Detective Bund: Yes, I have.
ACA Campbell: When and where did you see it?
Detective Bund: I saw it on April 28th, 2021 at the Adult Detention Center. I executed a search warrant for Mr. Delaney’s DNA using this particular buccal swab to collect that DNA evidence.
ACA Campbell: And what is a buccal swab?
Detective Bund: It's basically two pieces of cotton on a stick, on a Q-tip. It's placed between the cheek and gum of the mouth to collect saliva. I then put the swab inside the container which I sealed and placed inside of the evidence envelope. I then wrote my initials, my badge number, the date and the time on the evidence tape indicating that I secured it.
ACA Campbell: Would you point out those indicators to His Honor and the jury?
Detective Bund: It's all on this piece of evidence tape. (witness indicates the red evidence tape).
ACA Campbell: That's your badge number? (prosecutor points to the red evidence tape)
Detective Bund: That's my badge number, my initials, plus the date and time that I collected the evidence.
ACA Campbell: And what did you do after you collected the evidence?
Detective Bund: I turned it over to Detective Funderson, who is the crime scene detective.
ACA Campbell: Your Honor, I would offer this envelope into evidence as Commonwealth's Exhibit Number Forty.
Judge: Any objection?
Defense Council: No objection.
Judge: Commonwealth’s Number Forty is received in evidence.
ACA Campbell: I have no further questions at this time. The Commonwealth will recall this witness later in these proceedings.
Colin returned to the prosecutor’s table and sat. From Joshua’s place at the back of the courtroom, Colin’s direct examination of the detective had been skilled and professional. His posture, his demeanor, and his voice projected the kind of confident authority that Joshua had hoped he would see this day.
He felt a thrill of pride flood his chest, leaving him nearly euphoric. He knew Colin felt a sense of unease about this appearance in court that moved far beyond the fact that this was his first direct examination in a felony case. Adilynn had been forced to accept Colin as second chair and was unhappy as hell about it. Further, she had made it clear to Colin that she believed he was a rookie who was out of his depth in handling the direct examination in this murder case. But if her disparaging attitude gave rise to any lingering self-doubt within his husband, it certainly didn’t show in his performance.
Joshua left the courtroom without being seen and wandered outside into the Virginia sunshine.He was magnificent!Joshua thought, then he strode down the sidewalk, heading for the Rainier Clinic and his own office.
His boss, Miranda Estavira, met him at the door. “Josh, one of your current patients is in the nurse’s office.”
“I didn’t think I had anyone scheduled this morning or I...” Joshua began, but Miranda lifted a hand to silence him.
“You didn’t. It’s Chrissy Alensworth. She just stumbled in.” Estavira leaned toward Joshua. “She’s been injured, Josh. You better go check on her.”
Joshua bolted down the hallway and into the nurse’s office. “Chrissy?”
His patient was seated on an exam table and Anjua Cadigan, Rainier Clinic’s registered nurse, was standing in front of her holding a large piece of gauze to her forehead.
Joshua could see that Chrissy had been crying and was still trembling all over. “How badly is she hurt?” he asked the nurse. “Do we need to transport her?”
“No, Doctor Abrams,” Cadigan told him. “It’s superficial. Cut on her forehead from where she fell...or was knocked down. Cut lip...various other contusions…” She sighed and lifted the gauze from Chrissy’s forehead, then indicated several other spots on her face which were swollen and bruised. “She won’tletme call anyone or I would have called the police already.”
“No police!” Chrissy cried out, reaching to grab Joshua’s arm. “Please, Doctor Abrams!”
“It’s OK, Chrissy,” Joshua told her. “We won’t call them if you don’t want us to.” He took her arm. “Do you feel well enough to walk to my office?”
The girl nodded, and Joshua led her a few paces down the hall and into his office where he lowered her onto a chair. “Just sit here a second and relax. Let me get you something to help settle you down.” He moved to his desk and grabbed a bottle of pills from the drawer, then pushed a button on his phone. “Lecia,” he said, addressing the receptionist, “could you please bring me a glass of water?”
He dragged a low stool to the chair where Chrissy sat, and lowered himself onto it. “OK,” he said. “Can we talk for a minute?”
