After a few weeks of custody, the trial started.

Justin consulted with his lawyer, if and what he is going to say in front of the judge and jurors, while the prosecutor investigated in all directions. Inclusive attempted murder.

Now the day of the trial came and Justin got driven from his jail cell he was during custody to the court building. When he arrived, his lawyer was waiting for him.

Together, they walked in companionship of two policemen into the auditorium, and took a seat in front of the bench. Slowly, the auditorium filled (it was a public trial) and Justin could see how the jurors came in and also took their seat. Justin could feel their prejudge mental glances on his face. Then he looks on the empty witness’s chair. He was thinking of what happens when Josh is going to take his seat. Will he even care that Justin is watching him?

During his custody, no one of the guys visited him. Just his mom and his stepfather. Both of them sat right behind him, telling him reassuring words.

Then, the judges and prosecutor entered the auditorium. Everyone inclusive Justin stood up until the judge took his seat. He was saying something to his writer and started officially the trial.

Judge: Today we negotiate the penal procedure against Mr. Justin Randall Timberlake. Prosecutor please read the indictment.

Prosecutor: In the morning of May, 21st Mr. Timberlake drove to his friend and bandmate Christopher Allan Kirkpatrick. When Mr. Kirkpatrick told the defendant that Mr. James Lance Bass was the avoidable cause that his ex-boyfriend Joshua Scott Chasez broke up with him, Mr. Timberlake lost control over him and drove to Will's Wildlife Paradise to buy a P80 half automatic gun and drove with intent to kill to Mr. Bass's house. There, he beat his band member up and coerced him to call his ex-boyfriend and also band member Mr. Chasez to let him drive to his house. When Mr. Chasez arrived, the defendant coerced him with the gun he bought to convince Mr. Chasez to come back. When this didn't work, he threatened Mr. Bass with the gun and was about to shoot. Just with the help of the police and conviction from Mr. Chasez, he will come back to him; the defendant put the gun away. Therefore, Mr. Timberlake is accused of attempted murder, with duress and undue possession of a weapon, indictable in pursuance of articles 3.2, 5.4 and 6.5 of penal code.

Judge: Thank you. Mr. Timberlake, do you want to do testimony on this charges?

Justin: Yes, your honor, I want to testify.

Judge: Please, come up here and take a seat.

Justin: *Goes up to the podium and takes his seat*

Judge: We'll check your personal particulars before we start. Your name is Justin Randall Timberlake and you're 20 years old.

Justin: *Nods* It's correct.

Judge: Before you start to tell us what happened, I want to caution you first. You don't have to say anything that could incriminate you or near relations, article 60. Tell us what you think of the allegations now.

Justin: I think they are not entirely correct. I didn't have any intent to kill him.

Judge: Ok, then tell us what happened on May, 21st.

Justin: *Clears his throat* I drove to Lance's place after Chris told me it was him the one who told Josh to break up with me, and after buying the gun. It is true that I beat him up, but I never thought of killing him with the gun. I loaded it, but it was just to scare him. I didn't have any intent to shoot. It is true that I forced him to call Josh, and tell him to come to the house and to come back to me. And it's true that I threatened him, but as I said, I didn't have intent to shoot anyone.

Prosecutor: You want to tell us that you loaded the gun but didn't want to shoot? Your honor, that's a lie! Nobody just loads the gun without even thinking of shooting. Why don't you just concede that you thought about? A total admission can be mitigating.

Justin: Your honor, what I said it's completely true. I didn't want to shoot him. I just loaded the gun to scare him and make him listen to me.

Lawyer: And I want to add that my client was in rage. He wasn't thinking of what he was doing. All he thought of was coming back together with his ex-boyfriend. He never even thought of consequences or that he could shoot him unintentionally.

Judge: Ok, any other questions at the defendant?

Lawyer and Prosecutor shake their heads.

