An alien is on trial for sedition - Short Story by Russell Twyce
“My words and actions in this courthouse,” a man acting as his own defense council said to the jury in his opening statement, “will be what they are. You’ll view what I say as sedition if you will. But to me, this trial is an opportunity to share my truth. I suppose that I’m really signing my own death warrant. By a paradox, your finding me not guilty would be absolute evidence of my guilt because convincing you of my innocence can only be accomplished by my committing further sedition in front of you.”
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Then the accused turned sharply on the heel of his wheelie sneaker, and glided on back to his seat. “I’m done,” he said to the prosecutor.
“The young man who stands accused,” the government lawyer orated in his turn, “has brought this all on himself.” He went on to describe the alien’s actions of going into a police station and confessing his crime. “Neither the police nor the district attorney’s office had any option but to bring this charge, because he was continuing to commit sedition in both the police station and in all interviews with him since.”
“Calling the accused as a prosecution witness is highly irregular,” the judge stated for the record: his main concern wasn’t for how injurious the defendant’s testimony might be to his own case, but rather in preventing an appeal from besmirching his judicial reputation, “but as the defendant has suggested it, I’ll allow it.”
“You’re an alien.” The prosecutor began. “Why would you choose to practice your sedition here, in a state that isn’t your own and which employs the death penalty?”
[Content protected for Chevron members only] Opinions I state are of what I see truly existing in this material world and your mind’s eye interprets my words as being a fiesta stick aimed at damaging your fictional papier-mâché treasure trove.”
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“Which like Pandora’s box,” the judge retorted, “would spill evils into the world.”
“It would disgorge the true freedom that is our human birthright and which your delusion of statehood, rooted on your lust for power, has stolen from us.” The youth smiled. “But my absolute liberty can’t actually be taken away, so I’ve taken it back.”
“Yet you’re here in custody,” his honor stressed the ‘in custody’, “and awaiting the decision of this authority on whether you will live or die.”
“And I arrived here of my own free accord,” the accused quipped back, “while fully cognizant of all the potential outcomes.”
“Uh.” The prosecuting attorney had been biding his time. He hadn’t wanted to interrupt the judge. “You haven’t answered my questions yet. Why here? You’ve placed yourself in a life or death situation because sedition is still punishable here, by death.”
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“But slavery to the rule-of-law isn’t the only way to address those issues.” The man in the witness box stated emphatically. “In fact, rooting a real need for public order keeping on a series of unreal tenets is the worst possible method. It causes some crimes to be committed, exacerbates others and contributes to the motivation of all crimes. I’ve come into this court charged with sedition for inciting people to rebel against an authority that is guilty of heinous crimes against humanity.”
“Crimes against humanity!” The judge’s face went blood red as he ejaculated.
“But the court holds itself as immune from prosecution for the wrongs it commits so I’ve brought the matter before the bench by an alternate route,” the young accused spoke directly to the jury box, “in having myself put on trial for sedition against the state’s law.”
“Will you enlighten us,” the state’s prosecuting lawyer inquired: [Content protected for Chevron members only]
“You’ll now be sequestered, until you’ve reached a decision.” The judge growled and with a glance at the defendant’s satisfied expression, he knew that the verdict of no importance. The alien had already achieved the victory he’d sought and in fact, a guilty verdict and his death at the hands of the state would gain his ideas even more exposure. In either eventuality, his precious court was defamed by the soon to be condemned man’s last question. ‘Is my death necessary to muzzle a philosophy that you don’t want to see explored?’
Readers, you’re the jury. Please voice your verdict in a comment. A life is in your balance.