In the last episode of Love & Death, Candy Montgomery made the decision to retain Don Crowder as her attorney. Soon after, Don began preparing her for the impending trial because he knew she would have to face criticism from the public and even those who lived in her own neighborhood. He had thought of every last detail, from what to dress in front of the jury to how to act in front of the media frenzy. Knowing that the odds were against him, Crowder wanted to start the battle strong. Crowder, who had no prior training in the sector, had taken on one of the most significant homicide investigations. Candy was given the benefit of the doubt when Don told her that she could select one of the many capable attorneys who regularly practiced criminal law. But Candy had made it very clear to him that she didn’t care whether he had industry knowledge or not since she just wanted someone to represent her. Don might have easily criticized Candy because they both came from the same community, but he chose not to. He was friendly with Allan and Betty Gore as well, but when Candy and Pat approached him, he conducted himself in a way that made Candy feel secure. He gained Candy’s trust in just one meeting, leading her to tell him the truth that she had indeed killed Betty and that the police’s suspicions were valid.
Candy was strictly forbidden from talking to anyone about the case or what they talked in Crowder’s chamber after he learned about the strange occurrences on that fateful day in Love & Death Episode 5. Candy had assured him that Pat was an honorable man, and she was unsure of what he would do or how he would respond if he learned that his wife had murdered a woman he knew well and frequently interacted with. But Pat was curious about his wife’s condition and whether she had any prospect of recovery. He urged Candy to trust him because he was not easily swayed by what other people had to say despite the fact that he loved her despite her imperfections. Crowder understood that Pat’s request was reasonable, and that he, too, should be ready to respond to any inquiries or accusations made against him by the media. Candy feared how Pat would react after he learned the graphic details of the case, but in contrast to her expectations, Pat had a positive opinion of Candy. In truth, he felt a little bit relieved that Candy was spared the impact. Finally, the trial day arrived, and the normally quiet town of Wylie, Texas, witnessed a group of reporters stirring up public commotion with their explosive and spiced-up on-the-ground reportage.
How Did Crowder Turn The Scale In Candy s Favor?
More than anybody else, Allan’s presence in the witness box aided Candy’s cause. He said in court that he had no reason to think Candy would act in such a way. Crowder was able to demonstrate in court that Betty had been under stress because she believed she was expecting for a number of days. Crowder also made his case stronger by pointing out that Betty constantly became upset whenever Allan had to leave town on a business trip. Crowder’s major objective was to demonstrate that Betty had been mentally unstable and was capable of losing her cool and attacking Candy with an ax. Then, Crowder inquired as to whether Allan had ever brought Candy to his garage, where he typically kept his ax. Allan told the court the truth when he stated that, to his knowledge, Candy had never entered his garage, demonstrating that it was not she who had originally gone to collect the murder weapon. Crowder was an expert at cross-examining witnesses, and he was able to show Candy had no reason to randomly take her automobile out in the open and go to Betty Gore’s house to kill her. Surprisingly, Allan made no attempt to refute anything Crowder said. He simply kept swaying and nodding in the direction Crowder was leading him. He didn’t detest Candy, and he thought Candy might have killed Betty in self-defense, which was one thing that became evident. Allan was visibly shaken, and his stern manner came from the fact that he was still trying to make sense of what had happened and how his life had suddenly changed.
Crowder then pursued the sheriff and other law enforcement officials, demonstrating that there was no solid proof that Candy was the one who had launched the initial assault. Another logical inference that Crowder skillfully made was that if Candy really intended to kill Betty and it was a premeditated crime, why would she do it during the daytime with her automobile visible to everyone outside Betty’s house? The case was gradually moving in Candy’s favor even after the impression that the media had generated it, but the prosecution had one deadly tool they were reserving until the very end that might have ruined everything.
What Did The Pathologist Say About Betty s Wounds?
Everything about Don and Candy’s claim of self-defense was perfect—the only fault was that Candy had hit Betty 40 times, which made it hard for anyone to accept that she was acting in self-defense. The pathologist’s evidence may ruin Don and his team’s game, but they didn’t know how to fix it. They merely prayed that a miracle would occur, preventing the jury from basing its decision on the pathologist’s testimony. Don was aware that some circumstances were beyond his control, but he did have some influence over Candy’s public persona while speaking with the jury and the media. Even if the facts were in the client’s favor, according to Don Crowder, half of cases were decided by perceptions, and if that went wrong, it was very difficult to save the client. Consequently, he instructed Candy on appropriate attire and behavior both within and outside the courtroom. Candy was often a little sleepy and drunk because she was taking medication to soothe her anxiety. Don had constantly pleaded with her to refuse because he was aware that if the jury found out, it would paint her in a very negative light. In addition, he wanted the people to feel sorry for her, which her stoic attitude wasn’t doing.
The pathologist showed in, and as was to be expected, his evidence revealed the horrible circumstances of Betty’s death. He claimed that one side of her face was crushed so severely that all that was left was a pile of blood and tissue. He added that Betty’s body had scars that showed she had been attempting to defend herself from the assailant. Additionally, the prosecution established that Betty received all injuries while she was still alive and only one injury after her death. At the conclusion of Love & Death, episode 6, Don Crowder makes a feeble defense by claiming that Betty may have been mostly asleep, but he understood that there was no use trying to hide the reality because it was so obvious. Candy Montgomery was Crowder’s first witness, but he had already recognized that she was clearly drunk when he called her to the witness stand. Don walked up to the court and asked that he adjourn for the day and resume proceedings tomorrow because he knew he could not call her to the witness stand in her current condition. The judge turned down his motion and allowed him 10 minutes to calm down his client and get her ready to testify.
The conflict, which Crowder and his group believed was ending in their favor, was still ongoing. They had been severely damaged by the pathologist’s testimony, and now they needed a miracle to change the jury’s mind and persuade them not to base their verdict on it. The fact that Crowder was highly proactive and impassioned in his arguments worked to Candy’s advantage. He was fired up to prove who he was after his conflict with the judge further fueled the flames. There was still a long way to go and they had to win many small fights along the road to prevail, but Crowder’s creative strategies and compelling arguments were hard to ignore.
