Rage of Angels by Sidney Sheldon

“You and I know that any time there’s an accident where a big corporation is involved—no matter how indirectly—there are people who are immediately going to say, ‘Why, that company is rich. It can afford it. Let’s take it for all we can.”

Patrick Maguire paused.

“Connie Garrett’s not in this courtroom today because she couldn’t face you. She knows that what she’s trying to do is immoral. Well, we’re going to send her away empty-handed as a lesson to other people who might be tempted to try the same thing in the future. A person has to take responsibility for his or her own actions. If you slip on a piece of ice on the street, you can’t blame big brother for it. And you shouldn’t try to swindle five million dollars out of him. Thank you.”

He turned to bow to Jennifer, and then walked over to the defense table and sat down.

Jennifer rose to her feet and approached the jury. She studied their faces, trying to evaluate the impression that Patrick Maguire had made.

“My esteemed colleague has told you that Connie Garrett will not be in this courtroom during the trial. That is correct.” Jennifer pointed to an empty space at the plaintiff’s table. “That is where Connie Garrett would be sitting if she were here. Not in that chair. In a special wheelchair. The chair she lives in. Connie Garrett won’t be in this courtroom, but before this trial is over you will all have an opportunity to meet her and get to know her as I have gotten to know her.”

There was a puzzled frown on Patrick Maguire’s face. He leaned over and whispered to one of his assistants.

Jennifer was going on. “I listened as Mr. Maguire spoke so eloquently, and I want to tell you I was touched. I found my heart bleeding for this multibillion-dollar corporation that’s being mercilessly attacked by this twenty-four-year-old woman who has no arms or legs. This woman who, at this very moment is sitting at home, greedily awaiting that telephone call that will tell her she’s rich.” Jennifer’s voice dropped.

“Rich to do what? Go out and buy diamonds for the hands she doesn’t have? Buy dancing shoes for the feet she doesn’t have? Buy beautiful dresses that she can never wear? A Rolls Royce to take her to parties she’s not invited to? Just think of all the fun she’s going to have with that money.”

Jennifer spoke very quietly and sincerely as her eyes moved slowly across the faces of the jurors. “Mr. Maguire has never seen five million dollars at one time. Neither have I. But I’ll tell you this. If I were to offer any one of you five million dollars in cash right now, and all I wanted in exchange was to cut off both your arms and both your legs, I don’t think five million dollars would seem like very much money…

“The law in this case is very clear,” Jennifer explained. “In an earlier trial, which the plaintiff lost, the defendants were aware of a defect in the braking system in their trucks, and they withheld that knowledge from the plaintiff and from the court. In doing so, they acted illegally. That is the basis for this new trial. According to a recent government survey, the biggest contributors to truck accidents involve wheels and tires, brakes and steering systems. If you will just examine these figures for a moment…”

Patrick Maguire was appraising the jury and he was an expert at it. As Jennifer droned on about the statistics, Maguire could tell that the jurors were getting bored with this trial. It was becoming too technical. The trial was no longer about a crippled girl. It was about trucks and braking distances and faulty brake drums. The jurors were losing interest.

Maguire glanced over at Jennifer and thought, She’s not as clever as she’s reputed to be. Maguire knew that if he had been on the other side defending Connie Garrett, he would have ignored the statistics and mechanical problems and played on the jury’s emotions. Jennifer Parker had done exactly the opposite.

Patrick Maguire leaned back in his chair now and relaxed.