A Predetermined Course Of Events - Robert F. Clifton (phonics readers TXT) 📗

be examined by the Police Surgeon. He will take samples of your pubic hair and at the sometime examine you for scarring caused by the skin disease, impetigo. Then you will be booked. While being booked and processed you will be fingerprinted. Your fingerprints will then be examined by our Forensic Unit where they will be compared with those found on the weapon you used to kill Ethel Lamb. In addition we will introduce as evidence for the State the tire impression your automobile made on the day you killed the girl. You see Mr. Perkins one of the mistakes you made on the night you burned your automobile is the fact that the Vin number was still in place behind the windshield. However, if it's any consultation that number is also located in another place in the vehicle. We would have found it anyway.

We also have reason to believe that it was you who had approached young teenage girls in the mall and on the street. This means that I'll place you in a lineup. If and I'm pretty sure If any of these girls come forward and identify you, their statements will also be submitted as evidence for the State.

At the same time I and the officers under my command become witnesses for the State. We will all be in court prepared and ready to testify against you.”

“What happens if I resist giving samples and being examined?”

“Then somebody will in all probability knock you on your ass and hold you down while the samples are taken.

I'm pretty sure that as that's being done someone else will be reading the wording of the search warrant to you. Take him away.”

Sergeant Woodson said, “Nice job.”

“Yes, all of us did a nice job.”

“Including McKenzie?”

“Certainly. His mistakes made it necessary for me to check his work. Checking his reports and what was missing in those reports made me examine and re-examine resulting in me thinking and re-thinking, So in fact he was a big part of this investigation.”

“I see. Now, what happens to me?,” Woodson asked.

“What do you want to happen?

“I want to go back to Juvenile.”

“Report back there tomorrow morning.”

“Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. The Chief had already ordered that at the conclusion of this case that you were to return and command the Juvenile Division again.”

“Well then, it's been real.”

“Like I told you. Put it in your resume'.”

“I will. See you around.”

“Probably, possibly in County Court. You did a nice job interviewing those high school girls.”

“Thanks again.”

“Get out of here.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Ten

Grand Jury

 

Monday, June 25. 1979 began with an extremely

hot morning. Upon arriving at the County Court House Captain Wallace dreaded leaving the air condition interior of the automobile assigned to him. He looked at his wristwatch and saw that he was running late. He got out of the car, picked up his suit coat that was draped over the front passenger seat, locked the drivers side door and began walking to the entrance of the building. Once inside he stood for a few minutes allowing the air in the cool air conditioned room to slow and hopefully stop his perspiring. “ Why is it that on the hottest summer days we're required to appear in court in suit and tie?,” he thought to himself as he walked to the waiting room set aside for witnesses.

Twenty minutes later a Bailiff opened the door and said, “Captain Robert Wallace?”

“I'm here.”

“You have been called sir.”

“Thank you.” As he walked towards the courtroom

he thought to himself, “ What a waste of time. Grand jury hearings are held supposedly to present the State's case against the defendant. The Prosecutor presents the States evidence both concrete and circumstantial along with witnesses. Anyone knowledgeable of the legal system realizes that the Prosecutor basically knows that the jury under his direction will render an indictment. If he does not want an indictment he just tells the jury that the case in question is weak or that there is no evidence to support the charges.”

After entering the courtroom Wallace walked to the witness stand where he raised his right hand and was sworn to tell the truth. He then sat down in the witness chair and waited for Jeffrey Lippmann, one of the County Prosecutor to begin the questioning.

Wallace did not like Lippmann. The man had a personal dislike for the Nautilus Beach Police Department and its members. This animosity was the result of an evening on the town by Jeffrey Lippmann whereupon the man became drunk and disorderly. He was taken into custody by the local police. However, before he could be booked the local politicians worked their influence and Lippmann was released without being charged. Nonetheless, Lippmann still carried a grudge and at times would go out of his way to investigate any and all complains against Nautilus Beach Police Officers. Wallace watched as the man approached the witness stand.

“For the record please state your name, occupation and rank,” said Lippmann.

“I'm Captain Robert Wallace of the Nautilus Beach Police Department.”

“What is your current assignment?”

“Commanding Officer of the Major Crime Squad.”

“Please explain the function of the Major Crime Squad.”

“Its function is to investigate Rape, Murder or if you will homicide, robbery and larceny over ten thousand dollars.”

“I see and did you and members of the Major Crime Squad have the opportunity to investigate the homicide of one Ethel Lamb?”

“Yes we did.”

“Good. Please tell the court and members of the jury what you know and did in reference to the murder of Ethel Lamb.”

Wallace turned his head and looked directly at the men and women of the Grand Jury and said, “ On November 17, 1978 the body of an African-American teenage girl was found on a vacant lot adjacent to the City Dump by the foreman of the dump. He in turn called the police. Our arriving patrol units determined that the girl was dead. They then called into headquarters and continued to protect the crime scene.”

