The House on Timber Lane, Robert F. Clifton [books to read as a couple TXT] 📗

you?”

“Alright I guess.”

“I think I have the info you wanted on the Vergasi murder.”

“What is it?”

“Seems the Philadelphia brotherhood was pissed that Vergasi snuffed the Judge. Him doing so brought unnecessary heat on the family. So, he had to go. It seems they brought a guy in from Covington, Kentucky. He met with the family then took a bus to your town, He made the hit on Vergasi then came back here to get paid.”

“How much did they give him?”, asked Wallace. “Two thirty two caliber rounds in the Back of the head. Duck hunters found his body in the marsh near the airport.”

“Well, that seems to wrap things up here.”

“Hey, if you need anything else yell”, said Hamilton.

“Thanks Sheldon…Later”, said Wallace.

Wallace no sooner got off of the telephone when O’Neil walked in. “The good doctor has been booked and now is in the protective custody of the Nautilus Beach P.D.”, he said.

“Any problems?”

“No…Ginsberg raised hell, but he’s no problem. What do you want next?”

“Keep looking for the Applewhite woman. Send someone to the house on timber lane, and keep checking there. She has to show up sooner or later.”

“Why is she so important?”

“She might be the only person who can tell us who tampered with the glucose drip in the hospital room.”

“Will do.”

One hour later Doctor Vernon Gray posted a two hundred and fifty thousand dollar bail and with his attorney walked out of the police departments jail and headquarters.

The news that a prominent physician had been arrested and charged with murder brought a throng of media reporters to the office door of Robert Wallace. He greeted them with a prepared statement then fended off the rest of their questions with, “No comment.”

A civilian employee handed Wallace a pink memo slip. He looked at it then tossed it in the wastepaper basket. After reaching for the telephone he dialed the number of the County Prosecutor. Someone answered the telephone and Wallace asked for Mr. George. After he identified himself he was connected.

“This is William George.”

“Captain Wallace.”

“Good. I’ll be brief. How solid is your case?”

“If you are referring to probable cause, I have it.”

“Based on what?”

“Based on the Medical Examiner’s autopsy.”

“Anything else?”

“Not at the moment.”

“How soon can I have your reports?”

“I’ll send them right over.”

“Excellent…Good by.”

In the following weeks, Vernon Gray obtained the services of Daniel Kaplan, a criminal case lawyer out of New York and New Jersey. Kaplan had a reputation of winning tough cases and it was said that his success was due to the way he handled a jury. Harold Ginsberg was retained as co-council. Kaplan studied the evidence in the case against his client and as was his right called for a quick trail by jury. The case was placed on the docket for the first week in April. 1974. On Monday, April 8, 1974 Captain Robert Wallace took the witness stand and after being sworn sat comfortably as James Mason, Assistant Prosecutor walked towards him. “If it pleases the court your honor I would like to dispense with the normal procedure of verifying the professional qualifications of the witness”, said Moore.

“Is there any objections Mr. Kaplan?”, asked Judge Harvey Anderson.

Kaplan stood and said, “None your honor.”

“You may proceed Mr. Mason”, said the judge.

“Thank you your honor. Captain Wallace would you please tell this court and the ladies and gentlemen of the jury why you arrested Doctor Vernon Gray?”

“My squad began investigating Doctor Gray when his wife, Grace Hodges Gray was hospitalized in a diabetic coma.”

“Objection!…The Captain is not a doctor, therefore can not render an opinion on Mrs. Gray’s medical condition.”

“Sustained…Captain do not relate medical opinions. The jury will disregard the mention of a diabetic coma by this witness. You may proceed Mr. Mason”, ordered the judge.

“Same question Captain.”

“I made the arrest on the basis of the Medical Examiners report.”

“Which indicated what sir?”

“Which indicated that Grace Hodges Gray died as a result an over dose of insulin.”

“Objection…The witness once again is offering medical opinion”, said Kaplan.

