Chapter 20 - My Testimony
I testified about the birthday.
Every ugly part.
Dad broke bicycle.
Ethan cried.
I demanded apology.
Mom called him soft.
I placed bicycle on Dad’s hood and dented it.
“Did you intend to damage the car?”
I swallowed.
“Yes.”
There.
Defense later smiled.
But truth first.
The prosecutor asked:
“Did that give Richard permission to use unsafe discipline before that day?”
“No.”
Simple.
Then authorization.
“Did you authorize no-helmet riding?”
“No.”
“Restricted water?”
“No.”
“Preventing contact?”
“No.”
“Destroying green bicycle?”
“No.”
“Written conditioning rules?”
“No.”
Then defense.
“You admired your father growing up?”
“Yes.”
“Played sports with him?”
“Yes.”
“Worked construction because of him?”
“Partly.”
“Describe him as hardworking?”
“Yes.”
“Did he teach you resilience?”
I thought.
“Yes.”
That surprised courtroom.
Then:
“So his methods worked.”
“No.”
“Your answer was yes.”
“Some things he taught me were valuable. That does not make every method valuable.”
Defense changed direction.
“You damaged his car in front of your child.”
“Yes.”
“Your wife was frightened.”
“Yes.”
“Your son was frightened.”
“Yes.”
“So when you accuse Richard of teaching through fear—”
“I taught through fear that day too.”
Silence.
The attorney paused.
Maybe expected denial.
I continued only when asked.
“Did you complete court diversion?”
“Yes.”
“Anger management?”
“Yes.”
“Because you have anger problem?”
“Because I acted dangerously once and did not want to excuse it.”
Then:
“Could your resentment toward your father color your interpretation?”
“Yes.”
Again.
“So you may be wrong?”
“About his motives, possibly. The videos and notebooks show what he did.”
The judge warned me to answer only question.
Fair.
I stepped down.
Dad would later tell relatives I admitted I was biased.
I had.
May you like
Bias does not erase evidence.
It just means adults should know they have it.
