It has been 3 1/2 years of waiting to get a trial date. Every month or so, I pick up the phone to make the same call to the District Attorney’s office.
“Hi, this is Dan Smith’s daughter, Crystal. I was just calling to check on any developments in my dad’s case.”
I press my ear firmly to the phone, listening carefully to the friendly yet matter-of-fact voice on the other end of the line, anticipating something I did not read in the online news feed. Of course, they share few new details because almost any information could jeopardise the case.
My heart drops as I hear the familiar comment, “We still don’t have a definite date for the trial, but we are getting closer.”
Closer is not close enough.
We want answers, answers to simple questions concerning the case. How did this happen? Why did this happen? What did the witnesses see, and what do they know? Then, there are many questions we may never get answers to this side of Heaven. Every time I call, it is a reminder of all of my unanswered questions.
Despite the likely disappointment, I dial the number and hope to hear something different. This last call, I did.
“The judge set a trial date,” the caller exclaimed.
My sister had called me moments before with the news, but hearing it from this voice made it feel more real. My mind raced, as I listened to the dates and impending procedures for the trial.
In 6 months, almost to the day, the trial is scheduled to begin. Until now, time seemed to crawl.
How do we prepare for a 2-3 week murder trial? This is not a college test with pre-scripted true/false, multiple choice, or fill-in-the-blank answers. We do not know what will be said or done in the courtroom. We will be watching like everyone else, on the edge of our seats, as the horrible story unfolds.
I am sure we will shed tears. We will be unable to adequately shield our raw emotions from those in the fishbowl courtroom. We will be surrounded by news reporters, the suspect, his loved ones, curious citizens, lawyers, the judge, and jury members. We may not be the main focus in the courtroom, but we will be available material for the 6 o’clock news.
No, I really have no way to completely prepare.
The best thing I can do is pray and ask others to join me. The trial is on the horizon.