Chapter 6 - The Trial
Vanessa’s trial began ten months later.
The prosecution presented the camera recordings, forged documents and bank transfers.
The jury watched Vanessa hide Margaret’s medication.
Reduce her meals.
Turn off the heat in her bedroom.
Take her cane and place it across the room.
The final video showed the opening confrontation.
Vanessa standing with her legs apart.
Margaret holding her cane.
The command:
Crawl.
Vanessa’s attorney argued that she was overwhelmed by caregiving responsibilities.
Margaret testified calmly.
“Did Vanessa provide care?” the attorney asked.
“Sometimes.”
“She prepared meals?”
“She prepared meals for herself.”
“She managed your medication?”
“She replaced it.”
“Is it possible she believed you required stricter supervision?”
“She applied for loans in my name.”
The attorney changed direction.
“You resisted her authority from the beginning, didn’t you?”
“She had no authority over me.”
“Yet you lived in the same household.”
“The house was mine.”
Vanessa looked down.
Ethan testified next.
Her attorney attempted to portray him as a guilty husband blaming his wife for his absence.
“You traveled frequently?”
“Yes.”
“You asked Vanessa to assist your mother?”
“Yes.”
“So she carried the burden alone?”
“She dismissed the nurse my mother hired.”
“Perhaps because the nurse was unnecessary.”
“She dismissed every person who could witness what she was doing.”
The attorney displayed Ethan’s message asking Margaret to cooperate.
“You initially believed your wife?”
“Yes.”
“Then your judgment changed only after seeing the recording?”
“Yes.”
“Is it possible you are now exaggerating because you feel ashamed?”
Ethan looked toward Margaret.
“My shame does not create the bank records.”
Vanessa was convicted of elder abuse, assault, forgery, identity theft and financial exploitation.
Her company collapsed.
The apartment deposit was seized.
The fraudulent loans were canceled.
Adrian Cross cooperated with investigators and admitted Vanessa had told him Margaret would “not be a problem much longer.”
At sentencing, Vanessa looked toward Ethan.
“I did everything because I wanted a life with you.”
May you like
He answered quietly:
“You wanted a life built from what you could take.”
