Chapter 5

Michelle Black, Friday, September 10, 2010

I mounted the steps of the Capitol building, being careful to give an impression of confidence and strength. I flashed a smile at one of the photographers climbing up the stairs backwards in front of me. I suppose they get used to doing that. We met two of the Representatives that were sponsoring the bill, Laurie Wright and Bobby Witt, to go over my testimony one last time.

We walked across the street to some sort of office building and into a hearing room. It was full of reporters and I took a deep breath before sitting down in front of the microphone. I read my prepared statement and took a few questions. They were all sympathetic, and covered stuff I'd gone over with Anna. When all of the Democrats on the committee had finished, Mr. Witt asked me a few questions about the girls that had gotten raped before me. Then he turned the questioning over to Representative Foreman of North Dakota, an older man with large glasses.

"Ms. Black, you said you were drinking the night this gentleman allegedly raped you?"

"Yes sir, I had a beer and it tasted funny. I must have passed out because..."

"So how do we know you didn't just get drunk and decide to uhhh ... go home with this young man and then regret it in the morning?"

Forcing myself to remain calm, I replied: "It was only one beer, without a drug of some sort in it that wouldn't be enough to make me lose my judgment like that. Besides, this guy had been after me for months."

"So this wasn't the first time you drank beer?"

"No..."

"Mr. Chairman, I don't know how we can consider this girl's testimony credible when she's admitted to habitual drinking and she acknowledges having sexual relationships with several other boys."

That comment took me aback and I slumped back into my chair, trying to catch my breath. Mr. Witt put his hand over his microphone and said something to the committee chairman, who just shrugged his shoulders.

"I understand from your earlier testimony that your troubles with Mr. Trevino started during your week in the Naked In School Program?"

I choked out a "Yes, sir."

"Then what it seems to me is that Mr. Trevino was so excited by your appearance in this Program, which I have long suggested would lead to just this sort of confusion, awakened in Mr. Trevino the impulses which boys of that age are susceptible to, which he was finally able to act on when you drank too much at a party."

I gritted my teeth. "With all due respect, sir, that's not what happened."

"I think I have all the evidence I need."

I slumped back in my chair as the committee chair hurriedly gaveled the hearing to a close.