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Chapter 6. The Trial
My attorney called me one day to advise that we would have no choice but to proceed to trial. No out of court settlement was possible and the client had instructed the Steelforth Agency to proceed and to spare no expense to bring this matter to a “successful conclusion”!
I was informed that my jury trial would be entirely public. Spectators would be permitted in the courtroom, and the trial might also be televised. The news media had managed to get some pictures of me in my tennis whites - short shorts and a tube top with my midriff bare. These photos were published along with notice of the proceeding against me. Some of the news stories were indicating that the trial might prove quite humiliating for me. As a result there were more potential spectators than the courtroom could accommodate. The bailiff let them come in a first come first serve basis. Then he informed those who had not gotten in that they might watch the trial on closed circuit TV in the lounge down the hall.
Most of the spectators were male, but there were also some women I had managed to antagonize from my former place of employment who seemed to take a particular delight in my present predicament. I felt my chest tighten up when I noticed Mr. Steelforth, who had taken such liberties with my body during the “Creditor’s Examination, sitting at the plaintiff’s table along with the plaintiff’s counsel.
Then I saw something that chilled my blood. Mr. Jenkins, my former employer, was right there in the third row! His presence here today was particularly hard to take since he had been the one who had caused me to be in this position by sexually harassing me, firing me, and then blacklisting me so that I could find no other work. Evidently he had come to gloat. I felt that he and the others were ogling me. My lawyer asked me if I had any impressions concerning the spectators.
"I think the women here mostly would like to see me taken down a peg or two, and the men mostly want to gawk at me and imagine what it would be like to get into my pants! " My lawyer just laughed and indicated that was his impression also.
After the "All Rise" and the entry of the learned Judge Alfred P. Morelock, the trial was underway. The judge proceeded with his ominous address.
"The Third District Court of the State of New York is now in session. We are here today on the matter of an enslavement petition filed by the corporation known as Richmond SlendaBond Enterprises against an alleged debtor identified in the petition as Stephanie Glenn. At this time counsel for the opposing parties will identify themselves for the record.”
“Roger Vandenberg for the plaintiff, your honor.”
“Michael Green for the defendant, your honor.”
“Before proceeding further I want to be sure that the defendant is present. Please stand and identify yourself for the record."
I stood and gave my name and address. As I did so I noticed one of the TV cameras turn toward me and then saw a close-up of me on the big screen. A hushed murmur could be heard from the gallery. I remained standing.
“You may sit down, Miss Glenn. The Court will allow questioning and dismissal for cause of any juror who is morally opposed to our enslavement laws.”
The court proceeded to empanel a jury. Far more women than men objected to the morality of enslavement. In the end I found that my jury was to consist of nine men and three women.
"Counsel for plaintiff and defendant being present, the jury having been sworn in and all interested parties being present, let us proceed."
Plaintiff’s counsel made his opening statement.
“We will show that this defendant is insolvent, that she owes the plaintiff more than ten thousand dollars and that plaintiff is now her sole creditor. We will further show that she has stated, by affidavit, at the time of her Creditor’s Examination, that she is unemployed and has no immediate or foreseeable prospects for obtaining gainful employment. We will also show that we have done a Family Impact Study, as required by law, to establish that she has neither a spouse, nor children, nor an aging parent whose welfare may depend on her remaining free. Finally we will show that she has far more value to plaintiff as human property than she would ever be likely to have if she remained free.”
The plaintiff’s counsel now began to set forth his case in chief First he called Morgan Richmond.
“Mr. Richmond, you are the President of Richmond SlendaBond Ltd. Is that correct?”
“Yes.”
“Mr. Richmond, could you please tell the Court what is the nature of your company’s business?”
“When the indenture and enslavement laws were passed, I determined that it could be quite profitable to acquire insolvent debtors and market them to other interested parties. I then started a firm to bring about the enslavement of certain debtors through legal process. We accomplish that with the help of firms that do the scouting and legwork for us, such as the Steelforth Agency. We first buy up all of the target’s debt, and when we are successful with our legal action, we actually take title to the human property, train that property to the appropriate level of slave skills and obedience, and then sell. Of course, we try to buy low and sell high to make a profit.”
“Does your firm deal only in female slaves?”
“No indeed. We are an equal opportunity enslaver.”
“Please tell us why you named the firm ‘Richmond SlendaBond’, if you would sir?”
“I chose that name because we decided to specialize in introducing only slender debtors to a life of bondage. That was partly a matter of my own tastes and preferences, but also because I felt that was a market niche that could be quite profitable for us.”
“Thank you Mr. Richmond. Your witness.” My attorney stood to begin the cross-examination.
“Mr. Richmond, since you have stated you enslave only slender debtors, would it be correct to conclude that the uses to which your slaves are put are primarily sexual in nature?”
“That is correct.”
“Will you tell us then how you market the sexuality of your slaves?”
