Chapter 46
The closing statement
(Third person)
‘Your Honour, members of the court and members of the jury, this trial has undoubtedly been full of unexpected events. I have to give credit to the defence lawyers for having carried out their role with commitment and conscience. However, no fact put forward or introduced has been able to rebut an unexceptionable truth: Dr Alvarado was killed in a horrible and ruthless way. And whether we care to admit it or not, all the evidence so far examined or put forward, unequivocally leads to the defendant’.
De Nicola was off like a shot with his introduction, flattering the court in a contrived but decisive manner. After all the twists and turns he’d seen rain down on him, his final address condensed all his remaining chances of winning.
‘You’ve
