The camera he claimed was malfunctioning and turned off." Dalton's eyes went wide. "I turned it off." "You switched the video feed off," Wallace corrected.
"But the Model X2 body camera has a 30-second buffer and a fail-safe audio recording feature that continues for 2 minutes after deactivation to prevent evidence tampering. It seems you didn't read the manual." She played the tape. The courtroom went silent.
Click. The sound of the camera being switched off. Dalton's voice. "Stupid piece of junk.
All right, it's off." Carver's voice.
"Sarge, maybe we should just let him go. He hasn't done anything." Dalton's voice. "Shut up, Lane.
I don't care if he's innocent. I need that truck impounded.
If we find cash, we keep it. If we don't, we plant a little baggy of meth in the glove box. I've got some in the trunk from the last bust." Carver.
"Sarge, that's crazy." Dalton. "That's police work.
Now, get the cuffs." The audio ended. The silence in the courtroom was absolute. You could hear the hum of the air conditioning.
The jury stared at Dalton with open revulsion. Dalton slumped in his chair, his face gray.
He looked at his lawyer, who was busy packing up his briefcase, clearly realizing the case was unwinnable. "I was joking," Dalton whispered weakly. "Locker room talk." "You were on duty," Wallace said, her voice like ice.
"Planning to plant evidence on a decorated war hero. No further questions."
But the final nail in the coffin wasn't the audio. It was the victim. Zeke took the stand last. He wore a simple suit, not his uniform.
He didn't need the medals to command respect.
"Mr. Washington," Wallace asked, "why didn't you fight back? You are a trained combat operative. You could have disarmed Sergeant Dalton."
Zeke looked at the jury. He looked at the families in the back of the room. "Because," Zeke said, his voice deep and resonant.
"If I had fought back, I would have been just another violent thug in the news. I would have been dead. And the story would have been that I attacked a police officer. I had to let him take my freedom so that I could take his power."
He paused, looking directly at Dalton. "I fought for this country," Zeke continued.
"I fought for the Constitution. And that Constitution protects everyone. Even from men with badges who think they are gods. I didn't fight back with my fists.
I fought back with the truth.
And the truth is the only weapon that never jams." The jury deliberated quickly. The verdict was read on a rainy day, much like the night everything started. Guilty.
Royce Dalton guilty on 14 counts, including deprivation of rights under color of law, conspiracy, and perjury. Sheriff Vance Maddox guilty on 22 counts, including racketeering, wire fraud, and money laundering.