“We have a subsidiary enterprise called ‘Skelly Girls’. It is a nationwide prostitution service catering to businessmen. But not all our slaves are marketed in that fashion. We also cater to the desires of wealthy individuals who wish to purchase a slave outright from us, or to lease one for a period of years, perhaps to serve as a domestic servant with sexual duties also included.”
“Would it be your intention Mr. Richmond, if you are successful in this proceeding, to use the defendant in your nationwide prostitution service? Or lease her to a private client?”
“Objection, your Honor! Mr. Richmond is under no obligation to state what his intentions are for Miss Glenn!” The plaintiff’s attorney had risen to his feet.
“Objection sustained!”
“And what about yourself sir? Do you personally make sexual use of your own slaves? Would you personally rape Miss Glenn?”
“Objection, your honor! Mr. Richmond’s personal sex life is not relevant to this proceeding!”
“Objection sustained! Move on counsellor!”
“I have no more questions for this witness your honor”. The witness stepped down.
Next there was a rather dry presentation of documents showing that I owed to the Plaintiff more than ten thousand dollars and other documents showing that my meagre assets were nowhere near sufficient to satisfy these debts. Various witnesses were called from the accounting department of Richmond SlendaBond to authenticate each of these documents, and each, in turn, was entered into evidence against me. My lawyer had tried, on cross examination, to trip up some of these witnesses and get some of the documents excluded, but was not successful in this. He and I were both of the belief that some of the alleged debts had been fabricated.
Plaintiff’s counsel then called Mr. Steelforth to the witness box and he was duly sworn in prior to beginning his testimony.
“You are the managing partner of the William Steelforth Agency, is that correct?”
“I am.”
“Could you explain briefly what is the nature of your business sir?”
“Our role is to represent the interests of clients, such as Richmond SlendaBond, who wish to achieve satisfaction of debts owed them by debtors who are unable to pay in money. We do this by enslaving the debtor, through lawful process, so that the creditor may sell him or her at auction, or make such other use of the slave as he may see fit. This always involves researching the candidate to see if he or she is enslavable, then hiring legal counsel, and marshalling all the necessary documents and witnesses needed to secure a successful outcome. We sometimes act as ‘talent scouts’, seeking out debtors in a given city who owe money to our clients. On other occasions we are commissioned to bring about the enslavement of a particular person desired by our client.”
“Which was the case with this defendant, Mr. Steelforth?”
“We were specifically commissioned by a client desiring to own Miss Glenn.”
“Did you or your firm follow all the prescribed legal procedures to determine Miss Glenn’s assets, debts, present employment status, prospects for employment, and ability to enter into a payment plan that would discharge her debt in three years or less?”
“We did carry out a Creditor’s Examination to that end. We determined that her assets were wholly insufficient, that we were the sole creditor having purchased all her other debts, that she is unemployed, and has no ability to enter into a legally sufficient payment plan.”
“For the record sir, and under oath, did your firm do the legally required Family Impact Study?”
“We did that as part of the Creditor’s Exam. Miss Glenn advised us under oath that she is unmarried, has no children or any other person dependant on her personal care or financial support.” Mr. Vandenberg seemed satisfied with this response and turned to the judge.
“At this time, your honor, we wish to introduce two affidavits signed by Miss Glenn on the above points and call her as a witness to authenticate them.”
“Defense will stipulate to admission of the affidavits. No need to call her as a witness.” Mr. Vandenburg then continued his examination of his own witness.
“Mr. Steelforth, do you believe Miss Glenn has far more value to your client as human property than she could ever have if allowed to remain free?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Can you support that belief with objective evidence?”
“During the Creditor’s Exam I did personally examine Miss Glenn’s naked person. I found her to be incredibly attractive. I also touched her intimately and found her to be highly responsive in a sexual way. I know from years of experience in the industry that her beauty and her sexual sensitivity are qualities that would be much in demand by licensed prostitution services. Male clients will pay very well to have sex with a woman like Miss Glenn. She could earn a considerable amount of money for my client in a relatively short period of time.”
“But Mr. Steelforth, if all that you say is true, does it not also follow that she could earn that same considerable amount of money as an independent prostitute, while remaining free?”
“In my experience it does not work that way. In the first place Miss Glenn has adamantly maintained that she would never willingly become a prostitute. If she were enslaved, that choice would no longer be hers to make. Also it is quite well known in the prostitution industry that male clients will pay much higher fees to have sex with an indentured or enslaved prostitute, as opposed to a free one. Therefore her earning potential, and ability to repay her debt, could never be as high if she were allowed to remain free.”
“Thank you Mr. Steelforth. I have no more questions for this witness.”
The judge then turned to my lawyer.
“Does defense counsel wish to cross examine this witness?”
“No, your Honor. Not at this time. But we would like to reserve the right to recall him later.”
“Your Honor, the plaintiff rests his case.”
The judge declared the plaintiff had made a prima facie case that he should be allowed to take my person in satisfaction of a considerable debt. Now it would be up to my own attorney to dispute the validity of some of the alleged debts, or to convince the jury that I would be worth more to the Plaintiff if left free than if enslaved. Failing that, to appeal to the jurors to ignore the law and set a beautiful woman free. To do that he would have to persuade the jurors to become very interested in knowing me, perhaps on a very intimate basis.
