Santi was followed by someone from the CSI lab who testified about the traces of Ja’dah Mahdi’s DNA at the Sandbridge rental property. Next came a Sandbridge rental agent who explained how she had left the key to the property under a mat because of the occupant’s plan to arrive late at night. A signed rental agreement under a phony name had been sent previously via mail. In other words, the rental agent never laid eyes on the killer.
The deputy sheriff who had found the bodies testified next. He told the jury all about the elaborate search and the carefully trained dogs who actually located the bodies. Just before lunch, Taj Deegan again grossed out the jury with the pictures of the bodies.
It was all very interesting, Alex thought, but not particularly damaging. A tale of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
After lunch came more of the same. Taj Deegan might as well have passed out pillows and cots as the jurors listened to a computer technician testify about the way he had searched the hard drive of Khalid Mobassar’s work computer. The witness had a monotone voice, an expressionless face, and a unique way of making a murder trial seem as exciting as high school calculus.
After about twenty minutes, Judge Rosenthal clearly needed a cigarette break, and some of the jurors looked like they needed alarm clocks. Eventually the technician meandered around to the point of his testimony-someone had used Khalid Mobassar’s work computer to search for Sandbridge rental properties on March 29, just a few months prior to the killings. Other searches and e-mails made it pretty clear Khalid was the only one using his computer that day, and in particular during the time frame surrounding the search.
Shannon had no questions for the witness on cross-examination, and Rosenthal mercifully decided that it was time for a break.
The rest of the afternoon was taken up with the testimony of Detective Terri Brown. The detective explained how she had first focused on Fatih Mahdi as the primary suspect. The crime fit the profile for a religiously motivated honor killing, and the husband would therefore be the primary suspect. But, according to Brown, all the hard evidence pointed toward the defendant.
They had also caught the defendant in a couple of lies. For example, during her interviews with Mr. Mobassar, the imam denied knowing anything about a search for Sandbridge rental listings. Brown also noted that the defendant had been less than forthcoming about his conversations with Fatih Mahdi and had been a supporter of Hezbollah in the past.
During Brown’s testimony, Taj Deegan introduced copies of the books she had waved around during her opening statement and a copy of the manuscript for Khalid’s new book. The jury was also shown video of Khalid talking on Hezbollah television shortly after Omar was killed and on American television after the Israeli strikes against Lebanon in 2006.
Brown was a seasoned witness, so Shannon conducted a limited and cautious cross-examination. She scored a few points about why Fatih Mahdi had been a suspect and asked Brown numerous questions about Mahdi’s radical philosophy and belief in Sharia law. Then she carefully returned to the same theme she had introduced earlier: why would somebody as intelligent as Khalid Mobassar use his own cell phone to send text messages ordering an honor killing?
“I have no reason to believe that the defendant knew his text messages were being monitored under the Patriot Act,” Brown responded. “I believe that the defendant thought we would focus on the husband and therefore never seriously investigate the defendant. Plus, I’ve been a detective long enough to see murder suspects do some incredibly stupid things.”
Alex could tell from the look on Shannon’s face that she regretted asking the question. But she was a pro and quickly moved on to the next line of questioning.
By the time court adjourned at five o’clock, one thing had become obvious to everyone in the courtroom: the case would rise or fall on the testimony of two men-Fatih Mahdi and, if he took the stand, Khalid Mobassar. That knowledge kept Alex at the office until well after midnight on Thursday. He probably would have stayed all night if his grandmother hadn’t chased him out.
“You can’t think straight if you don’t get any sleep,” Ramona said, setting some papers on his desk.
“Ten more minutes,” Alex said. He really needed two more hours but didn’t have the strength to argue with anyone, especially his grandmother. He would take the documents home and finish his work there.
“You said that an hour ago,” Ramona reminded him.
Alex sighed and rolled his eyes. “Didn’t I already fire you once? Now go home and let me finish getting ready.”
Ramona told Alex that she needed to get a few more documents copied and a few more things organized. Not once in the last week had Ramona left before Alex. She headed out of his office but stopped at the door and turned back toward Alex.
“I’m proud of you, Alex Madison. Your parents and your granddad are proud of you too.”
85
Friday morning, after a few hours of restless sleep, Alex threw his legs over the side of the bed and sat there, contemplating what lay ahead. A few more days and it would all be over. He had been so immersed in the “trial tunnel” for the past few months that any semblance of a normal life had disappeared. He woke up thinking about the case. He went to bed thinking about the case. It seemed like he spent every waking moment working on it.
He allowed himself a few minutes to think about how great it would be when the trial was over and he could enjoy the holiday season. He could sleep in. He could decorate his condo and buy some presents. By Christmas Day, Khalid would be either a free man or facing life behind bars. Nara would either be safe and free to live her life, or she would be in hiding, constantly looking over her shoulder for the deadly agents of Hezbollah.
Today’s witness would probably decide both Khalid’s and Nara’s fate.
The pressure of the challenge started squeezing in on Alex, constricting his chest. He blew out a deep breath and tried to relax.
It was time for some strong coffee.***
Fatih Mahdi looked like he had aged ten years since the preliminary hearing. He stood in the well of the courtroom dressed in his traditional Muslim garb and affirmed that he would tell the truth. He had dark circles under his eyes and looked at once both sad and determined. His black beard, dark complexion, and receding hairline played into the Muslim stereotype. But when Mahdi testified, he mumbled softly, and the spectators in the courtroom leaned forward and strained to hear. Several times, Taj Deegan asked him to speak up.
The prosecutor made every attempt to personalize Mahdi, but he was not cooperating. He never looked at the jury and didn’t allow himself to relax. His broad shoulders slumped forward, and he hunched over the microphone.
The substance of his testimony was about what Alex expected. He told the jury how he met Ja’dah and how devoted she had been to the Muslim faith. He described their life together.
“Did you love her?” Taj Deegan asked.
“Very much.”
Mahdi’s life centered around his work and the mosque. Deegan did a good job of portraying him as deeply religious but not fanatical.
Mahdi testified about his friendship with Khalid and Ghaniyah Mobassar. They had been through a lot together in Lebanon. He had helped Khalid mourn the loss of two sons, and he described the way those losses affected Khalid.
He also testified about how Khalid’s views as the imam in the Norfolk mosque became increasingly unorthodox. Though Khalid was his dear friend, Fatih Mahdi had led the opposition to certain doctrines that Fatih considered heretical. According to Fatih, the more resistance Khalid Mobassar encountered, the more strident and adamant he became. Those in the mosque who opposed Khalid were usually forced out.