Judge: Ok, thank you Mr. Timberlake. Please, take a seat next to your lawyer; we listen now to the testimonies. First, we listen to the victim. Mr. Lance Bass, please enter de auditorium.

Lance enters the auditorium and takes his seat.

Judge: Mr. Lance Bass, before we start, we check your personal particulars. Your name is James Lance Bass, you are 21 years old, and you aren't related or related by marriage with the defendant.

Lance: *Nods about his personal particulars* Yes, your honor.

Judge: Mr. Bass, you got attacked by the defendant. Tell us what happened on May, 21st.

Lance: I was at home, still sleeping, when I heard the doorbell ringing. I opened the door, and Justin pushed me inside the house almost immediately, asking me what I told Josh. He started to yell and insult me. I insulted him as well, and then he punched me in the face. As he asked more things about what happened between him and Josh, he was beating me... until he told me to call him to make him come to the house. I did, and he handcuffed my wrists, as we both waited for Josh to arrive... when he did, Justin threatened me with the gun, telling me that I shouldn't warn Josh about anything, or he'll shoot me... I did everything he told me to do, until the police arrived to the house and got him arrested with Josh's help...

Prosecutor: Mr. Bass, is it true that Mr. Timberlake threatened you MULTIPLE times about he wanted to shoot you?

Lance: Yes, he did twice.

Prosecutor: Did he have his finger at the trigger?

Lance: Yes.

Prosecutor: Did Mr. Timberlake hold the gun directly on your head, when he felt being in a tight corner by Mr. Chasez?

Lance: Yes, he held it directly on my temple...

Prosecutor: Do you think Mr. Timberlake would exceed any boundary to get back together with his ex-boyfriend, Mr. Chasez?

Lance: Yes, I do think so.

Prosecutor: I have no more questions.

Lawyer: Mr. Bass, is it true that you told Mr. Chasez to leave my client?

Lance: I did. I suggested him to leave Justin for a while, during the time he thought about what Justin did... but I never forced him to. I told him he could come back to Justin any time he wanted...

Lawyer: Is it true that you never had a good relation to my client?

Lance: Yes, it's true. We never got along too well...

Lawyer: Could it be that you exploit the situation to manage to get my client and Mr. Chasez apart?

Lance: No, not at all. I liked seeing them together, 'cause that way, I could see Josh truly happy.

Lawyer: My resources say something different. Your bandmate Mr. Kirkpatrick told me that you said more than often how much you would love to bring them apart. Any explanation?

Lance: No, that's not true. I never said such thing.

Lawyer: We will ask Mr. Kirkpatrick later. Next question, is it true that you provoked my client when he was in rage?

Lance: I... I did. I said some things that might have provoked him. But I just wanted to tell him the truth...

Lawyer: Is it true that you knew my client can get angry very fast?

Lance: Yes, I knew it.

Lawyer: My honor. When Mr. Bass knew all these things, I ask myself, why he provoked my client. Obviously, he was expecting that my client would beat him up. I would even go so far and say he wanted my client to beat him up so he had another reason for Mr. Chasez to stay away from him. He didn't know that my client had a weapon, but this was all planned by him, so my client doesn't have the full culpability for this for this action.

Lance: What?! My honor, that's not true, I didn't plan that. I just wanted him to know and face the truth, but I didn't want to provoke him. Do you really think, my honor, that I would do such thing when I know that there's many chances for him to beat me up? I was begging for my life while he was beating me...

Lawyer: That's not true! I tell you what happened when Mr. Timberlake stood in front of you. You saw he was in rage, you saw his fist and you knew he was shortly before to punch you. You took the opportunity to shift my client! You provoked him, you insulted him and then you acted like you didn't want it. The only thing you didn't expect was that my client has this gun. When he brought it on, your plan began to go out of control! You provoked him very deliberately! You know what it means for you? This is a criminal act! You didn't only provoke him; you also incited him to do this! And now you are afraid of the sentence you would get when you say the truth, but I tell you something. Lying is also a criminal act and you can go into jail up to three years when you lie. Do you want to stay with this statement or do you want to concede that it happened like this?