“Over ruled. Council for the defense has the medical examiners reports as does the prosecution and the witness. Therefore the court takes in account that the witness rendered an opinion based on those reports…Continue.”

“No further questions”, said Mason.

“Your witness, Mr. Kaplan.”

Wallace watched Daniel Kaplan stand and then walk towards him. He saw a small man, unusually short, with long white hair, black horn-rimmed glasses attired in a dark blue suit. Kaplan stood in front of Wallace and said, “Captain I just heard you tell the jury that Mrs. Gray died as a result of an overdose of insulin. Am I correct?”

“Yes sir.”

“Could you tell the court just how this overdose of insulin occurred?”

“My personal examination of Mrs. Gray’s body resulted in me finding a place which indicated a hypodermic needle had penetrated her skin.”

“And, just where on her body did you find this so called place of injection?”

“In her axilla.”

“Captain, for the benefit of us here in court who lack your expertise in anatomy, please define the word axilla.”

“Certainly, the axilla as we know it is the arm pit.”

“Now, as you have from time to time related to the field of medicine, don’t you think that the arm pit, or axilla if you prefer is an unusual place to inject not only insulin, but any medication?”

“Not if one is attempting to hide the place of injection.”

“You honor, I object and ask that that last statement be stricken.”

“Over ruled. You asked the question Mr. Kaplan and opened the door.”

Ruffled, Kaplan turned his back, walked away and said, “No further questions.”

“The witness may step down”, said Judge Anderson.

Wallace left the stand and walked back to where Doctor Edwards was seated. “I think we scored a point with that last question”, he said as he took a seat next to Edwards.

“I’ve been watching the jury. So far they don’t understand a thing that has been said. The prosecutor should be fired for allowing Kaplan to put these dumb asses on the panel”, said Edwards.

“You can tell him that when you take the stand.”, said Wallace.

“Shut up.”

James Mason then called Doctor Norman Miller to the stand. After Miller took a seat Mason asked for Doctor Miller’s educational and professional background. Then, with no objections began his questioning. “Doctor Miller, please tell the court and the jury about the first time you saw Grace Hodges Gray.”

“Certainly it was October 9, 1973.”

“And under what circumstances?”

“Mrs. Gray had been rushed to the hospital by ambulance and as I was on duty in the emergency room I had the opportunity to examine her.”

“And what were your findings?”

“I diagnosed Mrs. Gray as one suffering from hypoglycemia.”

“And would you define the condition, hypoglycemia?”

“Certainly. Hypoglycemia is an abnormally diminished content of glucose in the blood. For a lack of a better definition it is low blood sugar.”

“And what does this condition do to the patient?”

“There are a variety of symptoms but the most serious problem that can arise is the lack of glucose to the brain.”

“And if this lack of glucose to the brain occurs what happens to the patient?”

“Well, the effects can range from impairment of function, seizures, unconsciousness, permanent brain damage and death.”

“Is hypoglycemia a rare or common disorder?”

“It is prominent with diabetics and somewhat rare with non-diabetics.”

“How does hypoglycemia occur in diabetics?”

“Normally it occurs with too much insulin in the blood. The patient may overdose or over exert, such as with exercise or stress and there are times when the patients pancreas works or over works.”

“Have you ever in your practice worked with diabetics?”

“Yes”

“And how many have died as a result of hypoglycemia?”

“None…Most diabetics die from hyperglycemia, or diabetes. In those cases high blood sugar reaches a point where a heart attack may occur or the kidneys shut down. Then, death is considered a complication of diabetes.”

“Thank you doctor. No further questions.”

Daniel Kaplan stood and from behind his table asked, “With this death, a result of complications from diabetes, isn’t one of the causes of death, stroke?”

“Yes, sir, it is. I’m sorry that I didn’t include that condition.” Can you tell the court that Mrs. Gray was a diabetic?”

“No sir.”

“Thank you doctor, no questions your honor.”

