Page 3 (1/2)

San Francisco Spring 1995

District Attorney Carl Andreas in a fury "What the hell is going on here?" he de at the saets an entire hospital closed down, the second one kills a patient for a million dollars, and the third one is murdered"

Andrews stopped to take a deep breath "And they're all wo them like celebrities They're all over the tube 60 Minutes did a segment on them Barbara Walters did a special on the their pictures, or reading about the to make a movie about them, and they'll turn the bitches into sooverne stamps, like Presley Well, by God, I won't have it!" He slaraph of a woe Taylor -Angel of Mercy or the Devil's Disciple?"

"Dr Paige Taylor" The district attorney's voice was filled with disgust He turned to Gus Venable, his chief prosecuting attorney "I' this trial over to you, Gus I want a conviction Murder One The gas chamber"

"Don't worry," Gus Venable said quietly "I'll see to it"

Sitting in the courtrooht: She's jury-proof Then he smiled to himself No one is jury-proof She was tall and slender, with eyes that were a startling dark brown in her pale face A disinterested observer would have dismissed her as an attractive wo else - that all the different phases of her life coexisted in her There was the happy excitement of the child, superimposed onto the shy uncertainty of the adolescent and the wisdom and pain of the woman There was a look of innocence about her She's the kind of girl, Gus Venable thought cynically, a man would be proud to take home to his mother If his mother had a taste for cold-blooded killers

There was an almost eerie sense of ree Taylor had retreated deep inside herself to a different place, a different time, far from the cold, sterile courtroom where she was trapped

The trial was taking place in the venerable old San Francisco Hall of Justice on Bryant Street The building, which housed the Superior Court and County Jail, was a forbidding-looking edifice, seven stories high,at the courthouse were funneled through electronic security checkpoints Upstairs, on the third floor, was the Superior Court In Courtrooe's bench stood against the rear wall, with an A behind it To the left of the bench was the jury box, and in the center were two tables separated by an aisle, one for the prosecuting attorney, the other for the defense attorney

The courtroom was packed with reporters and the type of spectators attracted to fatal highway accidents and murder trials As murder trials went, this one was spectacular Gus Venable, the prosecuting attorney, was a show in hiray hair, a goatee, and the courtly manner of a Southern plantation owner He had never been to the South He had an air of vague bewilderment and the brain of a computer His trademark, summer and winter, was a white suit, with an old-fashioned stiff-collar shirt

Paige Taylor's attorney, Alan Penn, was Venable's opposite, a co up acquittals for his clients

The two men had faced each other before, and their relationship was one of grudging respect and total mistrust To Venable's surprise, Alan Penn had coin

"I came here to do you a favor, Gus"

Beware of defense attorneys bearing gifts "What did you have in mind, Alan?"

"Now understand - I haven't discussed this with my client yet, but suppose - just suppose - I could persuade her to plead guilty to a reduced charge and save the State the cost of a trial?"

"Are you asking ain?"

"Yes"

Gus Venable reached down to his desk, searching for so "I can't find my damn calendar Do you knohat the date is?"

"June first Why?"

"For a ht itfor a present like that"

"Gus "

Venable leaned forward in his chair "You know, Alan, ordinarily, I'd be inclined to go along with you Tell you the truth, I'd like to be in Alaska fishing right now But the answer is no You're defending a coldblooded killer whothe death penalty"

"I think she's innocent, and I - "

Venable gave a short, explosive laugh "No, you don't And neither does anyone else It's an open-and-shut case Your client is as guilty as Cain"

"Not until the jury says so, Gus"

"They will" He paused "They will"

After Alan Penn left, Gus Venable sat there thinking about their conversation Penn's con of weakness Penn knew there was no chance he could win the trial Gus Venable thought about the irrefutable evidence he had, and the witnesses he was going to call, and he was satisfied

There was no question about it Dr Paige Taylor was going to the gas chamber

It had not been easy to impanel a jury The case had occupied the headlines for months The cold-bloodedness of the er

The presiding judge was Vanessa Young, a tough, brilliant black jurist rumored to be the next nominee for the United States Supre patient with lawyers, and she had a quick te San Francisco trial lawyers: If your client is guilty, and you're looking for 's courtroom

The day before the start of the trial, Judge Young had summoned the two attorneys to her chambers

"We're going to set soentle to ets a fair trial But I'e of that Is that clear?"

"Yes, your honor"

"Yes, your honor"

Gus Venable was finishing his opening stateentlemen of the jury, the State will prove - yes, prove beyond a reasonable doubt - that Dr Paige Taylor killed her patient, John Cronin And not only did she commit murder, she did it for moneya lot of money She killed John Cronin for one million dollars"

"Believe me, after you've heard all the evidence, you will have no trouble in finding Dr Paige Taylor guilty of ree Thank you"

The jury sat in silence, unmoved but expectant

Gus Venable turned to the judge "If it please your honor, I would like to call Gary Williams as the State's first witness"

When the witness orn in, Gus Venable said, "You're an orderly at Embarcadero County Hospital?"

