October 11th will be my two-year anniversary in law enforcement. Today, two days shy of my two-year mark, I testified in a trial for the first time as a law enforcement officer.

Cool thing was that it was a biggie: Felony trial for attempted murder of a police officer. This was the trial for the incident that occurred back in February. The trial technically started yesterday, but it was all motions and pre-trial and other stuff, and my presence was not required. However, this morning at about 9:30 (after a whopping 2 1/2 hours of sleep since I'd worked a detail until 6am) I received a call from one of our detectives informing me that I was needed in court. (Two minutes later my pager went off with the same message from the DA's office. They really wanted me!)

So I did an ultra-quick shower etc... and luckily the uniform I'd worn for my detail was still fairly sharp-looking so I didn't have to iron a fresh one. Made the hair presentable, did the makeup (had to put on enough so that I wouldn't frighten the jury, but not so much that I wouldn't look professional), and made it out the door about 25 minutes after getting the first call.

Got there and was informed that witnesses were sequestered, i.e. we weren't allowed to watch any of the trail, had to hang out in the non-air-conditioned hallway, and could talk about anything except the trial.

And so I waited. And yawned. A couple of hours later a bailiff told us that we were breaking for lunch and to be back at 1:30. (I could have slept another three hours!!)

Went to lunch with two of the detectives, finished lunch about 12:45, and then went to the DA's office, where the prosecutor immediately snagged me (since he'd never had a chance to talk to me prior to the trial) and pulled me into an empty office where we spent the next 30 minutes or so going over the statement that I'd written the day of the incident and my coming testimony. I learned that the defense had wanted to call me as well, and so the DA spent some time going over my statement trying to figure out what the defense would be trying to get out of me. We finally decided that they would focus on the fact that while the defendant had in fact pointed a gun at me, he had not in fact fired said weapon at me, even though there had been ample opportunity. (Which I suppose would in turn be used to prove to the jury that the defendant was not a complete skeezball since he'd only tried to kill one deputy and not me as well. Yeah, whatever!)

1:30 rolled around and two "regular citizen" witnesses were called, and then I was called.

It was actually a pretty cool experience for my first time on the stand. I didn't stumble over my words too much and I managed to tell a reasonably coherent story of what happened (remembering to make eye-contact with the jury at frequent intervals to establish rapport!) When the DA finished with me, the defense attorney cross-examined me at great length, and then the DA did a redirect and had me clarfiy some more points, and then the defense attorney wanted to cross examine me again, to which the DA objected at which time both attorneys were called forward to the bench and some muttered arguing was heard. Apparently the DA won his objection because after they finished their muttered arguing, I was told I could step down and was excused. I think I was on the stand for only about 40 minutes or so, though it felt like much longer. Looking back I wish I'd stressed a couple of things more or said some things differently, but at least I remembered my name and didn't trip over my own feet as I walked into the courtroom... so I guess I did okay. ;-)

Dunno whether they finished up the trial today; I know they were hoping to. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to find out what the final outcome was.