The Wrong Gun

29

When court reconvened after lunch, Vaulding called Philip Manning, a ballistics expert with fifteen years experience on the force. Vaulding took his time qualifying him as an expert, taking pains to lay out the man’s credentials, which were impressive. When he was finally finished, he turned to the exhibits.

“Now, Mr. Manning,” Vaulding said. “I hand you a gun marked People’s Exhibit Four and ask you if you’ve ever seen it before?”

“Yes, I have.”

“And how do you recognize it?”

“By the initials L.S. dash two scratched on the handle.”

“What kind of a gun is it?”

“It is a Colt.45 revolver. The initial R has been carved in the handle and the serial number has been filed off.”

“Thank you. Tell me, Mr. Manning, did you ever fire test bullets through this gun?”

“Yes, I did.”

“I hand you a bullet marked for identification People’s Exhibit One and ask you if you recognize it?”

“Yes, I do.”

“What do you recognize it to be?”

“That is a bullet with which I compared test bullets that I fired from this gun.”

“You compared the bullet, People’s Exhibit One, with bullets fired from the gun, People’s Exhibit Four?”

“Yes, I did.”

“With what result?”

“The bullets matched.”

“Can you tell us what you mean by matched?”

“Yes. By that I mean in my professional opinion as a ballistics expert, the bullets came from the same gun.”

“It is your professional opinion that the gun, People’s Exhibit Four, fired the bullet, People’s Exhibit One?”

“Yes. That is correct.”

Vaulding smiled. “Thank you. No further questions.”

Steve Winslow frowned. As he stood up to cross-examine, he was aware of Vaulding’s eyes on him. He hesitated a moment.

“Does the defense wish to cross-examine?” Judge Hendrick prompted.

Steve Winslow took a breath. “Frankly, Your Honor, I’m not sure.”

That produced a murmur of surprise in the courtroom.

Judge Hendrick frowned. “Mr. Winslow?”

“I’m sorry, Your Honor,” Steve said. “But the fact is, the trial has progressed rather rapidly to this point. Some of the testimony that we have taken today I have not yet sorted out in my mind. For that reason, with regard to Mr. Manning’s ballistics testimony I am not certain that I am fully prepared to cross-examine at this moment. I would like some time to think it over and prepare. I am therefore requesting an adjournment until tomorrow.”

“I see,” Judge Hendrick said. “That is a frank statement, and the trial has progressed rapidly. I’d be inclined to grant that request. Unless the prosecutor has some objection. Mr. Vaulding?”

As Vaulding hesitated, his dilemma was clear. An adjournment clearly did not fit in with his plans, but with Judge Hendrick deeming the request reasonable, Vaulding didn’t want to seem unreasonable in objecting to it. Instead, he smiled and put on a good face. “No objection, Your Honor,” he said. “I quite understand counsel’s need to prepare.”

“Very well,” Judge Hendrick said. “Court’s adjourned until tomorrow morning at ten o’clock.”