posted
Every year I whomp on a novel in November, and every year I try a different genre (although they all tend to run funny, as in "funny science fiction," "funny erotica," "funny mystery," etc). This year it's looking like (drum roll) funny horror.
Namely because I have an idea for a concept but I'm going to need help on the execution. As it were. The notion?
As the murder trial for a prominent local man gets underway, the prosecution -- with the help of a voudoun relative -- produces an unusual bit of evidence: the deceased, reanimated.
He won't have a clear memory of the incident so he can't finger his murderer, but he would be an invaluable source of information. Also, I love the idea of the medical examiners being able to question him on the stand.
"And here you can see how the bullet's path went... excuse me, sir, would you stand up?"
"Hmm? Yes, certainly." The late Mr. Parker stood up and leaned slightly to the left, effecting an "Oh!" of surprise and a dramatic grimace as the medical examiner used a pointer to indicate the exit wound.
"As you can see, the bullet left his skull under the right ear, suggesting that--"
The defense attorney shot up like a gopher. "Objection! Mr. Parker is attempting to influence the jury"
"Sustained," the judge said. "Mr. Parker, please keep your expressions neutral during the testimony."
"Sorry, your honor. Just trying to get into the spirit." Parker's ravaged face relaxed into a happy smile. One of the jurists giggled.
"Objection, your honor!"
And so on and so forth. He'd be treated as evidence rather than as a witness as his legal status would be somewhat questionable. He'd be an obvious target for the actual murderer who'd want walking and talking evidence removed. He'd probably freak out his family. He'd have to get in on solving his own murder. And he'd be fun to write, as without glands or much of a tie to the world of the living he'd be remarkably calm and forthright no matter what happened.
My problem: an utter lack of any legal knowledge more complicated than what was on "Ally McBeal." For a fair amount of this thing I'm going to need advice and at least a good read-through, possibly several. I don't want to approach anyone and guilt them into it -- fun as that would be -- so I'm asking for volunteers. Postulating that a zombie could be admitted as evidence, how would it be used in a trial?
Also, if anyone knows if this has already been done, please let me know before I get too far into it. I've asked some friends who are more familiar with the field of horror but the more eyes the better.
[ October 10, 2005, 11:40 AM: Message edited by: Chris Bridges ]
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posted
I've got some questions - what happens to the deceased after the trial is over? Do they dis-animate him? Is he welcomed back into the bosom of his family? Do he get shuffled off to some zombie concentration camp?
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Not a murder mystery, but you might want to read Pratchett's Reaper Man for the zombie's disconnect between body and soul. As well as Pratchett's take on Shakespearean ghosts in Wyrd Sisters. And various other books with souls less than aware of the circumstances surrounding their own deaths, and the oddities of the zombie body.
There was also a story in a ?2002? ?Asimov's? magazine (as reaction to 9/11) concerning victims of terrorism being revivified as witnesses. And how the dead viewed things differently than the prosecution expected.
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The plan is to allow the deceased to drop back into rest after the trial. He'll be animated by the will power of the voudoun (no flesh-eating) so letting it happen won't be a problem. Of course, that means the voudoun would also be a target, wouldn't it...
If Terry Pratchett has written it, odds are very good I've read it. I love "Reaper Man," but I doubt I'll go the same direction. My zombie would be closer to Reg Shoe than to Windle Poons but without the emotion. He'll also be stunningly tactless and honest, traits he certainly was not in life.
Hadn't heard about the Asimov's story, but I'm mostly concerned with anyone using the same attitude/plot points I'll be using.
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Look for an author named Jeff Strand. He works pretty much exclusively in that field with hilarious books like "Graverobbers Wanted (No Experience Necessary)," "Single White Psychopath Seeks Same," and "Casket For Sale (Only Used Once)."
Also I owe him for getting him and his wife hooked on Firefly Posts: 7790 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Chris, I think you'd have to make him strictly an exhibit - no testifying. He can't be sworn in properly and his reliability is questionable.
Of course, a pretrial hearing on the reliability of zombie testimony would be quite amusing. Or on whether an expert at zombie-interpretation could enter his findings under the Daubert rule of expert testimony admissibility. There could even be a fun hearsay argument: is it hearsay if a zombie said it?
If you feel like saying anything about what science is and the appropriate role of science in society, this would be the place to do it.
I'd love to help with procedure and such, but there are two problems:
1.) I only know federal and Virginia criminal procedure; both are likely quite different from whatever state you set this in. I am pretty good with rules of evidence, though.
2.) I'm terribly time-crushed this semester, and looking for easy ways to procrastinate on writing my Note. I probably can't afford to have something this interesting available to me.
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He definitely wouldn't be a witness. It would be a heck of a battle just to get him admitted as evidence. Of course, evidence with the habit of speaking up will have its own problems...
There will be protests outside the courtroom from people horrified at the prospects. But I won't be getting too deeply into social aspects or satire; think light and funny.
Could I send you the occasional quick question? You wouldn't need to respond in depth, just tell me where to look. Or a simple "No one's done that since Perry Mason, quit watching TV for legal techniques" would do...
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