In its ongoing search for effective ways to deflect blame from Harlow and Joe in Bryan Kocis’ murder, the Defense will, no doubt, have to get clever. And at first blush, pinning the thing on Sean Lockhart and Grant Roy seems like a clever play.
After all, that pair of West Coast Bryan-haters whipped up scads of Motive in their seemingly endless legal Batailles Royales versus the deceased. Raging battles they were, too... battles whose fury has strangely stilled since Bryan’s death.
“J’accuse! Messers. Lockhart and Roy,” the Defense ought to cry, mustering the best high dudgeon that money can buy.
Yes, surely, all Cuadra’s and Kerekes’ lawyers need do to free the sore oppresed Harlow and Joe is to point out the myriad ways that Lockhart and Roy have benefited from January's Altogether Unfortunate Occurrence.
But just a moment.
True, Lockhart and Roy may well have said ‘good riddance’ when news of Bryan Kocis’ death reached them. But-- while unkind-- that is no crime. That they may have wished the direst of fortunes upon the victim before he became a victim... well, that isn’t prosecutable either.
Hmm. Fair enough.
But how would it be... how about if... what would happen should it actually be so that... they went, umm, further than that? You know, what if Sean Lockhart and Grant Roy really did make a pointed attempt to convince Harlow and Joe that it would be the best possible thing for all concerned if Mr. Kocis... ‘took a little trip to Canada?’ Wink-wink. Little trip, eh? Nothing scary. Just a weensy, little... trip.
Blame Grant and Sean! Brilliant! That would take so much pressure off of Harlow and Joe, wouldn’t it? Things would be peachy then... if only the Defense lawyers could prove that... whew!
Trouble is: In Pennsylvania they call that contracting for a murder. And it’s what the statutes call one of those annoying, little ‘aggravating factors’ that would put Harlow and Joe one step closer to the death penalty.
But, hey, at least Sean and Grant would get in trouble, right? So Harlow and Joe would have company on death row. And the company of good friends, that’s really the important thing, now isn’t it?
-KM