“Very well. Call your next witness Mr. Mason.”, said Judge Anderson.

“The State calls Doctor Milton Silverman to the stand.”

After Doctor Silverman was sworn, James Mason began his questioning. “Doctor please tell the court where you were on the evening of October 9, 1973.”

“I was on duty at the Nautilus Beach hospital.”

“And on that date did you have an occasion to examine a Mrs. Grace Hodges Gray?”

“I did.”

“And during your examination what did you observe?”

“I saw a white female approximately fifty years of age, sweating profusely and comatose.”

“Did you at that time diagnose her ailment?”

“I did.”

“And what was your conclusion?”

“That the patient was either suffering from hypoglycemia or that she had a stroke.”

“Would you, for the benefit of the court explain just what is a stroke.”

“A stroke or a cerebrovascular accident is the rapid loss of brain function due to the disturbance in the blood supply to the brain.”

“And what causes this disturbance.”

“Normally a blood clot.”

“Did you check the patient for a blood clot?”

“No”

“Why not?”

“Because in consultation with Doctor Miller he convinced me that Mrs. Gray was indeed suffering from hypoglycemia.”

“May I ask what were the contributing factors in you making your decision?”

“Doctor Miller had Immediately ordered a blood test. The results were that Mrs. Gray’s blood glucose was at thirty nine ml.”

“Anything else?”

“The profuse sweating was another indication of hypoglycemia.”

“Thank you doctor. No further questions.”

“Mr. Kaplan, your witness”, said Judge Anderson.

“Thank you your honor. Doctor Silverman, you have stated that your first diagnoses of Mrs. Gray was that in your opinion she had suffered from a stroke. Is that correct?”

“Yes sir.”

“And that you did not render a test for the possibility of a blood clot.”

“Yes sir.”

“Did you also hear Doctor Miller say that hypoglycemia is caused by too much insulin in the blood?”

“Yes.”

“Did you then or do you now know personally if Mrs. Gray was in fact a diabetic?”

“No sir.”

“Did you then or do you now know personally that Mrs. Gray was being treated for Transient Ischemic Attack?”

“No sir.”

“Please define Transient Ischemic Attack doctor.”

“In layman's terms it is mini strokes.”

“Mini Stokes…There’s that word again...Stroke! No further questions”, said Kaplan.

“Thank you doctor. You may step down”, said the Judge.

“You honor, if it pleases the court I would like to request a delay in the proceedings. It is my understanding that the State intends to present Doctor Manfred Edwards as its next witness. At some time in this trial we will offer evidence from our own pathology expert Doctor Frederick Riser. However, Doctor Riser is in the hospital recovering from an appendectomy. He should be able to travel from California and make himself available to the court in a week or ten days”, said Kaplan.

“Mr. Mason do you have any objections?”, asked Judge Anderson.

“May I remind Mr. Kaplan that he was the one that requested a speedy and swift trail for the defendant. The court obliged Mr. Kaplan. Now, the State is prepared to go forward only to be asked to wait for the expert witness the defense wishes to produce.”

“I agree Mr. Mason. Nonetheless may I remind you that the wheels of justice at times turn very slowly. Mr. Kaplan I will give you one week. This court will convene at nine A.M. on Monday, April the fifteenth. Court adjourned.”

 

Chapter Twelve

At ten am, on Monday, April the fifteenth, Robert Wallace sat in the rear of the court room and watched his friend, Doctor Manfred Edwards take the witness stand. After the pathologist was sworn James Mason rose from the prosecutors table and approached the witness chair. “Good morning Doctor.”

“Good morning.”

“Would you please tell the court your present, professional position.”

“At present I am the head of the pathology department of the Nautilus Beach Hospital. I am also retained as the medical examiner for the City of Nautilus beach, New Jersey.”

“I see. Do you at times work with the Nautilus Beach Police Department?”

“Work with?…No.”

“Then what is your relationship regarding your work and the local police.”

“Usually,