Chapter 46 Section VII

On September 11, the first day of the preliminary hearing, Yi Rui Andrews led a brigade of reporters into the court.He asked the reporters to name the newspapers, magazines or TV stations they represented in court one by one, and display the reports, comments or pictures on the front page of each newspaper about the double murder of Betty Lou Pitts that day. Iris Unruss stated to the court: "Your Honor, you have seen and heard that this case has attracted so many news media, and its wording is clearly unfavorable to my client. Prejudice. Take this headline, "Betty Shoots Husband in the Back of the Head." And here, "Self-made Widow." Now, people all over the Henderson area are decrying My client murdered her own husband. Therefore, in my opinion, the case cannot be justly decided here, because the public as the source of the jury has already found my client 'guilty' before the trial of this case. The lawyer hereby We request the court to consider moving this case to another trial."

Next, Yi Rui summoned nearly ten witnesses "randomly found on the street".Here are some of their testimonies: — at all the tables and bars here, you can hear the discussion of the case.Pretty much everyone thinks Betty killed her two husbands. ——I don't have time to read newspapers, but from the conversations of friends and colleagues around me, I conclude that Betty is guilty. —I read almost every Betty story I could get my hands on.You don't need to ask me if she is guilty, the answer is already there. ——I not only talk about Betty's case with my friends and acquaintances, but also the master in the barber shop, the cashier girl in the supermarket, the guy at the gas station...no matter who it is, everyone here is talking about Betty anyway.

When cross-examined by prosecutor Bill Bundy, several witnesses admitted that they and Iree Unruss had known each other for many years. Bill took a newspaper from a reporter and said, "This is a national paper. It shows that the Betty Pitts double murder was not just in Henderson, not just in Texas, but all over the country." There is a stir in America. There is no place where this case is not known and no one is talking about it, so Mr. Andrews's proposal to change the venue of the case is meaningless. Betty Beetle Ci should decide her fate here, in the place where the crime happened, by a jury composed of local fathers and villagers."

Judge Jack Holland denied the defendants' defense attorney, Erie Unruth's motion for ex situ trial.When Jack hammered the gavel to adjourn the court, Yi Rui was still chattering unwillingly: "But, Your Honor, everyone on the street is looking forward to entering the jury and convicting Betty himself..." Betty, who was in prison, received an anonymous letter.Since the double murder of Betty Pitts came to light, letters have been mailed from all over the country every day, and the warden will review them before forwarding them to Betty.The anonymous letter reads:  Dear Mrs. Pitts:

Never allow anyone to read, see or hear this letter.This letter is of great relevance to your case.I'm the only one who can help you, so please do as I say. Tell your guards that you are not alone in your cell, but that many other people live in it.Tell her you always hear someone talking in your ear.Or pacing up and down the cell like you're crazy. If the prison takes you to see a doctor, don't say anything, just touch something on his table, or fall to the ground and twist your body.If they touch you, stop and act like you don't know what you're doing.Then they will think you have schizophrenia.

When you see your lawyer, never bring this up to him.He will take you to a judge and send you to a mental hospital.Sometimes you have to act like you're awake again and tell people you don't remember anything.That way you can avoid the death penalty because they can't prosecute a mentally ill person. If you don't do what I say, you will surely die.Please destroy this letter after reading it.I am writing this letter just because I like to help others. The review and selection of jurors was carried out as scheduled on September 23, 2009. After five days of deliberation, a jury of 12 all-white men was formed, consisting of four men and eight women.

On Monday, October 7, 1985, the long-awaited murder trial of Jimmy Don Petz began in Essex. The streets outside the court building were lined with vans of media of all sizes.People lined up before dawn to get a place in the gallery.Latecomers, as well as the firefighters and their wives who came from Dallas, were crammed in the aisles or in the corridors outside.Quite a few people carried brown brown paper bags with lunch and drinks. Betty was escorted to court by a police officer, accompanied by her lawyer, Irri Unrus.She was still neatly dressed and well-groomed, with well-do hair and well-made makeup.From time to time, Betty raised her shackled hands, gestured to the crowd of onlookers, or smiled frequently at the camera lens.

All the witnesses to be called that day were assembled in a conference room.In order to save time, court officials led them to take an oath here and reminded them that from this moment on, they must not discuss matters related to this case with anyone. Before the jury entered, Judge Jack Holland called the lawyers for both sides to the bench.He warned the prosecution not to bring up the Doyle Wayne Barker murder and the Billy York Long shooting in court arguments unless the defense brought it up first because this trial was only about Jimmy Petts case.Jack Holland demanded that Bill Bundy make it clear to his witnesses.

After the jurors were seated and Bill Bandy made his opening remarks, the prosecution's first witness appeared.According to the records at the time, Johnny Marr of the Henderson Regional Police Department stated to the court how after receiving Betty's emergency call, he went to Betty's house together with Fire Brigade Chief Hugh Daywood to understand the situation. During the cross-examination, Iri Unrus asked: "Are you sure you asked Betty about this on August 6?" "I took notes." "Did you write it down on the spot at Betty's house, or did you write it down later?"

"I'll write it down while I'm talking to Mrs. Pitts." "Would you be surprised if I told you that Betty Pitts went to Dallas on August 6th?" "I went there as soon as I got her call to the police on Saturday morning." Yi Rui paused, then asked again: "Aren't you telling them?" He pointed to the jury box, "Did you see who killed who, or who buried whom?" "no." The second witness was Patrolman Mike Warren of the Texas Department of Conservation and Wildlife, who was the first police officer to arrive after Jimmy's empty boat was found.

"How deep was the water where they found the boat?" Iri Unrus asked during cross-examination. "I don't know very well." "Now close your eyes, remember that place, and tell me, can a woman who can't swim wade from where the empty boat is to the nearest shore, and then flee the scene?" "cannot." The next witness called by the prosecution was Captain James Blake of the Dallas Fire Department who led the search and salvage operation.Bill Bandy asks: "How did Mrs. Pitts look then?" "Very, very calm, no signs of grief or grief." Yi Rui Unrus immediately stood up and protested: "Your Honor, this is for the witness to give a conclusive answer." Jack Holland vetoed his protest. The prosecution continued to collect evidence: "You have seen many sad people. We know that sadness has different expressions in different people. Do you think Mrs. Pitts' state at that time was also a kind of sadness?" "No, I didn't see any pain on her face at all. I had contact with her many times at that time, but I never saw her have any sad, sad, uncomfortable, or depressed meaning .” It was the defendant's turn to cross-question: "Where is Mr. Black's home?" The question was unexpected, but Captain Black answered it anyway.Irene Unrus immediately put on a smile of familiarity: "I used to live on that street." Irie Unrus is famous for her rapport with witnesses and jury members . James Black nodded.Is this relevant to this case? Yi Rui Unruth continued: "So, all of you volunteered to go to Cedar Lake to help search for your friends?" "right." "Do you know what crime this lady is charged with?" Yi Rui pointed at Betty. "Yes, sir." "At that time, you didn't suspect that she was pretending to be stupid, did you?" "No." Captain Black added, "Not at that time."