“With respect, Your Honor, that statement is misleading,” Kade said. “The footage provided by the state is incomplete. My client’s business had multiple cameras and audio recording capability. The entire system was seized during the investigation, yet only a portion of that footage has been turned over.”
The judge leaned forward, studyin’ both of them like she was weighin’ how much bullshit she was about to tolerate.
“Mr. Lennox,” she said real calm, “is the defense correct in stating that the entire surveillance system from Mr. Mensah’s business was taken into evidence?”
Roderick clasped his hands in front of him like this was just another Tuesday.
“Yes, Your Honor,” he said smoothly. “Investigators collected the system, and everything recoverable from it has already been submitted to the court.”
Kade stood there quiet for half a second like he was letting that sit in the air. Then he spoke.
“With respect, Your Honor, that statement is exactly the problem.”
He slid a folder across the defense table and looked straight at the judge.
“The system seized from Mr. Mensah’s business contained multiple camera angles and full audio recording capability. Yet the footage the state has provided only contains partial video and no audio whatsoever.”
He paused for a minute then kept talkin’. “And according to the state, that is all that exists.”
Roderick’s expression ain’t change, but I could see the irritation flicker in his eyes.
Kade continued. “The defense finds that extremely difficult to believe.”
Then, he turned toward the prosecution table. “Especially when investigators took the entire surveillance system from my client’s shop.”
Roderick straightened a lil. “The implication that the state tampered with evidence is ridiculous,” he said coolly.
Kade ain’t back down. “Then perhaps the Attorney General can explain why the only footage provided conveniently begins moments before the shooting and ends immediately afterward.”
That one landed, and a few heads in the courtroom turned toward Roderick.
Kade kept going. “No audio. No lead-up conversation. No context. Just the portion that benefits the prosecution.”
Roderick’s voice hardened. “The footage clearly shows the defendant firing multiple rounds into two unarmed men. That fact is not in dispute.”
“What’s in dispute is what led up to it,” he said. “And right now the state is asking this court to believe that every camera in that building just happened to miss that part.”
He turned toward the judge again. “Your Honor, the defense believes the remainder of that surveillance system was either corrupted, removed, or intentionally withheld.”
I could feel the shift behind me even without turning.
Roderick looked straight at Kade. “The state has provided every piece of usable evidence recovered from that location. The defense is attempting to create conspiracy where none exists.”
Kade shook his head slightly. “No, Mr. Lennox. The defense is attempting to locate evidence that appears to have vanished.”
That one had a few people in the gallery murmurin’. The judge tapped her pen against the desk once while she looked between both of them.
“Gentlemen,” she said evenly, “this court will not entertain accusations without proof.”
Kade nodded respectfully. “Understood, Your Honor. That is precisely why we are requesting that the remaining storage units seized from Mr. Mensah’s shop be independently examined.”
Roderick spoke immediately. “The state objects. The defense has no evidence those files even exist.”
Kade looked right at him. “They existed when your investigators took the system.”
Silence settled over the room. The judge leaned back in her chair.
“Mr. Lennox,” she said, “is there any reason the remaining storage units cannot be reviewed?”