"Yes, that's right"

"Were you working in Ward Three when John Cronin was brought in last year?"

"Yes"

"Can you tell us who the doctor in charge of his case was?"

"Dr Taylor"

"Hoould you characterize the relationship between Dr Taylor and John Cronin?"

"Objection!" Alan Penn was on his feet "He's calling for a conclusion from the witness"

"Sustained"

"Let me phrase it another way Did you ever hear any conversations between Dr Taylor and John Cronin?"

"Oh, sure I couldn't help it I worked that ward all the time"

"Would you describe those conversations as friendly?"

"No, sir"

"Really? Why do you say that?"

"Well, I reht in, and Dr Taylor started to examine him, he said to keep her "He hesitated "I don't know if I can repeat his language"

"Go ahead, Mr Williams I don't think there are any children in this courtroom"

"Well, he told her to keep her fucking hands off him"

"He said that to Dr Taylor?"

"Yes, sir"

"Please tell the court what else you may have seen or heard"

"Well, he always called her 'that bitch' He didn't want her to go near his like 'Here coain!' and 'Tell that bitch to leave et me a real doctor?' "

Gus Venable paused to look over to where Dr Taylor was seated The jurors' eyes followed hih saddened, then turned back to the witness "Did Mr Cronin seeive a million dollars to Dr Taylor?"

Alan Penn was on hisfeet again "Objection! He's calling for an opinion again"

Judge Young said, "Overruled The witness may answer the question"

Alan Penn looked at Paige Taylor and sank back in his seat

"Hell, no He hated her guts"

Dr Arthur Kane was in the witness box Gus Venable said, "Dr Kane, you were the staff doctor in charge when it was discovered that John Cronin wasintroduced into his IV Is that correct?"

"It is"

"And you subsequently discovered that Dr Taylor was responsible"

"That's correct"

"Dr Kane, I'ned by Dr Taylor" He picked up a paper and handed it to Kane "Would you read it aloud, please?"

Kane began to read "John Cronin Cause of Death: Respiratory arrest occurred as a co as a complication of pulmonary embolus' "

"And in laye?"

"The report says that the patient died of a heart attack"

"And that paper is signed by Dr Taylor?"

"Yes"

"Dr Kane, was that the true cause of John Cronin's death?"

"No The insulin injection caused his death"

"So, Dr Taylor administered a fatal dose of insulin and then falsified the report?"

"Yes"

"And you reported it to Dr Wallace, the hospital administrator, who then reported it to the authorities?"

"Yes I felt it was nation "I' the life of another hu under any circumstances"

The next witness called was John Cronin'sHazel Cronin was in her late thirties, with flaure that her plain black dress failed to conceal

Gus Venable said, "I kno painful this is for you, Mrs Cronin, but I must ask you to describe to the jury your relationship with your late husband"

TheCronin dabbed at her eyes with a large lace handkerchief "John and I had a loving ht him the only real happiness he had ever known"

"How long were you married to John Cronin?"

"Two years, but John always said it was like two years in heaven"

"Mrs Cronin, did your husband ever discuss Dr Taylor with you? Tell you what a great doctor he thought she was? Or how helpful she had been to him? Or how much he liked her?"

"He never mentioned her"

"Never?"

"Never"

"Did John ever discuss cutting you and your brothers out of his will?"

"Absolutely not He was the enerousI couldn't have, and that when he died " Her voice broke " that when he died, I would be a wealthy woo on

Judge Young said, "We'll have a fifteen-minute recess"

Seated in the back of the courtrooer He could not believe what the witnesses were saying about Paige This is the wo to marry

Ione to visit her in jail

"We'll fight this," he assured her "I'll get you the best cri to one to see him

"I've been following the case in the papers," Penn said "The press has already tried and convicted her ofJohn Cronin for a bundle What's more, she admits she killed him"

"I know her," Jason Curtis told hie could have done what she did for money"

"Since she ad with here then is euthanasia Mercy killings are against the law in California, as in s about theale listening to a Higher Voice and all that shit, but the problem is that your lady love killed a patient who left her a million dollars in his will Which ca? Did she know about the million before she killed him, or after?"

"Paige didn't know a thing about the money," Jason said firmly

Penn's tone was noncoht It was just a happy coincidence The DA is calling for Murder One, and he wants the death penalty"

"Will you take the case?"

Penn hesitated It was obvious that Jason Curtis believed in Dr Taylor The way Saht: I wonder if the poor son of a bitch had a haircut and doesn't know it

Jason aiting for an answer

"I'll take the case, as long as you know it's all uphill It's going to be a tough one to win"

Alan Penn's statement turned out to be overly optimistic

When the trial resu of neitnesses

A nurse was on the stand "I heard John Cronin say, 'I know I'll die on the operating table You're going to kill et you for murder' "

An attorney, Roderick Pelham, was on the stand Gus Venable said, "When you told Dr Taylor about the million dollars from John Cronin's estate, what did she say?"

