Modul 4: Story 52 A Lawyer’s Mistake
Video 01 Story Presentation 01.
Video 02 Story Presentation 02.
Audio 01 The story
A Lawyer’s Mistake
Brian was pumped, excited and ready to go. He stepped into the courtroom on the biggest day of his client’s life. Billy, who was Brian’s client, was on trial for murder. He claimed himself innocent; however, the jury believed him to be guilty as charged.
As Brian was walking down the aisle to find his seat at the front, the jury were fixedly staring at Billy, who was following close behind him. Then, the trial started.
Long time had passed before Brian was able to stand up and speak for Billy. As he rose from his seat, Brian called for the nearby security guard to bring in ‘Exhibit A.’ The jurors eagerly edged forwards on their seats to get a good glimpse of what ‘Exhibit A’ could be. The security guard presented it to Brian and then backed away.
“Here is Exhibit A,” Brian began as he held out the murder weapon: a gun. “I say to you, Jurors, that Billy can’t have shot the victim because of the angle in which the bullet entered the victim’s skull. Because of where Billy was standing, he would have had to use his left hand to shoot the victim, even though he is right-handed. He also would have had to be awkwardly crouching for the angle of the wound to make any sense! I suggest that it was not a murder but a suicide. The victim, who was left-handed, clearly raised the gun and fired it, and the bullet went upwards into his skull, like this…” Brian raised the gun to demonstrate, and believing that the gun couldn’t possibly still be loaded, pulled the trigger.
There was silence as Brian fell to the ground. The security guard couldn’t believe that somehow the gun was still loaded. Billy, however, went home chuffed. He was let off because the jurors now believed that the victim could have easily committed suicide.
Video 03 Simple statements
Audio 02 Simple statements
1. Brian – ready to go
2. stepped – into courtroom – biggest day – client’s life
3. Billy – Brian’s client
4. on trial – murder
5. claimed – innocent
6. jury – believed him – guilty
7. trial started
8. prosecutor – took long time – explaining his side
9. Brian – rose – seat
10. Brian – called – nearby security guard – bring in ‘Exhibit A’
11. jurors – eagerly edged forwards – seats
12. wanted – get a glimpse – ‘Exhibit A’
13. security guard – presented – Brian
14. Brian – held out – ‘Exhibit A’
15. murder weapon
16. gun
17. Brian said – Billy can’t have shot – victim
18. Billy – right-handed
19. bullet’s entry point – victim’s skull – different
20. “Billy – would have had to shoot – left-handed – make the shot” – Brian continued
21. Brian – raised – left hand
22. “victim – must have committed suicide – like this” – said Brian.
23. picked up – weapon
24. wanted – demonstrate suicide – jury
25. thought – gun – not loaded
26. pulled – trigger
27. fell – to ground
28. everyone – shocked
29. Brian died
30. Billy – let off – jurors
31. went home – chuffed
Audio 05-6 Story versions
The story (version A)
Ready to go, Brian stepped into the courtroom on the biggest day of his client’s life. Billy, who was Brian’s client, was on trial for murder but claimed himself innocent. However, the jury believed him to be guilty.
When the trial started, the prosecutor took a long time explaining his side. Then Brian rose from his seat and called for the nearby security guard to bring in ‘Exhibit A.’ The jurors eagerly edged forwards on their seats, for they wanted to get a glimpse of ‘Exhibit A’, which the security guard presented to Brian.
Brian held out Exhibit A, the murder weapon, which was a gun. Brian said Billy can’t have shot the victim for he was right-handed. Thus, the bullet’s entry point to the victim’s skull would be different.
“Billy would have had to shoot left-handed to make the shot,“ Brian continued. On saying it, Brian raised his left hand and said, “The victim must have committed suicide like this.”
Picking up the weapon, he wanted to demonstrate the suicide to the jury. As he thought the gun was not loaded, he pulled the trigger. He fell to the ground which made everyone shocked.
Although Brian died, Billy, who was let off by the jurors, went home chuffed.
The story (version B)
Brian was ready to go, so he stepped into the courtroom on the biggest day of his client’s life, whose name was Billy, and who was on trial for murder. Although he claimed himself innocent, the jury believed him to be guilty.
The trial started, and the prosecutor had taken a long time explaining his side before Brian rose from his seat. When Brian called for the nearby security guard to bring in ‘Exhibit A.’, the jurors eagerly edged forwards on their seats in order to get a glimpse of ‘Exhibit A’. After the security guard had presented it to Brian, he held it out. It was the murder weapon, a gun.
Brian said Billy can’t have shot the victim since he was right-handed, and the bullet’s entry point to the victim’s skull would be different.
“Billy would have had to shoot left-handed to make the shot,“ Brian continued raising his left hand.
“The victim must have committed suicide like this …,” said Brian, picking up the weapon so that he would demonstrate the suicide to the jury.
Thinking the gun was not loaded, he pulled the trigger and immediately fell to the ground. Everyone was shocked when they realised Brian had died. Since Billy was let off by the jurors, he went home chuffed.