Hollis sat at another table.
The men who had stood shoulder to shoulder on the roadside now rarely looked at each other.
The prosecutor began with the simplest fact.
“There was no valid vehicle match.”
Dispatch records appeared on screen.
Blue sedan.
Partial plate.
Different make.
Different type.
Then Marcus’s black federal SUV.
No similarity beyond both being motor vehicles.
The prosecutor moved forward chronologically.
Marcus complying.
Mercer escalating.
Danner stating the mismatch.
Government registration discovered.
Search continuing.
Damage increasing.
Credentials found.
Mercer refusing release.
Body camera shutoff order.
Hollis arriving.
Narrative reconstruction.
Impound.
Federal packet missing.
Telemetry.
Video.
Locker recovery.
Each piece alone could be explained.
Together, they formed a structure.
Danner testified.
His voice shook initially.
Then steadied.
“Did Sergeant Mercer know the credentials were authentic?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“He examined them.”
“Did he continue searching?”
“Yes.”
“Did he order you to stop recording?”
“Yes.”