Falsely accused

Jordy awoke groggily, prying his sticky eyelids apart, attempting to survey his surroundings. He had that dazed and muddled feeling when you wake up and aren’t quite sure where you are. Relief flooded through him when he realized he was home, sprawled across his own bed, which he must have collapsed onto in the shape of a starfish in the early hours of the morning.

 He sat up wearily, his whole body feeling drained and heavy from the substantial amount of alcohol he had consumed the night before. He rubbed his clammy palms into his eyes to try and remove some of the gunk that had formed. His memory was hazy. 

‘Must have walked home,’ he thought to himself. 

This was something of a routine for Jordy. Friday night,  house party,  intoxication to the point of total blackout, wake up at home in bed and assume the night had been a success. Even more successful were the nights when he woke up in someone else's bed.

He reached thirstily towards the pint of water on the bedside table and knocked it over, spilling its contents all over the carpet. He cursed profanities under his breath as he jumped quickly out of bed and half-heartedly threw a towel over the soggy mess. 

He heard the familiar thumping of his mum’s footsteps climbing the questionable ladder to his cozy and secluded attic bedroom. He hated the fact he was still living at home. He was only 19 but so many of his mates had their own places already, he would need a job first though and his prospects weren’t looking fruitful.

His mum opened the rickety trap door that led to a step ladder down onto the top landing of the house. She popped her head up and looked at Jordy with a stare that meant business “You’d better come downstairs,” she said sternly, her face glowing a violent color of puce.  

Oh, he knew he was in trouble for something or other. He wondered what he had done this time. 

Last week he had dragged home a pot plant that he had stolen from one of the neighbors, drunkenly envisioning his mother being happy that he had spruced up the garden a little. His mum nearly blew a gasket when the neighbor turned up in the morning, claiming to have followed the soil trail to their front door. 

“I’ve never been so humiliated in my life,” She had screamed furiously at him, her permed locks becoming unraveled she was so enraged. She had barely spoken to him all week. 

He quickly threw on the closest pair of stained but comfortable sweat pants he could find and prayed he hadn’t done anything too ridiculously idiotic this time. He really wanted a new Xbox for Christmas and that dream seemed to be blowing away on a soft wind just out of his reach with every passing debaucherous weekend. He really needed to learn to be more discreet and hide his wild antics from his increasingly tense parents. 

As he walked into the living room his anxiety skyrocketed as he realized there were two uniformed policemen sitting on his sofa. He glanced towards his mum for reassurance and felt more panic as she wouldn’t meet his eye. She stared intently at the carpet, studying it as though she hadn’t walked all over it for the last 20 years.

Jordy eyed the two policemen in anticipation. One was almost as tall as the ceiling and nearly as wide as he was tall, a bristly beard forming around his chin. His head seemed to be attached directly to his torso and any presence of a neck did not appear to be visible. He introduced himself as Officer Reynolds. The second, pitifully short in comparison, looked marginally less threatening than the first. He introduced himself as Officer Townsley. Jordy wondered which was the good cop and which was the bad although he already had a good idea in the first 10 seconds of appraising them. He also wondered what the hell they were doing in his living room staring at him as if he was some sort of terrorist.

What had he done this time that he had no recollection of? Public Indecency? He had once been pulled over for peeing on the side of the pavement whilst walking home from the pub and this was very unfortunate to have been witnessed by a passing patrol car. Defacement of Public Property? He had also once been brought into the principal's office and suspended for one week following graffitiing a very politically incorrect mustache onto the bronze statue of General George S. Patton. He didn’t think that vandalism would warrant the atmosphere he was sensing from these present officers. 

“Jordy Cunningham,” began the smaller of the two, “we have reason to suspect you were involved in the sexual assault of one Jennifer Carter at around 3 AM this morning. We need you to come down to the station with us and answer some questions”.

Jordy’s heart thumped in his chest so loud he suspected they would hear it. He willed it to be quiet, worrying that if they could hear it they would assume him guilty from the very beginning. 

What happened last night, he tried to grasp at the last memories he had of leaving the party. Yes, there was a girl. Was her name Jennifer? Jen, that’s what she had called herself. Yes, they had a quick kiss, but nothing more. Was he sure? He wasn’t one hundred percent sure, more like 67 percent sure? He was one hundred percent sure he wouldn’t have assaulted anyone, he just wasn’t sure about the sex part.  How could this be happening? His mind clouded as he struggled to recollect his last memories of the night before. 

