"You're saying you should have intervened," Keene observed.
"Yes, sir."
"But at the time you believed your sergeant had authority to act?"
"He had authority as a deputy," Brennan said. "He didn't have unlimited authority to do whatever he wanted. I knew the difference. I was afraid to say it."
Faith looked down at her hands when Brennan gave that answer. She had been angry with him after the stop, particularly when she remembered his quiet presence while Lawson searched her belongings. Hearing him admit his failure did not erase what had happened. It did, however, matter that he was no longer asking anyone to describe fear as obedience.
The evidence about the forty minutes in the cruiser was presented next. Patrol-car timestamps, footage, and medical records established when Faith had entered and left the rear compartment, while weather records documented the oppressive July conditions. An engineer offered limited testimony about the way enclosed vehicle interiors could retain heat, carefully avoiding an unsupported claim about the exact temperature around Faith at every moment. The medical professional who examined her described the injuries documented after the incident without exaggerating their severity.
The photographs of her wrists appeared on the screen, followed by images of the irritated skin near her cheek and forearms. Evelyn squeezed her daughter's hand and did not look away. Faith understood that the photographs were less dramatic than some people expected a use-of-force case to be, but the absence of a permanent scar did not make the conduct lawful. Nor did the fact that she had endured greater physical danger in military service make her experience less serious.
Faith took the witness stand the following morning in Army dress uniform. She had considered civilian clothing but ultimately chose the uniform because it was an honest representation of her occupation, the same way a teacher might describe a classroom or a mechanic might explain a workshop. The judge instructed jurors that her rank was background information and did not determine whether any law had been broken. Faith appreciated the instruction and took the oath with the steady voice that had carried her through many more comfortable public duties.
Price asked her to describe the reason for her trip. Faith spoke about her mother's birthday, the cake in the cooler, and the family photo album she had promised to bring. She did not linger on the sentimental details, though they helped explain why she had been driving that particular road. She then narrated the stop in order, identifying the moments that concerned her and the answers she gave. The jury had heard the recordings, and she knew she had no reason to improve upon them.
When Price asked whether she had attempted to strike Lawson, she answered no. When he asked whether she had consented to the search, she said she had refused clearly. When he asked why she had reached toward her pocket, she explained that she wanted to notify her mother of the delay and had announced the movement in advance. Her answers were matter-of-fact until the prosecutor asked her to describe the confinement.