Thursday - 5/19
SALEM COURTHOUSE
DANFORTH: Please be seated.
Everyone sat down. The bailiff handed Judge Danforth a folder, which he opened.
DANFORTH: Thank you for returning, everyone. I see most of you from the hearing six weeks ago are still with us. This will be the conclusion of that hearing, and it shall be decided whether Jan Spears is to go free on the proviso that the restraining order is upheld, or if she shall return to prison. Mr. Blaire, do you have anything to say?
Blaire stood up.
BLAIRE: Nothing of note, Your Honor. Only that I think my client’s actions speak for themselves. She was a model prisoner and, to my knowledge, has not gotten into any trouble during her six week probationary release.
JUSTIN (under his breath): To his knowledge, maybe.
Judge Danforth banged his gavel.
DANFORTH: You shall have your turn to speak, Mr. Kiriakis. Let Mr. Blaire have his.
Justin nodded.
BLAIRE: As I was saying, I believe, based on my client’s actions, that you will make the right choice. There’s really nothing more to say.
DANFORTH: Very good.
Blaire sat down.
DANFORTH: Mr. Kiriakis, as you seem to have something to say, I’ll let you go next.
Justin stood up.
JUSTIN: I would like to start by apologizing for my comments earlier, Your Honor, that was unprofessional of me. Second, I would prefer to hand over comments to my fellow counselor, Mr. Don Craig.
DANFORTH: Very well, then. Mr. Craig.
Justin sat down as Don stood up.
DON: Thank you, Your Honor. Contrary to Mr. Blaire’s glowing report, I have heard a very different tale. On the morning of April the 26th of this year, right around 11 a.m., Jan Spears was seen in the company of Mrs. Nicole Jonas and Miss Emerald Michaels, both of whom are listed in the restraining order, without a third party present to intervene should things go south. Thankfully, all that was exchanged was a few words, as well as a bouncy ball which the young Miss Michaels had been playing with until it landed near Miss Spears, and was returned to her when Mrs. Jonas came over to see what was going on. Nonetheless, Miss Spears broke the conditions of the restraining order against her. I did write a report about this after hearing about the incident from Mrs. Jonas, as well as Miss Michaels’ mother, Miss Jade Michaels.
DANFORTH: I have read the report, and have taken that into consideration when making my decision regarding Miss Spears’ fate.
Blaire raised his hand.
DANFORTH: Mr. Blaire?
Blaire stood up.
BLAIRE: If I may, Your Honor, I know this isn’t a trial so I can’t exactly object, but I have a rebuttal for Mr. Craig. As I’m sure he is aware, the location at which this meeting of Miss Spears with Mrs. Jonas and the young Miss Michaels took place was a public park. It was the middle of the day, and if my memory serves me, unseasonably warm for late April. Surely Mr. Craig, you do not expect the court to believe that a public park on a beautiful spring morning was devoid of anyone except my client, the daughter of your client and Mr. Jennings’ client. And again, it is a public place. Miss Spears is not prohibited from going to any public places, only from interacting with a small list of people unless there are others around, which we’ve already established there were.
DON: I see what you’re trying to do, Mr. Blaire. There is a difference between following the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. There is also a difference between a public park where there are, in theory, others present who could possibly intervene should they feel compelled to, and a meeting between two parties with a third to oversee it.
BLAIRE: It’s not as if she sought them out. I read your report, as well, and spoke at length with Miss Spears on the matter, as it happens. My understanding is that the young Miss Michaels walked up to Miss Spears after her ball fell in front of Miss Spears. Miss Spears went to hand it to her and was then confronted by Mrs. Jonas. They were, I believe, the ones who initiated the conversation.
DON: Mr. Blaire, the younger Miss Michaels is a minor, Miss Spears is an adult. She was a child who was getting her ball back from a virtual stranger. Had she wanted to, Miss Spears could have easily given her the ball back, and that would have been the end of it. Instead, she held onto the ball and carried on a conversation with the child, only given the ball back when confronted by Mrs. Jonas.
BLAIRE: So you admit that Mrs. Jonas instigated the conversation.
DON: Only after witnessing Miss Spears instigating a conversation with Emerald Michaels, the child that Miss Spears was arrested for attempting to kidnap, and Mrs. Jonas’ niece. It should not surprise anyone that Mrs. Jonas would try to protect her family.
BLAIRE: Nevertheless, it was not my client who started this whole affair-
The judge banged his gavel.
DANFORTH: Silence! Both of you, be silent. This is not a trial, it is a hearing. You can debate the whys and wherefores of the situation on your own time. Mr. Blaire, you have already made your statement and interjected on Mr. Craig’s. Mr. Craig, do you have anything more to add?
CRAIG: No, Your Honor.
DANFORTH: Mr. Jennings?
Aiden stood as Don sat down.
AIDEN: I have nothing to add, Your Honor, other than that I support my fellow counselor’s assertion that the restraining order was breached.
Aiden sat down again.
DANFORTH: Excellent, then we can move on to my ruling. I have taken the reports of all the various counsels into consideration when making this decision. This is not something I am doing lightly. The justice system is never something that should be taken lightly. Miss Spears, step forward please.
