A Case of Attempted Murder, Part III

Williamsburg/James City County Corruption, Joseph Lakritz, Dorothy Lakritz

The Trial was about a month after the incident.  My mother-in law, who had been living in the house had left town right after the hearing, but returned for the trial.

The day before the trial, a phone call was logged onto my answering machine.  It was placed from a cell phone.  The Assistant DA left a message that he had called, nothing more.  By the time I got home from work, I could not reach him.  I was able to finally get him to pick-up the phone the next morning at 11:00 AM.  He informed me that I could not use the medical evidence because I did not subpoena the doctor to vouch for the validity of it.  I asked him to request a continuance. He refused telling me that "You are supposed to know who you are to subpoena."

The trial was scheduled for 2 Pm. I went to the doctor's office to request that he appear.  The receptionist said it was not possible.

 The courtroom was packed.  Judge Killean was presiding.  The cases involving the appearance of lawyers were called first.  It is a courtesy as they often have to appear in more than one courtroom during any given time frame.  Then the cases without lawyers were called.  One by one, they were called and dispensed with.  The entire time, my husband and his mother, along with their attorney (who I believe was Mr. Rizk, the ex-DA for James City County where the incident happened) sat waiting on the other side of the courtroom.  The attorney never handled any other cases that afternoon. 

Finally, about 4 PM, with the courtroom devoid of spectators, my case was called.  I took the stand first.  My mother-in-law was dressed in an oversized dress with a large flower print covered by a sweater that was obviously 10 sizes too big.  The combination visibly reduced her actual size and made her look older than her years.  She is eighty, but like my husband, exercises every day.  She can drive across country at the drop of a hat.  In fact, she just fell and broke her hip.  Unlike most people her age, according to my husband and son, she was up and about in a couple of days.  The short of it is her family lives to about 100.  She and I are about the same size.  A friend from Eastern State Hospital told me that he could see her attacking me.  It happens all the time at the hospital.

I was called to the stand first.  The DA only asked me to give my side of the story.  He asked no other questions.  When I mentioned that my son had held me son while my mother-in-law attacked me, her attorney objected saying that he was not there to testify because he would incriminate himself (???).  I was never shown what evidence was being presented, even though the DA had copies of the photographs and the doctor's reports.  Her attorney cross examined me, being belligerent.  The DA never objected.  After I testified, I was escorted from the courtroom by Laura French, an employee of the DA's office.

Next on the stand was the real estate agent.  Judging from the amount of time between I left the courtroom and she exited, she either did not testify, or was not asked any questions.  When she left, she came up to me and apologized for what had happened in the courtroom.  I did not understand that statement until after the verdict. 

I never saw the police officer leave.  He probably exited through the holding cells.  My husband was last on the stand to leave the courtroom before the verdict.

When we were called back in only a few minutes later, I was stunned by the verdict.  Judge Killean stated "Not guilty for lack of evidence."

I had heard of the Williamsburg Railroad, the way women are treated by the courts and the police when they file for divorce.  It was that day that I discovered it exists.

In order to stop this railroad dead in its tracks, I am pleading with the general public and the good people of Gather to contact Oprah and Dr. Phil.  Hopefully, we can put an end to the treatment women receive here.