Free Fox is Framed by Lachlan Smith

object to the statement being admitted without Bell’s testimony. But Liu overruled the objection and told Shanahan to go ahead. The state wasn’t required to bring Bell into court until the trial.
    Shanahan proceeded in a monotone, paraphrasing from the document in front of him. “The informant told me that one morning in 1991, he and ‘Larry’ were in the yard at San Quentin prison, where they both were inmates. Larry remarked to the informant that his younger son was graduating from college, and that he hadn’t spoken to the son since Larry’s arrest. Then Larry made the comment, ‘The boy hates me. I killed his mother.’ He went on, ‘It was a terrible thing, but it had to be done. I just wish he hadn’t been the one to find her. I’ll have to live with that for the rest of my days.’”
    The younger son referenced in the supposed confession, of course, was me. I heard the murmur of hushed voices, muted exclamation, and a buzzing in my ears. The courtroom seemed to swim. The gist of the confession, even if manufactured, struck me as the sort of remarks my father might make. It pierced me to the core.
    Crowder moved on quickly, establishing that Bell was out of prison but entirely omitting any mention of Lawrence’s role in getting Bell exonerated. They went on for about ten more minutes, Shanahan testifying that the details of Lawrence’s confession matched those of the crime.
    At last, Crowder yielded the podium to Nina. “Detective, please identify the informant and give his current address and telephone number,” Nina said.
    Shanahan looked at Crowder. She promptly announced that the state would not disclose the informant’s identity out of concern for his safety.
    â€œMs. Schuyler?” Judge Liu said.
    â€œWe’re entitled to this informant’s identity. The prosecution can’t withhold evidence.”
    â€œIf the defendant wants to learn this informant’s identity, he can follow the procedures in the Evidence Code,” Crowder said. “But that’s for another day. We’re here to establish probable cause.”
    â€œI agree,” Judge Liu said. “Ms. Schuyler, you can raise this issue again at the proper time, by motion. Your questioning today should be limited to matters that would conclusively establish your client’s innocence.”
    â€œBut we can’t possibly prove that this informant is lying without knowing his identity,” Nina protested.
    â€œI won’t allow a fishing expedition. If you develop something, I’ll give you leeway, but right now you’ve got nothing other than conjecture, and that’s not enough for me to disbelieve the informant’s statement.”
    Nina drew an impatient breath and turned to the witness. “Detective Shanahan, do you share the DA’s opinion that disclosing the identity of this informant would pose a safety risk?”
    â€œI do. Absolutely. He begged me not to let the defendant know that he was the one who’d given this information. He told me that if Maxwell found out he’d come forward, his life would be in danger. He said that Maxwell had orchestrated several violent reprisals. In one of those attacks, an inmate had ended up stabbed to death.”
    At the defense table Lawrence loudly muttered, “Jesus.” Judge Liu shot him an angry glance. Nina didn’t turn, but I saw her shoulders tighten. My own blood boiled at his loss of self-control. She must have been even more furious. On the stand, Shanahan now wore a look of self-satisfaction.
    â€œDid you make any attempt to verify whether what he said was true—whether Mr. Maxwell had been responsible for such attacks?”
    â€œMr. Maxwell’s name never came up in the original investigations of those attacks.”
    â€œSo this part of the informant’s story didn’t check out, correct?”
    â€œThat was actually the point, that