Courted Page #5

or the word "episiotomy",

I'll take my crutch...

and whack her.

No one would have filed a complaint.

You're wrong. She would have.

I'm telling you this

but in fact...

I wasn't listening.

I kept thinking of you.

I spent the dinner watching you.

I hadn't seen you in a month.

And I watched you.

I even remember the dress you wore.

Lace, flesh-colored.

I still have it.

Openwork, very tight-fitting.

It highlighted your shapes.

Then we had to leave

and say goodbye.

We were on the sidewalk

and I sent you a text. I wrote...

"I miss you terribly. "

And you answered...

"Delicious dinner

"and really nice. "

"Delicious dinner and really nice. "

That just killed me.

Can you imagine what that means?

It was hard for me to...

to answer your text.

What could I say?

That you missed me.

You missed me a lot.

I don't deserve this.

You don't know me.

You don't know who I am.

You only saw me at work.

What do you think I was doing?

I stared at you the whole time,

eyes shut.

I pretended to sleep

as you made rounds

waiting till you'd come

and take my hand.

- I do it to all my patients.

- Can I say something?

If you don't know in advance,

it leaves an impression.

The way you take a hand

can drive a man crazy.

You drove me crazy.

It wasn't my intention.

You can't just take a patient's hand,

just to be nice?

Maybe in Denmark, not in France.

Then it's my fault.

I beg your pardon.

When are you coming home?

- Someone expecting you?

- My daughter.

- How old is she?

- 17.

Still lives at home?

There's no one else?

No one else.

You're lucky I'm here.

- Where else would you be?

- Just kidding!

You made dinner?

At least say

what he looks like.

He was medium height, fairly thin.

- Handsome?

- Very short hair.

He was so closed up, so tense...

Dark hair.

- Weird to go to court in sweatpants.

- Why?

It's for sports or watching TV,

not for a trial.

He spends all day in a cell

doing nothing.

You don't find it classy?

How was his wife dressed?

Is that all you care about?

Clothes?

They say a lot about people.

You put on a skirt and blouse

this morning.

You obviously want

to impress the court.

You went on stage...

acting all pretty.

Look at me, prettiest one here!

- Not at all.

- I know you.

You know me and I'm like this?

Not at all.

You were the prettiest.

- All those losers.

- Not at all.

I didn't act all...

I bet you drove them wild.

Can you stop now?

- Not my fault my mom is pretty.

- True!

Not your fault.

How was she dressed?

Please.

I didn't really notice.

She sat on the bench all day,

her head tilted forward.

Hidden behind her hair.

I never saw her eyes.

At one point

she got up to testify...

I can't talk about this.

Just tell me what she wore!

Who cares? Just one detail.

So she was... I don't know.

I didn't notice.

Like you, sort of pajamas.

I really tried to see her eyes,

her face...

And her ex

was staring at her nonstop.

The defendant?

He looked at her

with a harsh gaze.

A very angry gaze.

Maybe she did it.

Shook it too hard.

Happens every day.

So why would he accept

to go to jail instead?

So she doesn't go.

Who says she would?

Kill your baby, go to jail.

It's obvious.

Not always. You're not a cop!

What do you know?

Enough with that.

It's annoying!

Stop, that's not me!

Don't tickle me!

Stop! Stop! What a monster!

I'm sure you can kill your baby

and not go to jail.

Your Honor!

Feeling better?

How are you?

I'll tell you

when we get to the courthouse.

Don't want to know why?

I made a bet with Kubiack,

you know...

Juror 1.

When we get there,

I'll know whether I won.

- It's colder than yesterday.

- Think so?

Mind if I use your fridge?

Not at all.

What's that champagne?

This?

The jurors are drinking it tomorrow.

To celebrate what?

They made a bet.

You know Juror 2,

the young one who never talks?

Did you notice his combat boots?

Unseemly,

given the circumstances.

Mr. Kubiack says

he'll wear them again.

Mr. Orvieto says he won't.

See the level?

- Why the wait?

- No idea.

The trial hasn't started yet.

Tell him to call me after 11.

I tried to reach her

but got her voicemail.

Do we wait?

This is annoying.

I'll go check.

- All well?

- Feeling better?

Yes, thank you.

Coralie Marciano isn't here.

You're the first supplementary juror.

When the trial resumes,

I'll ask you to stand up

and replace her.

No questions?

Let's go.

I'll explain.

Take your seat.

He'll call your name,

then go to Coralie's spot.

All rise!

Court is now in session.

Before hearing witnesses,

we're going to replace

a juror who couldn't come

by supplementary juror 1.

Mrs. Nacera Boubziz,

will you stand and take the place

of Ms. Coralie Marciano.

Bailiff, show in the first witness.

- Hello, sir.

- Your Honor...

Name, profession, age, address?

Massimet, Jean-Michel, 32,

police officer, Saint-Omer.

Know the defendant

before the events?

No.

Relative, friend,

involved with him or the plaintiff?

Swear to speak without malice

or fear and to tell the truth.

- Say "I swear".

- I swear.

The problem is...

his story kept changing.

He ended up remembering

that the closet door,

oddly enough,

opened toward the inside.

But he couldn't remember

if it was the closet door

or the bathroom door

that banged into her head.

He ended up telling us

that he'd drunk a lot that day.

Then he cracked.

It was after 6 in the morning.

He ended up telling us

he'd kicked the child.

He couldn't remember

if it was with the heel or the tip.

Did you ask him the question?

Captain Le Gal asked

if the boots he had on

were the same ones

he kicked her with.

The defendant hesitated.

The captain asked again.

He finally said

he threw away the boots

into the Liane canal.

We'll see that with Captain Le Gal,

who's testifying next.

Anything else?

I think that's everything,

Your Honor.

Any questions?

Prosecutor?

Jurors?

Questions from defense?

Defense indeed has a few questions,

Your Honor.

- Counselor...

- Hello, Officer Massimet.

Hello, sir...

Newcomer in Saint-Omer?

I came in March 2013.

- A few days before the events.

- Right.

Ever seen

an interrogation like that?

- Meaning?

- Face the court.

Sorry, Your Honor.

I mean such a long interrogation.

Seven hours.

A man accused killing

a child of 7 months.

A crime that can get him

20 years behind bars.

First time.

There always has to be a first.

So, your first child murder.

Yes, sir.

I read the statement you took.

Very well written for a statement.

It even has literary merit.

But they're not the defendant's words

and that bothers me.

When I read the statement,

I don't hear my client.

I hear you.

Here's an example among dozens.

In paragraph D-327, you wrote:

"I realize the shock wasn't caused

by the closet door

"because that door opens out, not in.

"I thus deduce the mortal blow

occurred in the bathroom.

"The state I was in

caused me to mix up the two. "

"I thus deduce... "

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