Mr. Laney turned toward the judge.
“Your Honor, the defense is trying to tout this boy as a human court reporter. This is exactly the type of prejudicial activity I warned the Court about before the jury left the courtroom. You have a handicapped young man who will play on the jurors’ sympathies when they need to be focusing on the hard evidence in the case.”
“Are you finished with your questions?” the judge asked.
“Uh, no sir.”
“Then save your argument for later.”
Mr. Laney refocused his attention on Dr. Paris.
“Am I correct in stating that not all of his teachers have noticed Jimmy’s remarkable memory?”
“That’s true.”
“And there’s been no attempt to document this purported ability in a scientific way?”
“No, it’s just an observation.”
Mr. Laney walked to the table where he’d left his papers.
“Dr. Paris, besides a low IQ and random memory, what other mental or psychological abnormalities have you identified in Jimmy?”
“Objection, Your Honor,” Daddy said. “Only matters relevant to Jimmy’s ability to tell the truth and accurately relate information are before the Court.”
“Mr. Laney has Dr. Paris on cross-examination, and given the unusual nature of the competency issue, I’ll give the State wider latitude than normal. Overruled.”
“Go ahead and answer,” Mr. Laney said.
Dr. Paris put the tissue back in her purse without having used it.
“He has a persistent, irrational fear of water. Jimmy won’t swim in a pool or go out in a boat. He will take a shower but won’t get into a bathtub full of water.”
“How do you know about this fear of water?”
“He’s mentioned it generally, and his mother verified it with specific examples.”
“Why does he have this fear of water?”
Dr. Paris glanced at Mama. “His mother believes it may be related to an early childhood trauma, but I’ve never discussed it with Jimmy. It has no impact on his academic program, so I haven’t pursued the origin of his phobia.”
“What kind of trauma?”
Daddy rose to his feet. “Objection to continuing this line of questioning as irrelevant.”
“I agree,” the judge replied. “Sustained.”
“Any other abnormalities?”
Dr. Paris shifted in her chair and looked at Jimmy before answering. He smiled at her. She was good at talking in front of other people.
“He has infrequent hallucinations and delusions.”
Mama reached over and squeezed Jimmy’s hand. He looked up at her.
Mr. Laney let Dr. Paris’s words linger in the courtroom. After a few moments, he threw his arms wide open and spoke in a loud voice.
“Dr. Paris, let’s hear everything you know about Jimmy’s hallucinations and delusions.”
Dr. Paris pressed her lips together and tapped one of her red fingernails against the wooden railing that surrounded the witness chair.
“Jimmy sees people who aren’t there. He calls them Watchers.”
— Two —
Mr. Laney waited. When Dr. Paris didn’t continue, he lowered his voice and asked, “Watchers? Please tell the court about these Watchers.”
Dr. Paris looked up at the judge. “Jimmy shared this with me in confidence. Am I required to relate this information?”
“Yes.”
Dr. Paris looked at Jimmy.
“Jimmy, I’m going to tell what you told me about the Watchers. Is that okay with you?”
Jimmy didn’t move. He wasn’t about to say anything. Mama looked at Daddy, who shook his head with a frown.
“Go ahead, Dr. Paris,” the judge said.
Dr. Paris turned toward the judge. “Your Honor, I need to give you some background information. Jimmy is a pleasant boy, but he will only engage in extensive conversation when he believes he is in a safe environment. In the classroom, he rarely speaks and doesn’t socialize with other students except for a few classmates who have known him a long time.”
Jimmy leaned close to Mama. “I’ve known Max since we were little babies.”
Dr. Paris continued. “He observes but doesn’t interact. I’m sure he’s suffered a degree of persecution from his peers, and instead of acting out in anger or rebellion, Jimmy has chosen a path of limited isolation. Faced with conflict or pressure, he withdraws to wait out the storm. In the classroom, he will sit quietly unless specifically asked a question. Even in a one-on-one setting, it’s a challenge to convince him to open up and share private information. During my first year at the school, I never gained his trust, and our interaction remained superficial. However, toward the middle of the second year, he began to reveal the delightful young man he truly is. Recently, we’ve reached a new level of trust, and he told me about the people he calls Watchers. It came up during a testing session. I noticed him looking up from his workbook and staring at a spot near the doorway of the room. When I asked him about the reason for his distraction, he told me a Watcher had come into the room.”
Jimmy remembered the day of the test. The Watcher roamed the halls of Piney Grove Elementary just like Mrs. Bacon, the school principal. He didn’t tell Jimmy any answers on the test; he just wanted to see what Jimmy was doing.
“Did he describe this person?” Laney asked.
“Just as a man he sees from time to time at the school. In a few seconds, Jimmy returned to his work and finished the test. When he gave me his paper, I asked him to tell me more about the man he saw. He didn’t offer any additional information except that he was a ‘school Watcher.’ I asked him why he called him a Watcher, and Jimmy said, ‘Because he watches.’”
“What did you conclude from this incident?”
