Jun 12, 2016

"It is hard to get my head clear and my energy up. I am doing everything I can do to make myself presentable."

This is the Jane Doe jurors heard and saw on Day 1. She is the alleged victim in Count 1 and 2 in the case against ex HCSO deputy Jason Daniels.

Deputy District Attorney Brie Bennett started her questioning of Jane Doe #1, "How are you feeling?"

Jane Doe responded, "I have had better days."

In response to other questions by Ms. Bennett,she said it was difficult "being here in court. I have a lot of psychological issues that I am trying to get help with; mental health issues."

Jane Doe # told Ms. Bennett she did not take any prescribed medications or alcohols and that it had been a few days since she had taken anything and that "it is unusual for me."

When Ms. Bennett asked Jane Doe # 1 if she was "dealing with the ramifications", she responded, "It is hard to get my head clear and my energy up. I am doing everything I can do to make myself presentable."

Ms. Bennett asked Jane Doe about a meeting "yesterday" in which she had"expressed concerns about being here."

Ms. Bennett: "Do you want to be here today?"

Jane Doe: "Yes, I do."

At one point, Jane Doe asked for a cup of water after taking a  long time to look up and answer any question.

Ms. Bennett asked her if she was having difficulty "because of how you are feeling and are you detoxifying. Ms. Doe are you able to understand the questions I am asking."

At this point, court recessed for a break. Jane Doe was led into a conference room by Courtroom 4. A couple of minutes later, Ms. Bennett and one of Danies' attorneys, Ms. Julia Fox,  went in to talk with Judge Timothy Cissna "about an emergency situation." At 11:05, the bailiff came out and escorted all the jurors into a room, where they could not see anything on the second floor,

The jury did not get to see Jane Doe #1 been taken to the hospital during the break. Court was recessed and jurors got to hear the rest of the testimony, the following day.

On the first day Jane Doe testified, June 8, jurors got to see a woman, who could barely stay awake, needed to be helped to the witness stand by a support person from Victim Witness and could barely stay focused. She did not remember being in custody at the time when she first reported the alleged assault. She could not identify Daniels on June 8. She looked very different from the woman who testified a year ago at the preliminary hearing and she was more alert and coherent at that time.


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