evidence was overwhelmingly in his client’s favor, so he had prepared in advance an appeal brief to file with the Florida Supreme Court. First, however, he needed his client’s approval.

Thomas Felton was remarkably composed when Jack gave him the news. He now had less than four weeks to live.

“The evidence was all right there for the judge. I got all the evidence we needed on the record,” Jack told him. “The only thing we can do is appeal.”

“It’s hard for me to believe that the police planted a bowie knife in the woods when the murder weapon was a stiletto and the judge let them get away with it when he had all this evidence in front of him,” Felton said.

“I hear you, Tom, but it’s never that simple. The judge lives in this community and he knows the murders stopped after you were arrested. He also knows that he wouldn’t win an election for dog catcher if he set you free.”

“So I’m to die so that Judge Holbrook can continue his career as a judge. Something’s wrong with this system.”

“Something is wrong with every system. People are fallible, so systems are fallible. Listen, we’ve got to make a decision on this appeal. Time is running short.”

“File it, Jack. It’s my only chance. I do want to live and be free again. And thank you for all you’ve done.”