Chapter 15 - The Criminal Trial
Three months later, the criminal trial of Grant and Ryan Bennett opened at the Lindsay-Flanigan Courthouse in downtown Denver.
The courtroom was packed with news reporters, corporate executives, and curious members of the public following the high-profile case.
Grant sat at the defense table in a navy blue prison jumpsuit, his hair grey and unkempt, his eyes staring blankly at the floor.
Ryan sat beside him, looking gaunt and pale after spending seven months in county jail awaiting trial.
I took the witness stand in a tailored gray suit, my voice calm, precise, and unwavering as I recounted every detail of New Year's Eve.
The prosecutor displayed the high-definition building security video on three massive screens mounted in the courtroom.
The jury gasped loudly as the audio played across the room—Ryan's voice echoing clearly as he held my wrists while his father burned my skin.
Then, the prosecutor presented the high-resolution medical photographs of the severe burn mark on my abdomen taken at the ER.
Several jurors turned away in disgust, looking toward the defense table with expressions of absolute condemnation.
Grant's attorney attempted to cross-examine me, asking if I had provoked the argument by pulling the tablecloth.
"I pulled the tablecloth after your client pressed a lit cigarette into my pregnant body," I answered firmly, looking directly into the attorney's eyes.
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"I pulled it to create a distraction so I could escape from my husband's physical grip and protect my unborn child."
The attorney closed his folder, lowering his head. "No further questions, Your Honor."
