Page 56 of The Best Lawyer
“So at some point, the attacker would have had to have been standing directly over the victim, yes? To make that kind of wound?”
“Yes.”
I pulled up the photos taken of Katy at the hospital that night. She had staining on one sleeve. She had blood smeared across her forehead and on her hands.
“Do you notice any staining here that you would describe as consistent with arterial spray?”
“It’s hard to say,” she said.
“Relative to the amount of blood found at the scene,” I said. “Would you agree that the accused has a fairly small amount of blood on her?”
“Objection,” Quick said. “Improper foundation.”
“Sustained,” Castor said.
I let it go. For now, the jury’s own common sense was worth as much as Trainor’s answer.
“Thank you. Now, I’d like to go back to your testimony about the type of weapon used to inflict this wound. You said it was a single-edged blade approximately three to four inches long, right?”
“Yes. Based on the depth and direction of the wound along with the way the flesh appeared.”
“Lots of knives would fit that description, wouldn’t they?”
“Certainly. Some kitchen knives, certainly.”
“But you can’t determine how many people held this particular knife, correct?”
“Of course not, no.”
“And it isn’t your job to determine who killed Mr. Loomis.”
“No.”
“As for the time of death, you were able to determine with certainty that Mr. Loomis was dead by five at the latest?”
“That’s accurate, yes. The victim expired at least two hours prior to my initial exam at the scene at 7:02 that morning.”
“That’s not a guess?”
“It is not. It’s science. It’s based on body temperature. Blood clotting factors. Lividity. State of rigor mortis. These are all known values.”
“So it’s possible to be off by a few minutes here or there?”
“I gave a window of time, not a precise moment on the clock.”
“And five a.m. is the outer limit of that time based on those known scientific factors?”
“That’s correct.”
“Okay,” I said. “Thank you, Dr. Trainor. I have no further questions for this witness.”
“Mr. Quick?” Judge Castor said.
“Nothing more from me,” he said.
Castor thanked Amelia and instructed her to step down.
“The state calls Valerie Harbour,” Quick said. I saw Katy stiffen in her chair. Jeanie had a hand on her. The next hour or two might be rough. She was about to have her own words used to crucify her.
