Page 146 of Precise Justice

“All but three,” Camille answered.

“Have you had opportunity to spend time with the accused, Robbie Craig?”

“I have. Several hours,” Camille answered. “I have also reviewed her medical and counseling records and read her diaries.”

“How many of the transgender boys to girls would you say are homicidal to the point where you reported them to the authorities?”

“None that were homicidal. In moments of frustration, anger and depression, I would say seventy-five to eighty percent made angry remarks about killing someone. I knew from my sessions, none of them would act on it.”

“Why do you believe that?” Jennifer asked.

“Because it was always nonspecific, not directed at anyone in particular and said in a moment of frustration.”

“What about Robbie Craig? Did she ever threaten to kill anyone?”

“No, not to me during our time together,” Camille answered.

“Not even in anger?”

“No, not even in anger and she is angry about what was done to her.”

“Of your transgender patients, the ones who were boys and became girls, how many, if any, spoke about suicide?” Jennifer asked.

“All of them, but none serious enough to actually do it, or so I thought.”

“What do you mean, I thought?”

Camille took a long time to answer and even had to be prodded by Judge Foster.

“I had one who did. She was home alone for a weekend. She swallowed a bunch of pills then called a transgender adult student of mine. The student rushed to her home while calling the police. She got there a little too late. The young girl died in Joan’s arms. Joan was the student.”

“Did Robbie Craig have suicidal tendencies?”

“Yes, she even tried once. Her father saved her. I don’t believe she still has those thoughts.”

“The big question, Professor Bethany. In your expert opinion, do you believe Roberta Craig-Powell could commit these horrible murders?”

“No, absolutely not.”

On cross-examination, Raines did a better job than Hughes would have. She hammered Camille hard on the one suicide patient she had. How could she be so certain Robbie was not homicidal when she had made such a huge mistake?

Raines took her time with this and broke the sequence into many parts, finally getting to the last one, which was a question that Marc and Jennifer had prepared her for. Still, when Raines got to it, Camille sat speechless, without even a weak answer.

Then, Raines shifted to the hired expert questions. This was where Camille turned it on her.

“Just how much were you paid to give your expert opinion here today?” Raines asked with an obvious snarky attitude.

“Nothing, actually. I mean they paid my airfare, a hotel room, a couple of meals and a cab ride. My expenses.”

With that answer, it was Raines’ turn to stare vacantly.

She shook it off then said, “You mean they…”

“Not a penny,” Camille said before the question was asked.

“Wait until she finishes asking her question, Professor,” Foster told her.

“Withdrawn,” your Honor. “I have nothing further.”