Judge: Before you answer, I want to caution you first. You don't have to say something that could incriminate you, but you have to say the truth. Did you provoke Mr. Timberlake deliberately?

Lance: No, I did not, my honor. I wasn't expecting him to beat me up. I knew he was going to yell and insult me, but I didn't expect him to punch me, or kick me, or throw me to a wall... I didn't have the chance to see his fist, because the first thing he did was push me into the house and then he started to yell at me. I just could look into his eyes. I didn't plan any of this!

Lawyer: I have no other questions.

Judge: Then the witness James Lance Bass stays unsworn. You are released, Mr. Bass. Please, take a seat back at the three chairs. I want to hear the next witness. Mr. Joshua Scott Chasez, please.

Justin turned around to face JC, for a short time they had eye contact, JC looked fast away. He went straight to the seat on the podest and sat down. Justin couldn't stop staring at him. After all the long time, he saw the love of his life again. Why didn't JC visit him? Why didn't he answer his calls? Justin wanted to talk to him, but he knew it was the wrong time and the wrong place. Maybe he could get a chance after the trial to talk a few sentences with him, before he goes back to jail, because Justin knew he would definitely go back. Maybe he could convince JC to visit him, even just one time. Justin's mother Lynn put a hand on her son's shoulder, whispering reassuring words into Justin's ear.

Judge: Mr. Chasez, first we check your personal particulars. Your name is Joshua Scott Chasez, you are 24 years old, and you aren't related or related by marriage with the defendant. Is that correct?

JC: Yes, it's correct.

Judge: Mr. Chasez, you were witness of the happening on May, 21st at Mr. Bass's house. Tell us what you have seen.

JC: Um... Lance called me on the phone. When I picked it up, I could hear him sobbing, and I started to worry about him. He was telling me some things about Justin, trying to convince me to go back to him... he asked me to go to his house, but not to ring the doorbell... I did, I drove to his house, and I called him on the phone so he could know I was already there. When he opened the door, he yelled at me, telling me not to come closer to the door. I stayed where I was, trying him to tell me what happened to him, but he lied to me, telling me he fell down the stairs... he then started to tell me more about how I should come back to Justin, and it was then when I realized that it didn't sound like him. I knew Justin had something to do with Lance's attitude back then... I already called the police when I hang up the phone after speaking with him... So, I tried to come closer to the house, but then Justin came out, pointing Lance in the head with the gun and telling me that I should stay where I was... I tried to calm him down, and tell him to put the gun down, but he refused to do so... then the police arrived.

Judge: How did you try to calm Mr. Timberlake down?

JC: I just told him to so.

Judge: And how did Mr. Timberlake react?

JC: He refused to do it. He told me that he'll put the gun down and release Lance when I came back to him...

Judge: Have you done what Mr. Timberlake asked you to do?

JC: No, my honor... I didn't.

Judge: What happened then?

JC: Then, the police arrived, trying to make him put the gun down. He refused again, and I asked the officer if I could talk to him. The officer told me that I should lie to him and tell him I would go back to him, and I did. I told him I would go back to him if he released Lance, and he did. I took some steps forward, telling him that I wanted to hug him, but first he should put the gun down. He came out of the house, letting the gun on the floor, and then the officer handcuffed him and put him into the car...

Prosecutor: Is it true that Mr. Timberlake got angry very fast these last days?

JC: He always got angry very fast...

Prosecutor: That is showing that Mr. Timberlake definitely needs an anger management training. He is dangerous and needs to get his sentence before even more people get hurt. Mr. Chasez. Can you imagine that Mr. Timberlake would do anything for you? Even killing people?

Justin looked with big eyes at JC and JC looked into his eyes. Justin was kind of afraid of his answer and hoped JC would know how it really was.

