Forgiveness

I'm not a religious man,

don't go to church much.

But I did when I was a boy with my mother.

I remember hearing a lot about forgiveness.

Forgiveness being the mark of a spiritual man.

Can't speak for anybody else,

but I sometimes find forgiveness pretty hard.

If you hurt the people that you love,

how do you forgive yourself?

Go Pastor Jenkins.

- Hey, good morning, how you doing?

- Doing great. - How's school?

Straight As sir.

Good, all right.

Philip, how you doing, sir?

- Doing good. - All right, you looking good.

All right, go on.

- (indistinct) Are you gonna be at church?

- Sunday. - Sunday?

Yes sir.

- You say that every week, every week (chuckles).

Hi, pastor Jenkins.

- Hey. - How you doing?

Good to see you.

Good seeing you too.

- I enjoyed your service on Sunday, it was wonderful.

It was wonderful?

- You'll be at the meeting this afternoon?

- I will, I will. - All right, I'll see.

- Are you both going to be there?

- We'll be there. - All right, okay.

- Is everything all right, ma'am?

You need some help?

Oh yeah, I'm fine.

- No, no, no, no, I'm not giving you a ride.

I can tow your car back to the shop

to take a look at your radiator,

and it's gonna take some time.

- I'm sorry, can you track me to school?

I need to go to Holmes Community College,

I have finals today.

I can give you money I can't be late.

It's okay, it's okay, come on.

The keys are in the car.

Thank you so much.

You are so welcome.

I'm Joseph, Joseph Jenkins, I'm a pastor.

So what's your name?

Brittany, Brittany McCleary.

Thank you so much.

You're welcome.

- I really, really appreciate this,

I can't be late for class.

What are you studying?

Nursing.

- Nursing, that's great, that's great.

They never have enough help in the hospitals.

- Well, I like helping people, especially the elderly.

- Wow, God will continue to bless you because of it.

That is, if you believe in the Lord, Jesus.

How is your relationship with God?

Well, to be honest,

I'm sorry pastor, I'm just not that religious.

Ah!

- You do know religion has very little

to do with your relationship with the Lord.

Excuse me.

Hello, pastor Jenkins.

- Hey baby, it's me, I just, I think it might be time.

Slow down, slow down, what?

- It's just really? - When?

- I don't know, I didn't time it's just.

Oh, it's coming, another one is coming!

- Okay, yeah, yeah, I'm on my way.

Oh my god!

Hey, hurry up, hurry up!

I'm sorry, but just!

- Your witness counselor.

- Miss McCleary, when and where was your statement taken

by the officer on the scene,

when you use the words,

"Hysterical and reckless," according to the prosecution?

- Well, I was right there on the side of the road,

right after the accident.

But I didn't use the word recklessly,

I said that he was speeding.

- And what was your emotional state

at the time you were questioned?

I was crying and stuff,

and I don't really remember much from that day.

- Thank you, no further questions, Your Honor.

- You may step down.

Hello?

Hey, what's up?

Man, where the hell are you, man,

I've been calling you all morning?

- I know you've been calling me all morning, man.

I'm in court, that's why I ain't been answering my phone.

You're in what?

Wait, court where.

I'm in Canton, okay.

I'm in Canton in the courthouse.

You're in Canton.

That's not out of our jurisdiction,

does cap know that you're in Canton?

Don't worry about it,

and don't worry about the captain neither.

Just go handle what you need to handle,

and I'm gonna be back later.

It is now your responsibility

to decide whether Joseph Jenkins

was driving irresponsibly and recklessly,

causing a fatal accident and taking three innocent lives.

Or if he was driving a vehicle

that should have been recalled due to faulty break lines,

causing break failure,

and in turn this tragic, tragic accident.

Now, I submit to you that this was not vehicular homicide,

it was an accident.

This could have happened to any one of us.

Joseph Jenkins is a well respected,

revered, highly exalted man in Canton.

You can't send this man, with no prior criminal history,

to prison for a manufacturer's defect.

The defense rest.

- We will take a recess while the jury deliberates.

Jury foreman will notify us

when a verdict has been reached.

This court is now in recess.

- Hello, I'm Kathy Conway reporting live

from Madison County Courthouse,

covering the trial of another community leader

charged with vehicular homicide.

Local Pastor Joseph Jenkins is a loved

and respected voice here in this small town.

Much like Councilman Henderson's trial,

100s have gather to show support

despite the loss of innocent lives.

After a long day of testimony,

the jury is now in deliberation.

We are all patiently awaiting a verdict, Dave.

- Has a jury reached a verdict?

We have, your honor.

- Will defended please rise.

- We the jury of Madison County find Joseph Robert Jenkins,

not guilty on count one of vehicular manslaughter.

Not guilty on count two of vehicular manslaughter.

Not guilty on the count three of vehicular manslaughter.

Silence in the courtroom.

Bernard, my main man, Bernard.

Need you to do me a solid.

Yeah, I need you to get me Brittany McCleary.

Nah, write it down.

I want her last known address.

And I want her last 10 arrests,

I don't care how far back you gotta go.

Yeah, yeah, that girl (indistinct).

The case is Canton.

Got it up in front of you?

All right, Zach.

Okay, send me the hard copy, and email to my home address.

Thank you.

Oh, yeah.

- So anyway, what about dinner tonight?

- What time? - Seven o'clock.

Ooh, can't do it.

Okay, massage this weekend.

- Which day? - What day works for you?

Maybe Saturday.

How'd it go?

They let him walk.

- Yeah, they let him walk because it was a car accident,