按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
e should not criticize anyone for seeking publicity。 Lucien Wilbanks wrote the book on manipulating the press both before and during a trial； and he had taught Jake well。 But Buckley held no grudge。 He was pleased。 He relished the thought of a long； nasty trial with his first opportunity at real； meaningful exposure。 He looked forward to Monday； the first day of the May term of court in Ford County。
He was forty…one； and when he was first elected nine years earlier he had been the youngest D。A。 in Mississippi。 Now he was one year into his third term and his ambitions were calling。 It was time to move on to another public office； say； attorney general； or possibly governor。 And then to Congress。 He had it all planned； but he was not well known outside the Twenty…second Judicial District （Ford； Tyler； Polk； Van Buren； and Milburn counties）。 He needed to be seen； and heard。 He needed publicity。 What Rufus needed more than anything else was a big； nasty； controversial； well…publicized conviction in a murder trial。
Ford County was directly north of Smithfield； the county seat of Polk County； where Rufus lived。 He had grown up in Tyler County； near the Tennessee line； north of Ford County。 He had a good base； politically。 He was a good prosecutor。 During elections he boasted of a ninety percent conviction rate； and of sending more men to death row than any prosecutor in the state。 He was loud； abrasive； sanctimonious。 His client was the people of the State of Mississippi； by God； and he took that obligation seriously。 The people
hated crime； and he hated crime； and together they could eliminate it。
He could talk to a jury； oh； how he could talk to a jury。 He could preach； pray； sway； plead； beg。 He could inflame a jury to the point it couldn't wait to get back to that jury room and have a prayer meeting； then vote and return with a rope to hang the defendant。 He could talk like the blacks and he could talk like the rednecks； and that was enough to satisfy most of the jurors in the Twenty…second。 And the juries were good to him in Ford County。 He liked Clanton。
When he arrived at his office in the Polk County Courthouse； Rufus was delighted to see a camera crew waiting in his reception room。 He was very busy； he explained； looking at his watch； but he might have a minute for a few questions。
He arranged them in his office and sat splendidly in his leather swivel behind the desk。 The reporter was from Jackson。
〃Mr。 Buckley； do you have any sympathy for Mr。 Hai…ley？〃
He smiled seriously； obviously in deep thought。 〃Yes； I do。 I have sympathy for any parent whose child is raped。 I certainly do。 But what I cannot condone； and what our system cannot tolerate； is this type of vigilante justice。〃
〃Are you a parent？〃
〃I am。 I have one small son and two daughters； one the age of the Hailey girl； and I'd be outraged if one of my daughters were raped。 But I would hope our judicial system would deal effectively with the rapist。 I have that much confidence in the system。〃
〃So you anticipate a conviction？〃
〃Certainly。 I normally get a conviction when I go after one； and I intend to get a conviction in this case。〃
〃Will you ask for the death penalty？〃
〃Yes； it looks like a clear case of premeditated murder。 I think the gas chamber would be appropriate。〃
〃Do you predict a death penalty verdict？〃
〃Of course。 Ford County jurors have always been willing to apply the death penalty when I ask for it and it's appropriate。 I get very good juries up there。〃
〃Mr。 Brigance； the defendant's attorney； has stated the grand jury may not indict his client。〃
BucMey chuckled at this。 〃Well； Mr。 Brigance should not be so foolish。 The case will be presented to the grand jury Monday； and we'll have our indictments Monday afternoon。 I promise you that。 Really； he knows better。〃 〃You think the case will be tried in Ford County？〃 〃I don't care where it's tried。 I'll get a conviction。〃 〃Do you anticipate the insanity defense？〃 〃I anticipate everything。 Mr。 Brigance is a most capable criminal defense attorney。 I don't know what ploy he will use； but the State of Mississippi will be ready。〃 〃What about a plea bargain？'*
〃I don't much believe in plea negotiating。 Neither does Brigance。 I wouldn't expect that。〃
〃He said he's never lost a murder case to you。〃 The smile disappeared instantly。 He leaned forward on the desk and looked harshly at the reporter。 〃True； but I bet he didn't mention a number of armed robberies and grand larcenies； did he？ I've won my share。 Ninety percent to be exact。〃
The camera was turned off and the reporter thanked him for his time。 No problem； said Buckley。 Anytime。
Ethel waddled up the stairs and stood before the big desk。 〃Mr。 Brigance； my husband and I received an obscene phone call last night； and I've just taken the second one here at the office。 I don't like this。〃
He motioned to a chair。 〃Sit down； Ethel。 What did these people say？〃
〃They weren't really obscene。 They were threatening。 They threatened me because I work for you。 Said I'd be sorry because I worked for a nigger lover。 The ones here threaten to harm you and your family。 I'm just scared。〃
Jake was worried too； but shrugged it off for Ethel。 He had called Ozzie on Wednesday and reported the calls to his house。
〃Change your number； Ethel。 I'll pay for it。〃
〃I don't want to change my number。 I've had it for seventeen years。〃
〃Good； then don't。 I've had my home number changed； and it's no big deal。〃
〃Well； I'll not do it。〃
〃Fine。 What else do you want？〃
〃Well； I don't think you should have taken that case。 I…〃
〃And I don't care what you think！ You're not paid to think about my cases。 If I want to know what you think； I'll ask。 Until I do； keep quiet。〃
She huffed and left。 Jake called Ozzie again。
An hour later Ethel announced through the inter： 〃Lucien called this morning。 He asked me to copy some recent cases； and he wants you to deliver them this afternoon。 Said it had been five weeks since your last visit。〃
〃Four weeks。 Copy the cases； and I'll take them this afternoon。〃
Lucien stopped by the office or called once a month。 He read cases and kept abreast of current developments in the law。 He had little else to do except drink Jack Daniel's and play the stock market； both of which he did recklessly。 He was a drunk； and he spent most of his time on the front porch of his big white house on the hill； eight blocks off the square； overlooking Clanton； sipping Jack in the Black and reading cases。
He had deteriorated since the disbarment。 A full…time maid doubled as a nurse who served drinks on the porch from noon until midnight。 He seldom ate or slept； preferring instead to rock away the hours。
Jake was expected to visit at least once a month。 The visits were made out of some sense of duty。 Lucien was a bitter； sick old man who cursed lawyers； judges； and especially the State Bar Association。 Jake was his only friend； the only audience he could find and keep captive long enough to hear his sermons。 Along with the preaching he also freely dispensed unsolicited advice on Jake's cases； a most annoying habit。 He knew about the cases； although Jake never knew how Lucien knew so much。