JC: As I said, Justin gets angry really fast, but he never gets the kind of anger that makes you want to beat up people. He's never been aggressive, until now. And I know he'll do many things for me, but I don't think he'll kill anyone... he couldn't kill anyone.

Prosecutor: Mr. Chasez, could it be that you are still in love with Mr. Timberlake?

JC: *Takes a deep breath and stays a moment in silent* Yes... I am.

Justin: *Looks at JC with sparkles in his eyes*

Prosecutor: Mr. Chasez. Could it be that you are lying to protect Mr. Timberlake?

JC: No. I'm not lying. Though it hurts me... not being able to protect him this time.

Prosecutor: My honor, I'm sure the witness is lying for his ex-boyfriend. He wants to protect him and wants to prevent that he is going to jail for a long time. Mr. Chasez, you know that Mr. Timberlake would do anything for you. Mr. Bass already confirmed it. Mr. Timberlake would kill anyone to get back to you, wouldn't he? Isn't he feeling helpless without you?

JC: I don't have any reason to lie. I'm not that kind of person. I do know that Justin would do anything for me, but he'll NEVER kill anyone for me. At least, that's what I want to believe.

Prosecutor: So you aren't sure.

JC: I want to think I am.

Prosecutor: No more questions, my honor.

Lawyer: Mr. Chasez, is it true that my client tried desperately to convince you to come back, not at least with a romantic dinner for two?

JC: Yes, it's true.

Lawyer: And is it true that you ran away without any explanation to him?

JC: Yes.

Lawyer: Is it true that my client tried to call you several times and you didn't pick up your phone?

JC: Yes.

Lawyer: So would you agree that Mr. Timberlake didn't have any chance to get your attention before this thing with Mr. Bass happened?

JC: No, he did have a chance to get my attention. He just didn't think about it...

Lawyer: How do you think he could get your attention when you don't answer his calls and ran away when he tried to talk you?

JC: When he planned the dinner for two, I wasn't really thinking about running away. I was going to listen to anything he had to say. And I did. But then I thought about what he did to me, and I just couldn't stay...

Lawyer: That's nice, but this doesn't answer my question. What other possibilities after the dinner had Mr. Timberlake to get your attention?

JC: Come to my house and tell me exactly the kind of apologize he knows I like. The most honest apologize he could give me. No romantic dinner, no flowers, no fireworks, no list... just tell me the truth.

Lawyer: Mr. Timberlake, did you try to apologize right this way before you planned the dinner?

Justin: Yes I did, but JC didn't believe me and ignored my phone calls. I alto tried to call him after the date, but... I couldn't reach him... he turned off his phone.

Lawyer: As you can see, my client had no chance to get Mr. Chasez's attention. He was desperate and then Mr. Bass also provoked him. It was a desperate deed to get Mr. Chasez's attention. He never wanted to kill Mr. Bass, but it had to look like this, or Mr. Chasez would've ignored him again. My client was in love. Surely, he should've done it in another way, but he didn't see any other way. And then Mr. Bass provoked him deliberately... My honor, my client never wanted to kill anyone.

JC: You know, Mr... What’s your name?

Lawyer: Anderson.

JC: Ok. Mr. Anderson, I think you should stop protecting your client so much and listen to us when we talk about this. I know it's your client, and you have to protect him, but we're not lying or joking about this issue. I know exactly what happened that day... you don't. We don't have any reason to lie about this. I love Justin, yes. I ignored his phone calls, yes. But who told you I'm not helpless without him? Who told you I'm ignoring his phone calls because I want to?

Lawyer: Nobody did. I just look for the truth and I believe in the things my client told me. I didn't say you wouldn't be helpless. I just say that my client was desperate and didn't know what to do. My honor, I don't have questions anymore.