At that point the judge, noting the time, declared that the Court would be in recess until 2 pm.
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Promptly at 2 pm the judge banged the Court back into session. The bailiffs had allowed even more spectators in so that it was standing room only.
“This Court is now back in session in the matter of Richmond Slendabond Enterprises v. Glenn.
My lawyer rose to address the court.
“If it please the Court, defense will proceed at this time.”
“Proceed.”
“The defendant has agreed to present to the jury as much of her person as possible, that they may better judge her character and sympathize with her in her desire to maintain her freedom. She will testify in her own defense and we will present much information relative to her psychological nature and concerning the reasons for her fear of enslavement. We will call character witnesses as well.”
“We will show that Miss Glenn is not insolvent, and that some of her alleged debts have been fabricated in order to reach the statutory amount of ten thousand dollars. We will show that, when the fabricated debts are eliminated that my client’s actual debts do not exceed seven thousand dollars. While we admit that my client is presently unemployed, we will show that she is highly trained as an accountant and that she does have real prospects for employment in her field within the coming year. Finally we will show that, in the event Miss Glenn does not secure professional employment within the coming year, she would be willing to accept employment in the adult entertainment industry, perhaps as a nude dancer at private parties, where she could earn more money and discharge her debt more quickly than if she were ‘human property’ as plaintiff desires.”
My lawyer then proceeded to introduce documents apparently showing that my debts were much less than had been claimed by the plaintiff. He called some witnesses to authenticate these documents.
Then he called two witnesses that were in the head hunting business. They both testified that a person of my education and skills should have no great difficulty finding employment in the accounting profession, once the current recession was over.
Next my attorney called me to testify. I was sworn in and climbed up on the witness platform.
I experienced acute embarrassment! I saw that some of my colleagues, both male and female, from my old job at Masterson Automotive were here watching me in my shame. I saw Tom Jenkins in the third row staring at my red face and gloating in my humiliation. He, more than any one person, was responsible for me being in this predicament! All because I had double slapped him for fondling my leg. There was June who had once accused me of sleeping with Tom to get a choice assignment! There was Lacy who had spread rumors all over the company that I was a prude because I felt it was morally wrong to touch the genitals of our indentured waiter! There was Jeff Duncan from Human Resources! All these people seemed to be immensely enjoying my humiliation!
I was sure my face was red as a beet!
My lawyer began my direct examination.
“Your legal name is Stephanie Glenn, is that correct?”
“That’s right.” I mumbled in a dying voice.
“You will need to speak up so all can hear you. State your name loud and clear.”
“I am Stephanie Glenn”. I said, forcing myself to get the words out.
“And do you live at 301 Rosewood Circle, in the town of New Rochelle, State of New York?"
“I do.”
“Miss Glenn, I need you to tell us all if you fear enslavement, and if so why.”
“Yes sir, I do. I highly value my freedom and I think it would be terrifying to lose that. I also have the fear that, as a slave, I would be forced to do things, sexual things, that would go against my principles. I fear that I might experience so much unrelenting humiliation, on a day to day basis, that I might lose the will to live.”
“Miss Glenn, do you believe, if the jury lets you keep your freedom, that you could find a way to repay your debts?”
“I do. I am quite marketable as an accountant once the present recession is over.”
“But what if that doesn’t happen? Then what?”
“I am prepared to do what I must as a free Citizen, to repay my debts. If it means I have to accept employment in the sex industry to do that, I will swallow my pride and do such work!”
“Give us some examples of what kinds of employment you might accept.”
“There are many private clubs where men go to watch naked women dance. I would be willing to be such a dancer if I can find no other work. There are also opportunities to work as a nude dancer at private parties. If all else failed, I would even consider making soft porn films.”
“What about prostitution?”
“No! I would not do that! It is against everything I believe in.”
“But if these jurors decide you should be enslaved, you could be forced to prostitute yourself. You could be forced to have sex with any man who could pay your fee. Isn’t that so?”
“Yes, I am afraid so. That is why I fear enslavement so much!”
“I have no more questions for this witness, your Honor. Your witness.” He said turning to plaintiff’s counsel.
“Miss Glenn, I have a question for you. You have said that you would never prostitute yourself because it is against your principles. Isn’t it also against your principles to default on your debts?”
“Yes sir that is true.”
“Yet you would not do everything possible to repay your debts if your other plans for earning money did not work out. In other words you would rather violate the legitimate rights of your creditors to expect repayment of debt, before you would violate your own notions of propriety when it comes to having sex with strangers for money?”
“Yes sir that is true.”
“I have no more questions for this witness.”
The judge looked at me.
“You may step down from the witness platform, young lady. “
The lawyers for the two sides proceeded to make their closing summations. Then the judge gave the jury instructions on the law as it applied to this case.
With that the trial was over.
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