Raymond watched once.
He stopped complaining.
“Holy hell.”
Angela pointed.
“Seven twenty-four twenty-two.”
He replayed it.
Brennan’s hand entered his pocket.
Returned closed.
Disappeared under the seat.
Bag appeared.
Raymond leaned back.
“This man put somebody in prison this way before.”
“We’re investigating that.”
“How many?”
“We don’t know.”
He looked at the paused frame.
“What do you want from me?”
“Defend your client.”
“That's it?”
“That’s it.”
“You’re not giving me questions?”
“No.”
Raymond almost looked offended.
“I know how to cross a cop.”
Angela smiled.
“Good.”
One thing mattered.
Raymond could not ambush the state with evidence in violation of discovery rules. The recording was disclosed under a protective order shortly before the suppression hearing once federal investigators had secured the related evidence and the court approved unsealing it for limited use.
Prosecutor Hartley received it less than an hour before Brennan’s scheduled testimony.
He watched only the opening portion before court because authentication records had not yet been supplied.
He asked for a delay.
Judge Weston gave him thirty minutes.
Then Hartley made a decision that surprised Raymond.
“I’m putting Brennan on.”
Raymond stared.
“You watched enough to know there’s a problem.”
“I watched a video showing his search. I have not seen the frame sequence you claim proves planting.”
“You’re comfortable relying on him?”
“No.”
Hartley looked exhausted.
“That’s why I need him under oath.”
Raymond understood.
The prosecutor was not protecting Brennan.
He was giving him one final chance to tell the truth.
Kyle Brennan used it to lie.
Now, back in Judge Weston’s courtroom, Raymond handed the flash drive to the clerk.
Brennan stared at the screen being lowered.
His attorney was not present because he was still appearing as a witness, not a defendant.
Hartley looked pale.
Judge Weston said:
“Proceed.”
Raymond played eleven seconds.
No commentary.
7:24:20.
Brennan’s hand moved toward his left pocket.
7:24:22.
Inside.
7:24:24.
Out.
Closed fist.
7:24:27.
Hand beneath seat.
7:24:30.
Withdrawal.
7:24:32.
Plastic bag displayed.
Raymond stopped the video.
No one spoke.
Brennan stared at the frozen image.
Raymond asked:
“Would you like to change your answer?”
Brennan’s jaw moved.
“That angle is misleading.”
“Which part?”
“I was adjusting my equipment.”
“With your hand inside your pocket?”
“Yes.”
Raymond nodded.
“What equipment?”
“My gloves.”
“You weren’t wearing gloves.”
“Spare gloves.”
“Where are they?”
“I don’t remember.”
Raymond stepped closer.
“Did your report mention reaching into that pocket?”
“No.”
“Did your report mention touching anything beneath the seat before discovering the bag?”
“No.”
“Did you tell the prosecutor about that movement?”
“No.”
“Did you testify ten minutes ago that it never happened?”
Brennan looked toward Hartley.
The prosecutor did not help him.
“Yes.”
Raymond turned toward the judge.
“I’d like to continue the recording.”
The video began again.
The courtroom heard Iris say:
“That is not mine.”
Then Brennan:
“Funny how everybody says that.”
Then the arrest.
Then:
People around Oakdale always know somebody, always got a story, always got a reason nothing belongs to them. I’ve been doing this fifteen years. I know the type.
Raymond stopped it.
Brennan’s face had gone red.
“That recording was illegally obtained.”
Raymond looked at him.
“Different question.”
He returned to the lectern.
“You testified Ms. Spencer was hostile.”
“Yes.”
“Show me where.”
“She was argumentative.”
“Show me.”
“She questioned me repeatedly.”
“Asking why she was stopped is hostility?”
“It can become obstruction.”
“What did she obstruct?”
“My investigation.”
“How?”
“By refusing to cooperate.”
“She exited the vehicle.”
“Yes.”
“Put her hands where directed.”
“Yes.”
“Did not physically resist.”
“No.”
“Did not threaten you.”
“No.”
“Did not interfere with your search.”
“Verbally.”
“What did she say?”
Brennan hesitated.
Raymond answered from the transcript.
“‘I do not consent to a search.’”
Silence.
“That the obstruction?”
“No.”
“What was?”
Brennan’s confidence finally cracked.
Raymond did not press harder.
He changed subjects.
“Your report says your camera malfunctioned.”
“It did.”
Raymond held up another document.
“System audit shows you manually stopped recording four minutes before the search.”
Brennan stared.
“Those systems are unreliable.”
“Then why did your camera resume when Sergeant Lewis arrived at the jail?”
“I don’t know.”
“System shows manual activation.”
“I said I don’t know.”
Raymond nodded.
Then he looked toward Judge Weston.
“Your Honor, defense moves to suppress all evidence from the search and asks the state to address whether it intends to continue prosecution.”
Hartley stood immediately.
“The state requests recess.”
Granted.
Kyle Brennan stepped from the witness stand.
He looked at Iris for the first time without a smile.
“What is this?”
No one answered.
He looked toward Sheriff Decker seated near the door.
Decker looked equally confused.