Sherlock Mallett

Back on August 12, 2010 I wrote a blog post called "Witness Protection" complaining that I was getting dragged back from Mexico this winter because I had been supoenaed as a witness in a criminal trial (that didn't even involve me).

Four phone calls and 3 months later, I finally get an appointment to see the Crown Counsel who will be prosecuting the case (of a man charged with breaking into my mother's condo back in August 2005, assaulting and stealing from her in the process). Although the police have my mother's detailed statement about the events, and DNA evidence belonging to the accused that was found on a man's watch strap left at the scene (but it took them 5 years to test and match the DNA with the accused!), apparently this doesn't necessarily mean the case is a slam dunk.

The big problem is my mother died in January 2010, and cannot testify against the accused herself. It's falling to me (what else is new) to represent her and look out for the public's interests, by doing what I can to help put a criminal behind bars.

Okay, so there is no getting out of this - my "extradition" from Mexico is going to happen, so I may as well jump fully on board the "Prosecution Express." I have every confidence in the prosecuting lawyer, so that helps. I spent two hours with her so far, and really appreciated her approach and insights. Maybe it's her job to get reluctant witnesses to fully cooperate and, if so, she's very good at it.

There is also a large part of me that is a mix of detective and lawyer...quite frankly, I am good at gathering evidence and arguing a compelling case, and I probably have an overdeveloped sense of right and wrong. And stuff that I see is wrong, I can't help but want it fixed.

So, this spring, this citizen will be tearing herself away from the sun, sea and sand in order to take the witness stand. I predict the accused will be wishing he'd simply pled guilty.

Todo bien. (It's all good.)