“Would you mind looking at these knives, Miss Rugiello?”
“Yes?”
“Are these the knives those three boys gave you on the night of July tenth?”
Angela Rugiello studied the knives. “Yes. Those are the ones.”
“Do you remember which boy gave you which knife?”
“No. It all happened so fast. I just took the knives from them and then brought them home.”
“Was there blood on these knives?”
“Yes.”
“On all these knives?”
“Yes.”
“What did you do with the knives when you took them home?”
“I put them in a paper bag at the back of my drawer.”
“Did you do that as soon as you got home?”
“Yes.”
“Did you wash the knives first?”
“No.”
“You did not wash these knives?”
“I did not wash them.”
“Not even one of them?”
“None of them. I just put them in a paper bag and put them at the back of my drawer.”
“Let me understand this clearly, Miss Rugiello. You did not wash any of those knives, is that correct?”
“That’s right.”
“You did not wash one of those knives?”
“No... I told you.”
“Then the way you turned those knives over to the police later, they were in the same condition that you’d received them, is that right?”
“That’s right. I didn’t do anything to them.”
“But you do not know which of these knives came from which boy, is that also true?”
“That’s true.”
“I have no further questions.”
“You may proceed with the cross-examination,” Samalson said.
Randolph, one of the defense attorneys, approached the witness chair. “Miss Rugiello,” he said, “are you certain that the three boys who gave those knives to you were Arthur Reardon, Anthony Aposto and Daniel Di Pace?”
“Yes. I’m sure.”
“How can you be sure?”
“I know them, don’t I?”
“Yes, but wasn’t it dark that night?”
“It wasn’t so dark that I couldn’t see them.”
“But it was dark, wasn’t it?”
“It wasn’t nighttime yet. It wasn’t that kind of darkness.”
“But it was dark.”
“Only because it was raining.”
“And in this darkness, couldn’t you have mistaken the three boys who allegedly gave you those knives?”
“No. I didn’t make any mistake. It was the three of them. I talked to them, so how could I have made a mistake?”
“I see. Who gave you the first knife?”
“I don’t remember.”
“Was it Reardon?”
“I don’t remember. It all happened so fast.”
“Was it Di Pace?”
“I told you, I don’t remember.”
“But you do remember that it was these three boys who gave you the knives? You’re sure of that. But you’re not exactly sure who gave you the knives, are you?”
“Objection! Defense counsel is attempting to distort the witness’s testimony. She has already stated that the knives were given to her by Reardon, Di Pace and Aposto. She simply does not remember the order of presentation.”
“Sustained. Strike the question.”
“I have no further questions,” Randolph said.
“Call Daniel Di Pace.”
Danny rose from where he was sitting. He glanced at the defense attorneys, received their nod and then walked hesitantly toward the witness stand. He wore a dark-brown suit. His red hair caught the rays of the sun which streamed through the long windows lining the courtroom. The clerk swore him in and he took the chair, wiping the palms of his hands on his trousers. Hank approached him. Silently, they surveyed each other.
“You are Danny Di Pace?”
“Yes.”
“You know, don’t you, Danny, that you’ve been accused of murder in the first degree, and that if this jury finds you guilty, you can go to the electric chair? You know that, don’t you?”
“Yes. I know.”
Hank picked up the knives and held them up to Danny.
“Recognize these knives?”
“No.”
“You’re under oath, Danny!” Hank snapped. “Don’t add perjury to the charge against you.”
“Is that any worse than first-degree murder?”
“Look at these knives. Do you recognize them?”
“No. I don’t recognize them.”
“Tell me the truth, Danny.”
“Objection!”
“These are the knives that were used in the murder of Rafael Morrez. Now, you recognize them, so don’t lie to me. I don’t want to hear lies.”
“Objection! Witness is being intimidated.”
“Overruled.”
“Do you recognize these knives, or don’t you?”
Danny hesitated. “Okay,” he said at last. “I think maybe I recognize them.”
“Never mind thinking maybe. Yes or no? Do you or don’t you?”
“All right, yes. I do.”
“Which one is yours?”
“I don’t know.”
“Which of these knives is yours, Danny?”
“I can’t remember. How do you expect me to remember?”
Hank extended one of the knives. “Is it this one?”
“I don’t know.”
“Look at it!”
“I am looking.”
“Is it your knife?”
“I don’t know.”
“Whose knife is it? It has a black handle and a silver stud. Did your knife have a black handle?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
“Then this isn’t your knife. Is that right?”
“I guess so.”
“If your knife didn’t have a black handle, this can’t be your knife, isn’t that right?”
“I suppose so.”
“Yes or no? Is this your knife, or isn’t it?”
“All right, no. It isn’t.”
Hank sighed. “Thank you. Now what about this other knife — with the mother-of-pearl handle? Is it yours?”
“No.”
“These first two knives are not yours, is that correct?”
“That’s correct.”
“Then this last knife is yours, isn’t that also correct?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Well, look at the knife. Take a long look at it, and then tell me whether it’s the knife you used on July tenth.”
“Objection!”
“Sustained.”
“Just tell me if it’s your knife, Danny.”
“I don’t know.”
“When I came to visit you on Welfare Island, you told me you’d stabbed Morrez four times. Now is—”
“Objection!”
“Sustained.”
“Did you or did you not tell me you had stabbed Morrez four times?”
“I... I don’t remember what I told you. That was a long time ago.”
“Yes or no?”
“I... I... suppose I told you that.”
“That you stabbed Morrez?”
“Objection!”
“Overruled.”
“In self-defense,” Danny said.
“But you stabbed him, did you not?”
“Objection! Your Honor...”
“Overruled.”
“Yes,” Danny said. “In self-defense.”
“With this knife?”
“Objection!”
“Your Honor, I cannot examine this witness properly if my every word is challenged,” Hank said angrily. “I can see no objection to my line of questioning. If counsel for the defense would simply shut up and allow me to—”
“You’re leading the witness,” Randolph shouted.
“Damnit, you allowed him to take the stand, didn’t you?”
“Order! Order!” Samalson said firmly. “I want no such further outbursts! The line of questioning seems acceptable to this court. I must warn defense counsel against harassment of the district attorney. Witness will please answer the last question.”