Free Web NovelChapter 325: Victor Hale Trial Begins
The courtroom remained silent long after Damian’s words settled over the room.
"You tried to kill me before this hearing. You failed. Now sit down, Mr. Hale. We have a case to finish."
Victor Hale’s face had gone pale beneath the harsh white lights. For a few seconds, he did not move. His hands remained locked together in front of him, knuckles white from the pressure, while his eyes stayed fixed on Damian as if he were trying to find the man he used to know beneath the dark robe and calm expression.
He could not.
The Damian he remembered had been ambitious, intelligent, and quiet. He had been the kind of man who listened more than he spoke, who learned quickly, who did not complain when powerful people treated him like he was invisible. Victor had once looked at him and seen an employee but now Damian sat above him, surrounded by the authority of the court, and Victor could not even bring himself to meet his eyes for too long.
Richard Hale placed one hand on his son’s shoulder and leaned toward him. His lips moved in a quiet whisper, but Victor barely seemed to hear him. The older man’s expression was controlled, yet the tightness in his jaw betrayed him.
Richard had spent years dealing with politicians, investors, judges, and media personalities. He knew how to make problems disappear. He knew how to turn public outrage into a temporary inconvenience.
But this problem had survived an assassination attempt.
Damian adjusted the files before him and looked toward the prosecution table. "Counsel, you may proceed with your opening statement."
Michael rose slowly from his seat and turned toward the jury, then allowed his gaze to travel briefly toward Victor Hale.
"On the night of September eighteenth," He began, "the defendant attended a private celebration at the Ashford Club. It was an exclusive event attended by investors, political donors, legal executives, and members of Chicago’s business community. Alcohol was served throughout the night. Witnesses will testify that Victor Hale drank heavily for several hours. Witnesses will testify that he was visibly intoxicated. Witnesses will testify that multiple people offered to arrange a driver for him."
He paused and allowed the silence to settle.
"He refused."
The prosecutor turned toward the large screen beside the jury box. A still image appeared from the club’s security footage. Victor stood near the entrance with a drink in one hand and his car keys in the other. His posture was loose. His expression was careless. Behind him, a man in a black suit stood with one hand raised, clearly trying to stop him.
"At approximately two fourteen in the morning, Victor Hale entered his vehicle and drove away from the club. Seven minutes later, he ran a red light at nearly ninety miles per hour. His vehicle struck a compact sedan carrying Ethan Morales, Sophia Morales, and their eight year old daughter, Emily Morales."
The screen changed and a photograph of the wrecked sedan appeared.
The courtroom became still.
The vehicle had been crushed so badly that it barely looked like a car anymore. The front half had folded inward. The windshield had shattered completely. Metal had wrapped around the passenger side like torn paper. Even the jurors who had seen the image before lowered their eyes.
"Ethan Morales died instantly," the prosecutor continued. "Sophia Morales suffered catastrophic injuries and was placed in a medically induced coma. Emily Morales survived, but lost her left leg."
Emily sat in the front row beside her grandmother. She wore a simple blue dress beneath her winter coat. Her prosthetic leg rested beside her wheelchair. She did not cry. She simply stared at the image on the screen with the quiet expression of a child who had already learned how cruel adults could be.
The prosecutor turned back toward the jury.
"The defense will tell you that the vehicle’s autonomous driving system malfunctioned. They will tell you that the defendant’s intoxication did not cause the crash. They will tell you that Victor Hale was simply unlucky enough to be inside a defective car."
His voice hardened.
"But the evidence will show that the defendant manually overrode the safety system. The evidence will show that the vehicle attempted to slow down before the intersection. The evidence will show that Victor Hale ignored every warning, took control of the vehicle, accelerated through a red light, and destroyed a family."
Michael returned to his seat.
Victor’s lead attorney rose immediately. He was an older man with silver hair, an expensive suit, and the relaxed confidence of someone who had spent decades winning cases for people who could afford to lose nothing. Clearly they changed lawyers after the last sitting but Damian knew nothing about this new person.
The man adjusted his tie, glanced toward the jury, and offered a restrained expression of sympathy.
"No one in this courtroom doubts that the Morales family suffered a terrible tragedy," he said. "No one disputes that Ethan Morales died. No one disputes that Sophia Morales was severely injured. No one disputes that Emily Morales has suffered in ways no child should ever suffer."
He paused.
"But this trial is not about grief. It is not about anger. It is not about public outrage. It is about whether the State can prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Victor Hale caused this crash."
Buzz!
Several faces twisted into an ugly frown as his hand lifted toward the image of the destroyed vehicle.
"The car involved in this accident was equipped with one of the most advanced autonomous driving systems in the world. That system was designed to prevent collisions. It was designed to identify traffic signals. It was designed to brake automatically. It was designed to protect its passengers and everyone around them."
He looked directly at the jury.
"And on that night, it failed."
The defense attorney began walking slowly before the jury box.
"The State wants you to focus on alcohol because alcohol makes people angry. Alcohol makes this case simple. Alcohol allows the public to decide that Victor Hale must be guilty before the evidence is even examined. But the data recovered from the vehicle will show that the autonomous system malfunctioned. It will show that the braking system failed. It will show that the vehicle did not respond correctly to the red light."
His gaze shifted toward Damian for a brief moment.
"This case has already been turned into a national spectacle. Judge Hill has survived an attempted assassination. The media has linked that attack to my client. Protesters have gathered outside this courthouse demanding a conviction before the first witness has even taken the stand. But this courtroom cannot become another place where public pressure replaces proof."
He returned to his seat.
Damian remained expressionless throughout both statements. He did not look at Victor or Richard Hale. His eyes remained on the documents before him.
