Marcus picked up a sealed white envelope from our table and walked to the middle of the room.

“Your Honor,” Marcus said, “we submit certified medical records from the regional neurology clinic dated July fourteenth.”

Judge Thomas took the envelope, pulled out the letterhead pages, and began reading the doctor’s statement.

“On July fourteenth,” Marcus said, speaking so every person in the gallery could hear, “Mr.

Whitman was undergoing four hours of diagnostic testing.

He was forty miles away, receiving an official diagnosis of early-onset Parkinson’s disease.”

Patty drew in a quick breath behind us, her hand moving to her throat.