“Initially, I categorized it as an encounter with an imaginary friend. Children often create fantasy figures who inhabit their world. It’s a way for a child to work through issues and experiences without facing real consequences, and there’s nothing psychologically significant about it. This phenomenon occasionally occurs in children with limited intellectual capacity like Jimmy, and it fits his personality type. The Watcher would enter his private world in a nonthreatening way and help him process external stress and pressure. The day following the test, I asked Jimmy more questions, and he told me that he sees Watchers in different settings: at home, on the street, at friends’ houses, at church, even in Hankins’s Pharmacy. At that point, I realized this was clinically significant enough to bring up with his mother. She confirmed my observations and provided additional details. Jimmy is convinced these people are real, even though he’s the only one who can see them.”
“Mama,” Jimmy whispered, “are you going to tell?”
“No, honey.”
“Does he communicate with these Watchers?”
“Telepathically. He claims that sometimes he can hear their thoughts in his head, which makes it a more complex type of delusion than a strictly visual image.”
“Do they know his thoughts?”
“He believes they do.”
Mr. Laney held his hands in the air with his palms facing upward. “So, we have a young man who lives in a fantasy world inhabited by imaginary people who tell him things the rest of us can’t hear and who know what he’s thinking even if he is completely silent.”
“At times, although I believe he maintains appropriate interaction with his actual surroundings.”
“But how can he pay attention to all these competing voices and separate the real from the false?”
“Overall, he seems sufficiently in touch with reality to function in a manner consistent with his mental deficits. None of his teachers report inordinate distractibility or similar problems.”
“Would he believe that the information telepathically communicated to him by these Watchers is the truth?”
“He never gave me any examples, so I can’t give an opinion.”
“But he believes they
’re real?”
“Yes.”
Mr. Laney looked down at the paper in his hand. “Any other abnormalities?”
Dr. Paris shook her head. “Not to my knowledge.”
“That’s all,” Mr. Laney said.
The judge looked at Daddy. “Any redirect of this witness?”
Jimmy wondered if Daddy was mad at him for telling Dr. Paris about the Watchers. Daddy directed his attention toward Dr. Paris.
“Dr. Paris, do you believe Jimmy knows the difference between his interaction with the imaginary world and what takes place in this one?”
“I’d better stick to my comment that he relates to people and reacts to normal stimuli in a manner consistent with his IQ results. There is always the possibility that a person with pervasive hallucinations and delusions will eventually cross into the fantasy realm and stay there. I can say with confidence that this has not happened with Jimmy. If it had, he would exhibit radically different behavior on a regular basis.”
“Do you have an opinion whether Jimmy’s delusions would prevent him from hearing and relating information from the real world in a truthful way?”
“I think he could remember events or conversations and tell you the truth about them.”
“No further questions.”
Daddy sat, and Jimmy took a deep breath. Daddy didn’t sound mad, but sometimes it was hard to tell.
“Anything else, Mr. Laney?” the judge asked.
“No, sir. I think we’ve heard enough.”
Dr. Paris left the witness stand.
“Mr. Mitchell?” the judge asked.
“Your Honor, I’d like to give you an opportunity to talk to Jimmy.”
“I think that’s in order. Proceed.”
Daddy came over to Jimmy.
“Come sit in the special, uh, I mean witness chair.”
Jimmy looked at Mama, who nodded her head. “Go ahead.”
Jimmy stood but didn’t move. He glanced around the big room. Mr. Laney, Mr. Robinson, Dr. Paris, Sheriff Brinson, and Jake Garner were all staring at him. He wished he had a cap to wear, but Mama said it wasn’t polite to wear caps indoors.
“Why is everyone looking at me?” he whispered to Mama. “I don’t like being here.”
Mama turned to Daddy and spoke in a low voice. “Lee, are you sure about this?”
“Ellen, a man’s freedom is at stake.”
Daddy grabbed Jimmy’s right hand and led him to the witness stand. Jimmy knew not to resist.
“Sit in the chair,” Daddy commanded.
Jimmy swallowed. The wooden chair rocked slightly. When he leaned back, it shifted so suddenly that he thought it might tip over.
“Uh-oh!” he cried out.
“Be still,” Daddy said. “The chair will hold you. It’s attached to the floor.”
Jimmy peered beneath the seat. Sure enough, the chair rested on a single leg that disappeared into the floor. He rocked back and forth more gently and adjusted his body in the seat. It was nicer than the bench where he’d been sitting with Mama, but he still wanted to be with her.
Daddy walked over to the table where Jake Garner sat and began gathering some papers. Jimmy scanned the courtroom. The large, high-ceilinged room had rows of benches. It reminded him of church. He never said anything out loud in church since the time he asked Mama why the woman who sat in front of them every Sunday never put any money in the offering plate. Mama put her hand over his mouth so tightly that he had trouble breathing.
“How do you like it up there?” Daddy asked in a softer voice.
“It’s okay,” he said, “but I don’t want to talk with everybody looking at me.”
Daddy patted him on the arm. “People are supposed to talk when they sit in the witness chair. That’s why Dr. Paris answered our questions.”
Jimmy looked at Mama. She nodded her head. Daddy stepped back toward the table where Jake sat.
“Jimmy, do you know Judge Robinson?”
