Chapter Thirty-one
The Crown prosecutor gave a low-key and succinct opening address to the jury. Matthew formed the opinion that obviously Del Assandro felt he should not overplay his hand in front of the jury, as the prosecution case was already overwhelming without any theatrics on his part. The prosecutor concluded by highlighting the main elements of the prosecution case, and then abruptly sat down. There were no surprises, and Matthew wrote on his foolscap legal notepad the issues the defence had to address.
The first and most important issue was the doctor’s affair with Angelina Smythe-Baker, which the prosecutor claimed provided the real motive for the murder. The affair had caused Jessica Vandermeer to act out of revenge because a divorce was imminent, and her lavish lifestyle wa