“Allow me to interrupt you at this time Captain how did the patrol officer know that the girls was dead and not just severely injured?”

“ Because the body at the time was in a state of decay.”

“ In your investigation did you ever determine the time of death?”

“Yes, according to the pathologist who conducted the autopsy on the victim he judged that death occurred on November 13, 1978.”

“Please tell the court and the jury parts of your investigation that led to the arrest of Ellsworth Perkins.”

“ Certainly. After interviewing the parents of the victim, Ethel Lamb. We were able to learn that the victim did two things routinely. She frequented what she considered to be a church and she was in the company of someone with the name according to her as EL.”

“Please proceed.'

“Several people were brought in for questioning and statements taken from them. At that time the case was in what I must say was in limbo. However, we had what I considered concrete evidence. We had a complete set of fingerprints from the right hand of the assailant found on the murder weapon. At rhe same time we had a pubic hair found on the body of the victim at the time of the autopsy.'

“You mention murder weapon. What, in your opinion was the murder weapon?”

“A glass shard. It was used to cut the victims throat.”

“I show you now States Evidence A. Is this the murder weapon that you recovered at the crime scene?”

“May I see it a bit closer?”

“Certainly.”

Wallace carefully examined the piece of glass then stated, “It appears to be.”

“Appears to be? You're not certain.”

“When I took the glass as evidence I placed a piece of cellophane tape on one edge away from the latent prints.

I then wrote my initials on the tape. That tape is no longer there.

So, to repeat, the piece of glass that you show me appears to be the piece of glass I recovered at the crime scene.”

Lippmann walked back to the table and placed the glass back in the evidence folder. Returning to the witness stand he said, I believe you mentioned fingerprints. Were the fingerprints on the glass shard examined?”

“Yes, first by members of our Forensic Unit and as I understand it by the State Police directed to do so by your office, that of the County Prosecutor.”

“ By their examination what was the results?”

“The results submitted by the Nautilus Beach Police Departments Forensic Unit the latent prints found on the glass shard are identical to those of Ellsworth Perkins at the time of his arrest.”

“Please continue.”

“On the day the victim was found a search was made of the crime scene. A short distance from where the body was found an impression of what was thought to be made by an automobile tire was also found. That impression was first photographed and then a plaster cast was made of the impression. Sometime later an abandoned car was found to be burned and abandoned. The Vehicle Identification Number was found and that number was sent to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Division requesting information. The report sent to us was that the vehicle a 1975 Chevrolet Malibu, blue in color was registered to the Atlantic Garden Mission House located in Nautilus Beach.”

“In you investigation did you determine who was or is in charge of the mission house?”

“Yes.”

“Please tell the court the name of that person in charge.”

“Ellsworth Perkins.”

“Please continue about the automobile.

“With the automobile in our custody it was determined that one tire on the wheels of the automobile was an identical match of the cast of the impression left at the crime scene.”

“I see. Anything else?”

“Yes. A lab report given to us in reference to the pubic hair found on the victim resulted in the fact that the donor of that hair sample was a Caucasian. After Perkins arrest he was presented with a search warrant indicating that he would have samples of his pubic hair taken and also to be examined for any signs of scaring on his body in relation to an infection of impetigo.”

“What were the results?”

“The pubic hair matched the one found on the victim and scars were found thought to be caused be impetigo.”

“Why was impetigo so important to your investigation?”

“At the time of the autopsy the victim was found to be suffering from a severe case of impetigo. Impetigo is reported to be very contagious. It was my opinion that if Perkins came in contact and in particular sexual contact with the victim that he would be infected.”

“And was he?”

“You will have to ask the Police Surgeon that conducted the examination.”

“I see. So, in you opinion Ellsworth Perkins is the murderer of Ethel Lamb.”

“Yes but he had many accomplices.”

“Accomplices. What accomplices?”

“For one the State of New Jersey. In particular the Child and Family Services. At anytime they could have interceded and placed Ethel Lamb in a better environment than the one she was forced to live in from day to day. Next, would be the welfare system that gives money to the poor of who some take the money and buy alcoholic drinks or narcotics, just as the victims parents did. At the same time I place some blame of the Juvenile Court System who upon seeing the victim in court and knowing her mental condition and living conditions refused to taker her into custody and place her where she would receive treatment and safety. The Board of Education that allowed Ethel Lamb to wander the streets unsupervised instead of demanding that she attend classes that would help her. However, I also place the police on the list. We do not do enough background checks on persons that are in contact with children and particularly the handicapped children. Handicapped children are vulnerable to adults. Mentally handicapped children more so. Lastly I most

add to the list the members of the jury. Why? You might ask.

Think of all the times when you as an individual was asked to donate time as a volunteer to those organizations that work for the betterment of conditions for children.