He remembered being introduced to Jen, he recalled that he thought at that moment she was obnoxiously stunning, long dark hair swept around her cherub-like face, she had a fiery look of menace behind her eyes and he could imagine she was an absolute trouble maker. Most of his friends were troublemakers and he was very keen to get to know her better. 

The larger policeman led him outside. “We don’t need to use handcuffs, do we, Jordy?” He offered with a grimace. 

Jordy’s words caught in his throat, breathing felt like sandpaper being dragged along the inside of his chest. He shook his head vigorously to acknowledge he would go willingly, he did not relish the idea of being marched outside in handcuffs in the middle of the day, his reputation was bad enough in this neighborhood as it was. 

“I’ll meet you at the station Jordy, hopefully, I’ll be able to take you home after you’ve answered all of the officer’s questions honestly and truthfully,” his mum’s voice quivered, shame plastered across her face. 

He was led into the interrogation room,  the icy cold temperature caused goosebumps to cover his bare arms. He hadn’t even grabbed a coat on the way out because he was so disorientated. This may be the worst hangover he had ever had, he thought dismally. 

“So, Jordy, do you wanna tell us what happened last night?” Croaked Reynolds accusatorily.

“Ehm, yeah, sure, “ Jordy stumbled over his words carelessly, “I’m not entirely sure about the end of the night, I know I was at my mate Dean’s house for most of the night. I left probably around 1 or 2 in the morning, I just went home I guess,” he answered clumsily.

“So, what you’re saying is, your not really sure what happened? You can’t remember getting home or the exact time that you left the party?” Retorted Townsley smugly. 

“Do you remember meeting Jennifer? There are a few witnesses from the party who have stated you two were lookin’ real friendly around the time you claim you left?” Reynolds slid in. 

“I might have met her but nothing happened I swear! I only kissed her, she was into it, nothing else happened I promise!” Jordy shouted desperately. “I don’t know what she is saying but she’s lying. I swear.” He bowed his head defeatedly, he knew it was useless. 

“We have witnesses placing you and Jennifer together at the party, apparently looking quite intimate with each other and then leaving together. Now Jennifer claims that after you left the party you decided to take a walk through King’s park, this is where you forced yourself onto her. She asked you to stop and you wouldn’t. You clearly wanted to take things to the next level, she told you no and then you became violent, aggravated. You sexually assaulted her there in the park.” Blasted Reynolds aggressively. 

“Confess this to us now and we may be able to get you some leniency in sentencing, if you show us that you are remorseful for what you have done, alcohol was involved, you regret your actions, the judge may go easy on you. You don’t have a history of sexual discrepancies, yet.” pleaded Townsley, his good cop part played smoothly and sympathetically. 

“I didn’t do it,” Jordy spat defiantly. 

“You’ve got a visitor,” barked the on-duty officer, sliding his cell door open. Jordy lifted himself up from his bed, solid as a rock beneath him. His back was aching, two months had passed at a dull and painful pace. Seven more to go and he could walk out of there, only if he could still walk after nine months on that piece of crap bed. The thought of release didn’t ease his anxiety any. What did he have to walk out to? He thought it was hard to get a job before when he just had terrible grades and a bad attitude. Now, he was a convicted criminal and was on the Sex Offenders Register. He had never been the most ambitious young man, but he had hoped that one day ambition would come to him, he might grow into it. What was the point in having any ambition now he had been branded a rapist? It had been all over the local newspapers, every single person who knew him now thought he was a sexual deviant, a predator. Life as he knew it was over. 

He sloped into the blindingly bright visitor’s room, dragging his feet unenthusiastically underneath him. He saw his Mum sitting there, dutifully smiling at him, wearing her best yellow dress. He hated these visits. Unnecessary pleasantries were exchanged, all the while Jordy saw the hopelessness in his mother’s eyes. She didn’t believe him. Her love for him was tainted. Of course, she would still visit him, she would still embrace him when it was time to go home, she would still support him for the rest of his life whilst he battled the stigma against him, but she didn’t believe he didn’t do it. He knew he could never forgive her for that. 

“So, what’s going on at home?” Jordy asked politely, not really having a shred of interest in what was going on at home. 

“Oh, not much, everything is the same. Gemma from work is having a baby so I’ll have to work a little more to cover her workload soon,” his mum answered in her fake cheery tones. 

He knew things weren’t good at home. His younger brother Eddy told him people had been egging the house. Saying nasty things to his mum in the grocery store too. Apparently, she broke into fits of tears mid shop one day and had to abandon the trolley in the middle of the shop. He felt a pang of guilt for his mum being put through this. It wasn’t fair. She didn’t deserve it. 