Of course Jimmy knew Mr. Robinson. They attended the same church, and after the Sunday morning service, Jimmy often saw him talking to Daddy beneath the large trees near the main entrance to the sanctuary.
“Yes, sir,” he answered. “But I didn’t know until this morning that his first name was Judge.”
The witnesses and observers remaining in the courtroom laughed, so Jimmy did too. He had to admit it was a funny name. No one at his school was named Judge.
“If Judge Robinson asks you to promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, will you do it?” Daddy asked.
This question was hard. Jimmy kept his mouth shut. Daddy spoke again with a slight edge in his voice.
“Answer the question.”
Jimmy leaned forward in the chair. He knew that being polite was always a good response when he felt confused.
“Yes, sir.”
Dr. Paris went over to Daddy and whispered in his ear. Daddy listened for a few seconds. Dr. Paris returned to her seat.
“Jimmy, how old are you?” Daddy asked.
Jimmy relaxed. “Twelve.”
“When is your birthday?”
“My birthday is June 5.”
“When is my birthday?”
“July 14.”
“When is your mama’s birthday?”
“My mama’s birthday is the day before Christmas. That makes her the best present in the whole world.”
Jimmy smiled at Mama. She came to live in their house the summer after Jimmy turned five. She returned his smile in a way that meant she wanted to give him a hug.
Mr. Laney stood.
“Judge, I’ve been lenient in not objecting, but we’re not planning birthday parties today. I can’t see the relevance of this line of questioning.”
Daddy turned toward the judge. “I’m illustrating Jimmy’s ability to truthfully relate concrete pieces of information. He’s been correct on all the dates he’s mentioned thus far.”
“Very well. Move on,” Mr. Robinson said.
“Jimmy, what is a lie?” Daddy asked.
“A lie is a sin. People who tell lies will be thrown into a lake of fire.”
The previous Sunday, Jimmy had listened in fear as Brother Fitzgerald, the preacher at their church, thundered from the pulpit that people who tell lies will be thrown into a lake of fire. Jimmy didn’t like regular water and most certainly didn’t want to be thrown into a lake of fire.
“Do you think it’s bad to tell a lie?”
Mr. Robinson interrupted. “I think he’s made that point more clearly than any witness who’s ever appeared in this courtroom.”
“Yes, Your Honor.” Daddy smiled at Jimmy. “Can you tell us an example of a lie so we can be sure you understand what it means?”
Jimmy adjusted his glasses. “What’s an example?”
Daddy kept calm. “How about the fishing story you told me this morning while we were eating breakfast.”
Jimmy looked puzzled. “You already know it.”
“But Judge Robinson hasn’t heard it. He wants you to tell what happened.”
Jimmy looked up at the judge. Mr. Laney spoke. “Your Honor, Mr. Mitchell is turning this trial into a mockery and circus—”
“Quiet,” the judge responded. “I want to hear the fishing story. Go ahead, Jimmy.”
Jimmy took a deep breath. “A man fishing at Webb’s Pond the other day told me and Grandpa a lie.”
“What did he lie about?” Daddy asked.
“He came up to talk to Grandpa and said he’d caught a big bass that he was going to put on his wall. While he talked to Grandpa, I took the lid off his bucket and saw there was only one fish in it, and it wasn’t that big. I caught one the same size a couple of weeks ago, and we threw it back. When I asked the man about the fish in his bucket, he got as red in the face as Mr. Laney did a few minutes ago.”
The courtroom laughed again.
“What was the truth about the fish?” Daddy asked.
“That it was a little one
. Grandpa said he should have thrown it back into the pond so it could grow bigger.”
“If I ask you some questions, will you tell me the truth?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You won’t tell us a fish is big if it’s little?”
“No, sir.”
“If Mr. Laney asks you questions, will you tell the truth?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Will you tell us a lie?”
“No, sir. That would be wrong.”
Daddy picked up a black book and held it up for Jimmy to see.
“What is this book?” he asked.
It was black and had gold lettering on the front. Only one book in Jimmy’s world bore those markings.
“It’s a Holy Bible.”
“Does the Bible tell us things about God?”
That was an easy question.
“Yes. And Jesus too. He is God’s Son.”
“Does God want you to tell the truth?”
“Yes, sir.”
Daddy turned toward Mr. Laney. “You may ask.”
Mr. Laney walked up close to the witness stand. He didn’t look mad or angry.
“Jimmy, what is an oath?” he asked in a soft voice.
“I don’t know.”
“What does it mean to swear to tell the truth?”
Jimmy felt his face get red. He’d heard a boy at school say some strange, new words during recess. When he asked Mama about it, she warned him not to use swear words.
“I don’t want to say.”
“Why not?”
“Because my Mama says there are better words to use.”
Daddy stood. “He thinks you’re talking about cursing.”
Mr. Laney nodded. “Do you know that the word swear has a meaning other than saying a bad word?”
“No, sir.”
“Do you know why you’re here in the courtroom today?”
“Because Mama kept me home from school and brought me.”
“Has your father told you what he wants you to say?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Objection,” Daddy said. “This is outside the scope of the court’s inquiry into the witness’s competency to understand the nature of the oath.”
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