Take A Stand

Paris Malfoy's trial so far has been a lot of technical jargon, explaining the crime lab's test results and evidence found in the possessions of all three victims and the accused.  Prosecution asks Federal Agent Carol Danvers to summarize. 

Carol: Charlie Lake discovered that the accused was involved in bringing immigrants into the country through illegal means and providing them with false documentation.  Shortly thereafter, Ms Lake was struck by the vehicle identified via laboratory testing.  She was killed instantly.  The same vehicle later struck and killed Helena Malfoy.  Candy Pike escaped with serious injuries from a third vehicular attack, capturing video footage of the driver in the process.  The driver has been identified as the accused. 

The prosecution rests. 

Paris: It's ridiculous that I have to wear this prison jumpsuit.  Why was I not allowed a suit?  This is humiliating.

Judge: Local law, Mr. Malfoy.  Your complaint has been noted. 

Andre: Your Honor, distinguished members of the jury, my intent today is not to convince you this man did not do the things of which he was accused.  It is to tell you a sordid history of spousal abuse, which led him to take such desperate means.  (To Paris) We'll begin with the courtship and wedding.  How did you meet your wife? 

Paris: We attended university together and shared a history major.  My parents refused their blessing unless Helena signed a prenuptial agreement and she refused to do so unless specific requirements were met.  

Andre: What were those requirements?

Paris: In her words: Whoever files for divorce loses everything.  The money, the property, even custody of the children.  She was quite insulted by the idea, believe my parents were calling her a gold digger. I felt it was a mere formality - never would I have expected what was to come.  I was trapped. 

Andre: How would you characterize your marriage? 

Paris: Pleasant enough, at first.  But after our youngest was born, she became demanding.  She provided very little income but insisted on luxury items like a fleet of cars.  It was her choice to move into The Tor from my family estate.  The Tor has luxuries the manor house doesn't.  She ignored my concerns about the children, even financially supporting our eldest in a hedonistic and immoral lifestyle.  It was Helena who kept Zenobia's van.  When the police found it, it was full of drug paraphernalia, and Helena bribed them to protect Zenobia. 

Andre: How did this situation lead you into human trafficking? 

Paris: Helena was spending money faster than I could make it.  I tried to get her to increase her own profits from the museum, to charge more for admission or something, but she refused to even consider it.  So I found people, those willing to work for pennies on the dollar, and did what was needed to keep them here.  

Andre: Charlie Lake, an employee of Doll County Parks, discovered this.  What did she do? 

Paris: She was blackmailing me.  One of the things I did to raise the money was downsize our parking permit at The Tor, leaving us nowhere to store Zenobia's van.  I was taking it beck to her when I came across Charlie jogging.  I meant to give her a good scare, but it went badly and she died.  After that, I had to hide the van.   But I realized:  I was rid of the blackmailer, so why not be rid of Helena the same way?  And then the photographer who'd been snooping around.  

Andre: Please state your name and relationship to the accused. 

Morgan: I'm Morgan Pike, doctor of paleontology.  I teach at the same college.  I also worked with Helena at the museum and Candy is my former sister-in-law.  

Andre: Did you ever observe any tension between the Malfoys? 

Morgan: They seemed very formal with each other. Helena did mention that he had been pressuring her to raise admission prices, but that didn't strike me as very unusual.  Couples bicker bout that kind of thing.  

Andre:  You say they were formal.  Can you elaborate on that? 

Morgan:  If I hadn't known they were married, I would have thought they were colleagues.  They interacted in a business-like manner. 

Coby: I'm Jacoby Patrick.  I'm a professor of Gender Studies at the college and I have a exhibit at the museum, much like Morgan Pike.  

Andre: What is your assessment of the Malfoy marriage? 

Coby: They were quite unhappy.  Neither of them spoke of the other fondly.  Both very strong personalities, with different priorities.  She was a feminist, for example, but he focused on their son to the exclusion of the daughters.  Helena and I discussed that at length since that's my field. 

Andre: Did either of them mention divorce? 

Coby: Helena did say it was not an option.  

Andre: What can you tell me about your parents' marriage?

Zenobia: It was a joke.  The only thing they had in common was a love of history, and they loved it for different reasons.  Both had very high standards for us, but like I said, for different reasons.  

Andre: Your chosen lifestyle hardly seems to meet high standards, if you'll forgive me for saying so. 

Zenobia: I'm an adult and my lifestyle is hardly the drunken orgy Dad presents it as.  

Andre: I beg your pardon.  Did you ever hear them argue about money?

Zenobia: Only when I graduated and Mom wanted to give me my trust fund.  He said I didn't need it if I wasn't going to college.  Mom said it was meant for getting started in life, not just for college.  

Andre: Did you get it? 

Zenobia: Yes, I did.  

Andre: Tell me about your parents' marriage. 

Boudicca: They weren't prone to public displays of affection, not even with us, but some families are like that.  Everything seemed fine. 

Andre: You never heard discussions about money?

Boudicca: Well, there was the blow-up about Zenobia's trust.  Dad sees the trusts as college money, so it wasn't an issue for me.  I went directly into medical school.   

Andre: Your parents supported your choice to pursue such an expensive education?

Boudicca: Well, Dad did try to talk me into nursing.  I figured it was his thing about girls in careers, but it might have been about money.  (looks at Paris) He should have clarified if it was.  We could have worked something out. 

Charlotte: My name is Charlotte Jackson.  I have a long history with Helena and I also live in The Tor. 

Andre: When did you meet Helena? 

Charlotte: We went to school together, Barbieville Public. My family was very poor and so we didn't have much.  My sister and I usually wore old clothes.  Stained and poorly mended, several years out of fashion.  We couldn't go on field trips, things like that, and Helena bullied us relentlessly. 

Andre: Can you think of any specific incidents? 

Charlotte: Well, it reached its peak in High School.  You see, I had a baby and the father deserted me, but Helena... well, she told it all over school that I didn't even know who his father was.  Another rumor was that Chris was the product of incest.  It was so awful, I had a nervous breakdown.  Helena just used that to torment me more.  I ended up leaving town in shame. 

Andre: Terrible. 

Charlotte: I returned recently, but you can imagine my feelings when I realized Helena was my neighbor.  I bought a campground as an investment.  Helena's son vandalized the place, even leaving one of my permanent tenants homeless because his camper was totaled. I prosecuted the boy, but Helena pulled strings and got the boy off with just a slap on the wrist.  She's filed complaints about me to The Tor so often, I might lose my lease!  

Andre: Is the problem limited to your residence? 

Charlotte: She's turned everyone at the country club against me, too.  I try to socialize but they just turn up their noses and walk away.  The boy, he bullies my sister's daughters at school.  No doubt he learned from her.  Helena's daughter works at the hospital where my husband is a patient and I'm afraid she'll do something to Billy.  

Andre: Do you find it unreasonable to think Helena drove her husband to desperation?  

Charlotte: Absolutely reasonable.  The woman was a menace to anyone she took a dislike to.