Chapter 19 - The Trial Begins
The prosecutor began with the video.
Not the notebooks.
Ethan’s birthday.
My father smiling.
The blue bicycle.
Training wheels.
Laura saying:
“Put it back.”
Ethan saying:
“No Grandpa.”
Richard:
“Michael needs to see this.”
Then the recording stopped before destruction.
The prosecutor displayed photographs afterward.
Broken bicycle.
Detached wheel.
Dad’s car with my damage.
She did not hide my conduct.
Good.
Then garage footage.
Felix held above Ethan.
No crying reward.
Water delayed.
Helmet removed.
Ethan falling onto grass.
Mom objecting.
Dad continuing.
Defense emphasized:
No serious injury.
Short duration.
Supervision.
Grass.
Helmet restored.
Water given.
All true.
Then CPS investigator Dana.
She explained finding.
Defense challenged agency terminology.
“What is emotionally harmful discipline?”
Context-based.
“Is every timeout harmful?”
No.
“Every parent who delays snack abusive?”
No.
“Every child who cries during sports victim?”
No.
Good.
Then:
“Why this case?”
Pattern.
Concealment.
No stop option.
Safety equipment deliberately removed.
Parent contact restricted.
Punishment escalated with crying.
Parents unaware.
That was stronger than any label.
Then Dr. Grant testified only to treatment observations within privilege limits and court permissions.
No repeating every Ethan statement unnecessarily.
She described anxiety around “practice,” stop signals, and relationship between forced exposure and fear.
Defense:
“Could Michael’s birthday outburst contribute?”
“Yes.”
I closed eyes.
Good.
Truth.
Then:
“Could parental conflict make symptoms worse?”
“Yes.”
Again.
No saint version.
Trial would not be a family morality play.
It would decide one misdemeanor charge.
That narrowness frustrated me.
Then comforted me.
May you like
Ethan did not need the state to certify his entire childhood experience.
He needed us.
