"Growner, come get your mail," a voice commanded, hitting his cell door.
Hyacinth Growner places his hands towards a narrow hole to grab the mail from the prison officer. Was there someone else who cared about him? Had someone died? The only mail Hyacinth got in his prison cell was the one from the mother of his children every Friday, giving him updates about his children. But today was Tuesday.
Sitting on his bed, he whispered a little prayer and then proceeded to open the mail. Reading the contents of the mail, he busted into tears, balling like a baby.
25 years ago,
Sitting on a cold chair in the interrogation room of Riley's police station, he was exhausted. They grilled him brutally, even when he had nothing to hide.
He stands and goes to knock on the door.
"Hey, anybody there? Please can I get some water?
Three minutes later, a detective comes in. "If you want some water, you would tell us the truth. What did you do to that man?" The detective banged the table.
"Officer, I have told you and I am telling you again. I don't know what you are talking about. I don't know the man you are asking me about. I had nothing to do with any murder. Why are you doing this."
"We saw your footprint and your shoe," the detective pressed. "You are going away for a long time. You better tell us the truth because I'm going for the maximum sentence.
By now, Hyacinth was close to tears. "Anybody can have the footprint of the shoe you saw. I'm not the only person with that type of shoe and shoe size. How can you judge a case based on footprint? I did not do it. How many times would I tell you?"
"I see you are very stubborn and you think you can get away with anything. Don't worry, we'll clip your wings." The detective stands up and leave. Hyacinth starts crying. He silently prayed to God to help him.
A few minutes later, another detective enters and tells him to stand up.
"Hyacinth Growner, you are under arrest for the murder of Tom Phillips. Whatever you say would be used against you in a court of law." Hyacinth could not believe his ears. How could his life change in 15 minutes for something he did not do?
"Officer I'm begging you, don't use me as a scapegoat. You have a brother. Please don't throw my life away," He attempted one last time.
"If you understand your situation, you would shut your mouth or tell the truth. Move before I move you." Hyacinth was numb. He could not understand the genesis of what was happening neither could he understand the proverbs.
He was going for his third interview in seven days and he decided to wear his new brown leather shoes because he was feeling good about this job. He had not left the office complex when the receptionist ran outside to meet him, telling him that the manager of the company wanted to see him again.
When he met the manager, he was giving a handshake of appointment and he was supposed to collect his appointment letter on Monday of the next week and resume work on Tuesday. Getting out of the building complex, he cried his heart out. He had been looking for a job for a while but to no avail. Then he stood up and went to a local supermarket down the road where he bought some chocolate bars for his kids.
When he came out of the local mart, two police officers walked up to him and one of them called his name. He responded and they told him to quietly follow them to the car, they wanted to take him to the station to ask him some questions. He wanted to know why they needed him. They just grabbed him, handcuffed him, and drove him to the station. Hyacinth never got home to give his kids their chocolate bars.
25 years later, He was still in a prison cell awaiting trial for a murder he did not understand. Hyacinth had written to different organizations to help him and one of them came through. The mail was sent to tell him that they had reviewed his case and there was going to be a trial for him.
Hyacinth called on a prison officer for him to be allowed to make a phone call. He called the mother of his children, giving her the latest news and they both cried together. Alas! A beacon of hope.
The d-day came and Hyacinth was nervous. He kept swiping his forehead trying to clean sweat Beatles.
Let both sides go on with their presentation. Let the prosecution go first.
"Thank you, your lordship," the lead prosecutor started. "M.r Growner is very much guilty of this crime. We found his footprint at the crime scene and he was wearing the same shoe that was seen in the footage of the crime scene when we apprehended him. His shoe was taken to the crime scene for examination and it fitted the print that was found there. There was no DNA evidence at that time, so we did the best we could. I rest my case.
"Okay, can we hear the defense," the Judge asked.
"Yes your lordship," the defence began. I put it to you that the prosecution took 25 years of Mr. Hyacinth Growner based on a useless and circumstantial case. They locked Him away because he was the deputy mayor's son. Your Lordship, at that time, more than 300 people owned the same time off shoe and 46 people had the same size as Mr Growner on Riley's. So, how can you stop a man that just got a job and was trying to get some chocolate bars to his children and arrest him for a crime you have no proof that he committed? Your Lordship, I ask the court to review this case thoroughly and free an innocent man from the shackles of prison. We have already taken a generation from him. We can still do the right thing. I rest my case your honor."
"Okay, I've heard from both parties, and of a truth, this evidence is not enough to keep Mr Hyacinth for even one day in the police station. No evidence of…."
Someone comes in, interrupting the Judge. "I have a video, your honor. I obtained a video from a small camera in the street description pole. It has the video of what happened."
"Is it relevant to this trial," the Judge asked.
"Yes your honor," the strange witness replied.
"You can come forward with it."
A court official played the video for everyone to see. After watching the video, the courtroom was silent. Slowly, everybody turned to face Tom's uncle. Tom Phillips was murdered by his Father's brother. The court watched as he was taken in handcuffs.
Quickly, the defense served the prosecution and Riley's police station a lawsuit for wrongful conviction and the court approved a date to discuss the terms of the lawsuit.
But Hyacinth was waiting for something else. When the Judge called the court to order, he closed his eyes and waited.
"Hyacinth Grower, you have been found not guilty of first-degree murder and the court declares you a free man," the Judge hits his hammer and Hyacinth opens eyes. He could finally take chocolate bars to his children.
Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day. Much love 😘
This is my entry to the inkwell fiction prompt week 125