“Any word from Dean or any of the others?” asked his mum tentatively. She knew none of his friends had bothered to contact him since the trial. 

The agonizing trial had lasted three days and used his friends and teachers as witnesses to obliterate his character. They delved into every detail of his life, shredding him to pieces, shining a light on all his flaws. Jen was incredibly convincing on the stand, recalling tiny details of the night and brutally relaying the particulars of what sounded like a very violent and traumatic experience. After enough doubt had been planted in the minds of the jury, they decided that he was evidently capable of such a terrible deed and the judge sentenced him to nine months behind bars. 

“No Mum, they’re not my friends anymore and you know it. Don’t think I’ll be hearing from any of them again, not after this,” Jordy put his head in his hands and tried to stop his emotions from bubbling to the surface. It would not have convinced his mum he was holding up okay if he started to cry like a baby in front of her. He didn’t want her to worry. She looked thinner. Much thinner. 

“I’m sorry Mum, everything’s going to be alright I promise. I’ll get out of here and I’ll look at colleges. Maybe I could move to the city, no one will know me there,” he suggested calmly. “Any idea if Dad will come to visit me yet?” He added carefully. His Dad hadn’t spoken to him since the court date either. He couldn’t believe they all found it so easy to be convinced by this lying psychopath of a girl. How could they believe he was capable of the things she had accused him of. This girl had ruined his life. His life, his reputation, his friends, his family, and his future, all in the gutter in exchange for one unmemorable, stupid, drunken kiss.

The weeks began to blur together and Jordy felt as consistently hopeless and isolated as he had done on his first day in his stale and stifling cell. His cell door was suddenly wrenched open and a guard he did not recognize stood before him. 

“Grab all of your belongings, it’s time to go,” commanded the surly guard. 

“What are ya going on about?” Jordy asked weakly, he knew he was still nowhere near his release date. 

“Come on boy, I don’t have time for this, I said grab your stuff and let’s get going!” The guard shouted so threateningly Jordy nearly jumped out of his own skin. He began darting around the room grabbing anything he would even consider bringing with him, he didn’t have much. He followed the guard through the maze of corridors that led to the front office. He was completely bemused. Had he somehow gone into a deep psychosis and missed the remaining duration of his sentence? Had he lost his marbles? 

“You’re a free man, young man,” growled the head guard, known by all inmates as The Bull, “seems there’s been some developments with your case”. 

Jordy couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He was sure he had definitely somehow lost his mind. He felt like such a weakling to have lost his mind after only four months in prison, he hadn’t even been in solitary confinement. 

He looked up and saw his mum standing waving at him from the other side of the plain glass window, beaming her biggest smile from ear to ear. 

He signed all the necessary paperwork, was handed back his belongings that he surrendered upon arrival, and burst through the door to meet his mother. He was shocked to find his dad standing beside her, looking thoroughly ashamed of himself. 

“I’m so sorry son. I should have known you wouldn’t,” his dad whimpered tearfully. 

“What’s going on guys? They’ve not told me anything!” Cried Jordy exasperatedly. 

“You’ve been cleared of all charges. That Jennifer girl turned herself in! She couldn’t handle the guilt anymore knowing she had made the whole thing up!” His mother looked half ecstatic and half remorseful at this sudden turn of events. 

“Apparently she’s been on medication,” his dad offered gently “I think she’s a bit unwell.” 

“You mean to say she’s a total nutter and she tried to ruin my life for no good reason?” Jordy started to lose his temper. He had gone over and over in his head these last months what really happened and why he was in this position, it was difficult to just let it go because the girl needed a trip to the mental health doctor. 

“I know it doesn’t excuse what she did, but it’s over now. Thank god she finally came to her senses and turned herself in, and she can hopefully begin to get the help she clearly needs. This was obviously a massive cry for attention,” his mum offered her reasoning calmly. “Let’s go home, everything is going to be okay.”

Jordy found it incredible how many people came to apologize to him when word had spread that he was innocent after all. All of them radiated embarrassment and shame that they had treated him and his entire family like lepers. He found his perspective drastically changed about the people he used to hold dear, they had known him his whole life, his so called friends. They had all found it so easy to light their torches and join the witch hunt. Life had definitely changed forevermore, and maybe that was a good thing. Maybe he would still move to the city and change his life. This was an eye-opening fresh start.

Jen was sentenced to just 3 weeks in prison for wasting police time and perverting the course of justice. 

Jordy didn’t feel there was anything justified about it, but sometimes you just gotta let it go and move on.