‘Given that these next set of witnesses are unable to give a satisfactory meaning to the word oath, I will relay what they have reported to me.’

‘Objection!’ Mister Grignon say in a loud voice. ‘Am I to assume this means your next witnesses are slaves? And if so, how do we know that what you report back to us is not merely hearsay.’

Mister Jackson clear him throat and smile. ‘These reports were compiled in front of several witnesses, all of whom have signed a declaration stating as such – a declaration, which I present to the court as Exhibit A.’

‘Objection overruled,’ the judge say. ‘Proceed, Mister Jackson.’

‘Thank you, Your Honour. These witnesses will help to give context to the fact that although the court has already found the Maroon Robert McKellar guilty of killing Mr Mowatt, the Mowatt slaves that go by the name of William and Stella,’ him say, pointing at us, ‘are accessories to the crime.’

Then Mister Jackson open up him big book and start to tell the court what him learn. ‘Winston, the head driver on the plantation, told me he saw’ – him point at me – ‘the mulatto slave William and Robert McKellar several times in conversation. The day before the alleged accident, they even had breakfast at the Great House, together. He also overheard the other accused’ – him point at Stella – ‘the Negro slave Stella, complain that their master had driven away McKellar. Mister Mowatt had told her he did not want McKellar to visit the plantation anymore. She was very unhappy about this, because McKellar was a good friend.’

All this is true. But then him tell the court Winston say I turn up late for work on the morning of Massa death. What him don’t tell Mister Jackson is the reason why. Winston discover the evening before that one of the cattle gone missing. Him worried Massa going find out so him send me to find that cow, and I did. But it make it seem like me up to something. Make it seem like I could be off killing Massa.

Winston never liked that Massa didn’t let him punish me the way him can punish the other slaves. Whip them back, send them to the stocks. The only time Winston got him way was when him catch me stealing two plantains from the plantain walk. Ran tell Busha Davis, ran tell Massa. Got to punish me for stealing. Hurt bad when him break me front tooth. Then to add misery to injury, Massa held back me portion of saltfish at Christmas.

Mister Jackson bring all this up. Laying it before the court, him call it. Laying it all out to prove that this could be a motive. A reason why I want to take revenge on Massa.

Through all this Mister Grignon keep jumping up and saying, ‘Objection. This is hearsay!’

Most times the judge say, ‘Objection overruled.’