JC: My honor, if you allow me... Mr. Anderson. You say you look for the truth and you believe in the things your client told you. I think you only believe in the things you want to believe about this thing. I'm sure that your client didn't tell you how this started... did you, Justin?

Lawyer: Contestation! This has nothing to do with the trial we talk about today and telling I would do my job the wrong way is also defamation. Mr. Chasez, before you ascribe I would believe in what I want to believe, you should have the proof that I'm doing my job the wrong way. So, please, don't make a fool out of yourself and stop with this childish behavior. If you have something to say then do it, but don't try to ascribe anything and don't try to affect my client.

Judge: Do you want to add something on your testimony, Mr. Chasez?

JC: No, my honor...

Judge: Ok, then the witness Joshua Scott Chasez stays unsworn. Please, take a seat next to Mr. Bass. The next witness is Mr. Kirkpatrick.

Chris came into the auditorium and took a seat. He tried not to look at JC, Lance or Justin. He didn’t know how they would react. Justin would plead with his puppy eyes, so he would tell the story in a harmless way. Lance would try to make him telling this story in a exaggerated way. And JC would look at him with a critical glance and Chris didn’t want to get affected by anyone of his bandmates. It was hard enough for him to see, how the band dissolved.

Judge: Mr. Kirkpatrick, first we check your personal particulars. Your name is Christopher Alan Kirkpatrick, you are 29 years old, and you aren't related or related by marriage with the defendant.

Chris: That’s true.

Judge: Mr. Kirkpatrick. Tell us what happened on May, 21st.

Chris: It was 7am in the morning, when Justin rang my doorbell. I opened the door and a depressed Justin stood in front of my door. I let him in to talk. I made two glasses of water and sat next to Justin on the coach in the living room. He took a sip and put away the glass. He sighed and began to tell me what happened the day before. He told me that JC left him, although he tried everything to make him come back to him. I listened to him and wanted to search for a reason that JC left and then I made this mistake…

Judge: Which mistake?

Chris: I told Justin in an accessory sentence that Lance told JC to break up with him. Justin jumped up from his seat and seemed to be pretty angry. He yelled that Lance would regret it and was about to go. I tried to convince him to stay, but he said he has to leave and that I shouldn’t follow him. I wanted to make him promise me that he wouldn’t hurt Lance, but before I could do that he was gone. I was shocked. I was thinking of what Justin could do to Lance. But I never thought he would go so far. I know Justin and normally he has a big sangfroid…

Prosecutor: Why didn’t you warn Mr. Bass?

Chris: I didn’t think Justin would hurt him. I thought he would yell at him, maybe nudge, but I never thought Justin could beat up a person… even not a friend.

Prosecutor: Friend? I thought Mr. Timberlake and Mr. Bass weren’t such good friends, were they?

Chris: I admit that they weren’t the closest, but we were a band. We saw each other every day. They had more than just only one fight, but it ended up that both were yelling at each other and one left the room. They never hurt each other and I thought they couldn’t.

Prosecutor: I have no questions.

Lawyer: Mr. Kirkpatrick. Is it true that you are Mr. Timberlake’s best friend?

Chris: Yes, I guess that’s true.

Lawyer: Would you agree that Mr. Timberlake did this, because of despair? Would you agree that Mr. Timberlake was just afraid to get leaved by Mr. Chasez?

Chris: Ehmm… I guess yes… normally he is not violent.

Lawyer: I have no more questions.

Judge: Ok, thank you Mr. Kirkpatrick. The witness Christopher Alan Kirkpatrick stays unsworn. Please, take a seat next to Mr. Chasez. The next witness is Officer Smith.

Chris took a seat next to JC. He looked at the ground to avoid eye contact with Justin and Lance. When he took his seat, JC put a hand on his shoulders and smiled sadly at him. Chris nodded and looked on the ground again.

Officer Smith entered the room and took his seat.

