“She’s also innocent.”
Ragland had laughed. “Everybody I charge is innocent. Unfortunately for Senator O’Leary, my case is open and shut. Good stop, alcohol on the senator’s breath, a point-eight breathalyzer, and a cop who is a great witness.”
Regina had placed a sealed manila envelope on Ragland’s desk. “You might want to read my expert’s report before you make a firm decision.”
Ragland had made no move toward the envelope.
“You can’t win this case, Peter, and I want to save you the embarrassment you will experience if Bridget is acquitted.”
“Which she won’t be.” Peter smirked. “I know all about yournickname. You may be a Sorceress, but even your magic wand won’t make the evidence go away.”
“Aren’t you even going to look at the report?”
“Maybe later. Thanks for dropping by.”
For a moment, Regina had thought about trying to reason with Ragland, but she knew her efforts would be wasted. Regina had hoped to save her client the stress and expense of a trial, but, barring a miracle, they were headed to court, where she looked forward to humiliating Peter Ragland.
Judge Richard Ogilvie’s courtroom was packed because of the news coverage it had received. As soon as the case was called, Regina waived a jury and elected to try it to the judge. Ragland didn’t expect this and he protested, but a defendant could waive his constitutional right to a jury trial and there was nothing Ragland could do about that, except wonder what Regina was up to.
Ragland’s only witness was Harriet Moreland, the arresting officer, who testified that she had stopped Senator O’Leary because one of her taillights was broken. When the senator lowered her window, the officer smelled alcohol on her breath. Moreland had asked the senator if she had been drinking. O’Leary said that she’d had one beer at a dinner meeting that had finished shortly before the stop.
“Did you have the defendant take a breathalyzer test?” Ragland asked.
“I did.”
“What was the result?”
“Mrs. O’Leary blew a point-eight.”
“Was that significant?”
“According to our statutes. A person with point-eight blood alcohol is under the influence.”
“When you got that reading, what did you do?”
“I arrested the defendant for Driving Under the Influence.”
“No further questions.”
“Miss Barrister?” Judge Ogilvie asked.
“Thank you, Your Honor.”
Regina’s investigator had interviewed Officer Moreland, so Regina knew that Ragland had left some important pieces out of her narrative.
“Officer Moreland, you didn’t stop Mrs. O’Leary because she was driving erratically, did you?”
“No.”
“In fact, you noticed nothing improper with the way she drove.”
“I did not.”
“Isn’t it true that the odor of alcohol alone is not proof that a driver is under the influence?”
“Yes.”
“Did you ask Mrs. O’Leary to perform a series of field sobriety tests in order to see if she was affected by alcohol?”