Court Case

I am simple. I am a killer - that is true, but hear my story.
Perhaps you can forgive me of my sins. Or better still, you might even
see that I am innocent of the charges that have brought me here.

I have chosen to represent myself. I don't need a lawyer sticking up
for me, or cleverly manipluating the prosecutions witnesses words to
create doubt in your minds. That's not what I want. What I do want, is
that you listen to the truth and honestly ask yourselves if you would
act as I did, if you had been me. I ask you, to put yourselves in my
position as the time of the crime, and ask your hearts, ask your souls
"what would I do". That is all I expect from you, ladies and gentlemen
of the jury. Good luck with your task and we'll talk more later.

As my first witness I call myself to the stand. I hearby vow to tell
the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. So here's the
story.

I'm young. I know - but I got involved with my chic at a pretty early
age. I was an early starter - we catch the worm you know. Anyway, we
got our own place together. I've been working longer hours on the
nightwatch, and I thought things were going to be OK - we would just
about be able to keep our heads above water. Then she goes and gets
pregnant. Extra mouths to feed, we didn't even have enough for
ourselves, it's been difficult to get food these days as you well
know.

Then we lost one of 'em. the littlest one. Just couldn't get enough to
eat. Val was so depressed she stopped being able to feed them
altogether, I didn't know what to do.

So that's what led me to it. I went hunting. I just flew out of the
nest, soured around for a bit, saw the mouse and swooped down and
grabbed it. My wife was better for it, my children survived - I am
proud of what I did. I.....I didn't realise the doormouse was an
endangered species. I'm sorry for that - but it was an accident. I
swear, your honour, I didn't know.

Erm, your witness District Attorney Wolf.