Philadelphia Circuit Court, Third Tribunal.
The gallery was packed with reporters, stenographers, legal representatives from insurance companies, and citizens who had managed to get in through various means.
They were crammed together, their breathing weaving into a low, oppressive hum.
The towering dome gathered and amplified these faint sounds, turning them into a dull drone that weighed on everyone's heart.
In the defendant's box, Luigi Randall sat with his hands on his knees.
He was very quiet.
Ever since he entered, he had done nothing but stare at the dark brown table before him.
Beside him, Elias Wayne was adjusting his tie.
The tie remained loosely knotted, and there was even a small coffee stain on his shirt collar.
This lawyer, hired by the Saint Claude Foundation for a hefty sum, currently showed none of the gravitas of a top attorney.
Across from him, at the plaintiff's table, sat three Philadelphia district attorneys.
The lead prosecutor was Eric Hart.
