Chapter 16 - The Hearing
The criminal case did not end with the video. Adrian's attorney challenged the evidence, questioned the technician's memory, and argued that the tower might have fallen because the pedestal was already defective. The prosecutor answered with the original inspection photographs, the recovered camera file, the phone records, and Peter Lang's testimony about the last-minute request.
Jules testified that the tower was stable when his crew finished. He admitted he should have rechecked the change, but his mistake did not explain why Adrian pressed the pedal.
Peter testified that Adrian wanted a distraction to retrieve the audit folder and expected Noah to be upstairs before the tower fell. The prosecutor asked why he continued when the boy remained beside it.
Peter looked toward the defense table. "He said it would only take a second. He said the tower would fall away from the guests."
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The recovered footage showed that was not what happened. The tower leaned toward Noah's play area, and Elena had to pull him clear. Adrian made no attempt to warn anyone.
The judge found the evidence sufficient for the case to proceed to trial. For the first time, the truth did not depend on a child's memory alone.