"She said so like 'It seems unethical He was my patient' "

"She admitted it was unethical?"

"Yes"

"But she agreed to take the money?"

"Oh, yes Absolutely"

Alan Penn was cross-exa

"Mr Pelha your visit?"

"Why, no, I "

"You didn't call her and say, 'John Cronin left you one million dollars'?"

"No I "

"So when you told her, you were actually face-to-face with her?"

"Yes"

"In a position to see her reaction to the news?"

"Yes"

"And when you told her about the money, how did she react?"

"Well - she - she seemed surprised, but " "Thank you, Mr Pelham That's all"

The trial was now in its fourth week The spectators and press had found the prosecuting attorney and defense attorney fascinating to watch Gus Venable was dressed in white and Alan Penn in black, and the two of them had raphed gae Taylor the sacrificial pawn

Gus Venable was tying up the loose ends

"If the court please, I would like to call Alers to the witness stand"

When his witness orn in, Venable said, "Mrs Rogers, what is your occupation?"

"It's Miss Rogers"

"I do beg your pardon"

"I work at the Corniche Travel Agency"

"Your agency books tours to various countries and makes hotel reservations and handles other accommoda-i tions for your clients?"

"Yes, sir"

"I want you to take a look at the defendant Have you ever seen her before?"

"Oh, yes She cao"

"And what did she want?"

"She said she was interested in a trip to London and Paris and, I believe, Venice"

"Did she ask about package tours?"

"Oh, no She said she wanted everything first class -plane, hotel And I believe she was interested in chartering a yacht"

The courtroom was hushed Gus Venable walked over to the prosecutor's table and held up some folders "The police found these brochures in Dr Taylor's apartment These are travel itineraries to Paris and London and Venice, brochures for expensive hotels and airlines, and one listing the cost of chartering a private yacht"

There was a loud murmur from the courtroom

The prosecutor had opened one of the brochures

"Here are some of the yachts listed for charter," he read aloud "The Christina Otwenty-six thousand dollars a week plus ship's expensesthe Resolute Time, twenty-four thousand five hundred dollars a weekthe Lucky Dream, twenty-seven thousand three hundred dollars a week" He looked up "There's a check e Taylor had already selected the twenty-seven-thousand-three-hun-dred-a-week yacht She just hadn't selected her victim yet"

"We'd like to have these marked Exhibit A" Venable turned to Alan Penn and s down at the table, her face pale "Your witness"

Penn rose to his feet, stalling, thinking fast

"How is the travel business these days, Miss Rogers?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"I asked how business was Is Corniche a large travel agency?"

"It's quite large, yes"

"I iine a lot of people come in to inquire about trips"

"Oh, yes"

"Would you say five or six people a day?"

"Oh, no!" Her voice was indignant "We talk to as ements"

"Fifty people a day?" He sounded i about o or three years ago If you hly forty-five thousand people"

"I suppose so"

"And yet, out of all those people, you remembered Dr Taylor Why is that?"

"Well, she and her two friends were so excited about taking a trip to Europe I thought it was lovely They were like schoolgirls Oh, yes I remember them very clearly, particularly because they didn't look like they could afford a yacht"

"I see I suppose everyone who cooes away on a trip?"

"Well, of course not But - "

"Dr Taylor didn't actually book a trip, did she?"

"Well, no Not with us She- - "

"Nor with anyone else She merely asked to see some brochures"

"Yes She - "

"That's not the sa to Paris or London, is it?"

"Well, no, but - "

"Thank you You may step down"

Venable turned to Judge Young "I would like to call Dr Benjamin Wallace to the stand "

"Dr Wallace, you're in charge of administration at Embarcadero County Hospital?"

"Yes"

"So, of course, you're familiar with Dr Taylor and her work?"

"Yes, I am"

"Were you surprised to learn that Dr Taylor was indicted for murder?"

Penn was on his feet "Objection, your honor Dr Wallace's ansould be irrelevant"

"If I may explain," interrupted Venable "It could be very relevant if you'll just let me "

"Well, let's see what develops," said Judge Young "But no nonsense, Mr Venable"

"Let me approach the question differently," continued Venable "Dr Wallace, every physician is required to take the Hippocratic Oath, is that not so?"

"Yes"

"And part of that oath is" - the prosecutor read from a paper in his hand - " 'that I shall abstain from every act of mischief or corruption'?"

"Yes"

"Was there anything Dr Taylor did in the past thather Hippocratic Oath?"

"Objection"

"Overruled"

"Yes, there was"

"Please explain what it was"

"We had a patient who Dr Taylor decided needed a blood transfusion His farant permission"

"And what happened?"

"Dr Taylor went ahead and gave the patient the transfusion anyway" "Is that legal?"

"Absolutely not Not without a court order" "And then what did Dr Taylor do?" "She obtained the court order afterward, and changed the date on it"

"So she perforal act, and falsified the hospital records to cover it up?"

"That is correct"

Alan Penn glanced over at Paige, furious What the hell else has she kept from me? he wondered