I’LL NEVER BE ABLE TO FORGET
Sitting in a hushed courtroom, David Laver forced himself to look at the grim photographs of a murder scene. Until he was called to jury service two years (1) ________________, David had never been inside a court. But (2) ________________ he saw and heard there has haunted him ever (3) ________________.
“I thought I’d be trying a drink-driving (4) ________________ a fraud case,” says David. “I never dreamed I’d end (5) ________________ on a murder trial.”
In Britain, jury service is a public duty and (6) ________________ over the age of eighteen may (7) ________________ called upon to do it.
“When the charge was read out, I began to feel scared, but I had (8)________________ warning of the emotions I was going to go (9)________________ as the trial went on. I started having nightmares, but (10) ________________ you’re not allowed to discuss what you’ve heard in court, I couldn’t even tell my wife.”
David can (11) ________________ vividly remember the tape recording of the 999 call made by the victim. She was pleading for help but because she (12) ________________ not speak properly, the telephone operator thought it was a child messing about and didn’t put the call through to the police.
“When the tape was played in court, (13) ________________ went so quiet you could hear people breathing. It was so awful that you didn’t (14) ________________ look at anyone else.”
The jury returned a guilty verdict and the accused was jailed (15)________________ life.
“I wanted to put the whole thing (16) ________________ me quickly,” David says, “but I’ll never be able to forget it.”
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