Judge: Officer Smith, first we check your personal particulars. Your name is Michael Smith, you are 29 years old, and you aren't related or related by marriage with the defendant.

Officer Smith: That’s correct, my honor.

Judge: Officer Smith. Please tell us what happened when you got the emergency call.

Officer Smith: I was sitting in my clerical, when I got the call from Mr. Chasez. He was saying that his ex-boyfriend was going to hurt his best friend. I was asking him, why he was thinking of that. He didn’t reply on this. He just gave us the address of Mr. Bass house and that we should hurry. Then he hung up.

Judge: What happened when you arrived Mr. Bass’s house?

Officer Smith: When we arrived Mr. Bass’s house, Mr. Chasez was standing in the driveway with tears in his eyes. I was looking at the front door and there was standing Mr. Timberlake pointing with a gun at Mr. Bass. We jumped out of our cars, taking all our guns and were pointing on both men. I took out my megaphone and was shouting he should put the gun down. He didn’t listen and we were about to shoot, when Mr. Chasez asked us to talk to Mr. Timberlake. He tried to convince Mr. Timberlake to put the gun down, but Mr. Timberlake replied he want Mr. Chasez to come back to him. Otherwise he wouldn’t move. So I told Mr. Chasez to lie to him. He did and Mr. Timberlake let Mr. Bass go. He put the gun down and we overpowered him and pushed him into the police car.

Prosecutor: Did Mr. Timberlake resist?

Officer Smith: No, he just asked Mr. Chasez, why he lied to him, but after he got the answer, it was the best for him, he let us push him.

Prosecutor: No more questions, my honor.

Judge: Mr. Anderson, do you have any questions?

Lawyer: No, my honor.

Judge: Ok. The witness Michael Smith stays unsworn. Please, take a seat. Any petitions? Then we close the evidentiary hearing. Prosecutor?

Prosecutor: Dear Ladies and Gentleman, my honor, jurors, we have heard now, how fast Mr. Timberlake can get angry. He has no self-control and he is dangerous. He said he never planned to beaten up Mr. Bass. That was a lie. He has planned everything. When he heard from Mr. Kirkpatrick that Mr. Bass was the reason for his failed excuse, he drove directly to the gun shop. He bought a half automatic gun and he loaded it. He wanted to use it. He drove to Mr. Bass’s house and beat him up and then he made the plan to kill Mr. Bass. Maybe he also wanted to kill Mr. Chasez. This man is dangerous and now he wants to avoid his sentence. He is guilty of attempted murder, with duress and undue possession of a weapon and I plead on eleven years term. Thank you.

Judge: Mr. Anderson?

Lawyer: Dear Ladies and Gentleman, my honor, jurors. We heard all of Mr. Timberlake’s friends and even Mr. Timberlake’s victim and all said he had never beaten up a person before. He never got load and never got aggressive. What has happened with this man? He got heartbroken and he got desperate. He didn’t see another way to get the love of his life back. He never thought of killing Mr. Bass. He just wanted Mr. Chasez to listen to him. It was wrong and my client sees his mistake. So do we really want to put someone in jail for so long, who was desperate and saw no other chance to help himself? I say no. Therefore I plead on battery in a hard case and undue possession of a weapon and I plead on three years term. Thank you.

Judge: Thank you. Now the jurors have time to advice.

The jurors stood up and went into their consolation room. Justin’s lawyer was talking reassuring words to him just as Justin’s mom, while JC just sat there starring at his ex-boyfriends face. He was afraid. Afraid that Justin would go to jail for too many years. He knew Justin never wanted to hurt Lance and he knew Justin wasn’t dangerous, but now he couldn’t anything for him.

After ten minutes the jurors came back into the auditorium and everyone took their seats.

Judge: Did the jurors came to a decision?

One of the jurors, a tall blond man, stood up.

Juror: Yes, we convict Mr. Timberlake of battery in a hard case and undue possession of a weapon.

Justin’s lawyer put a hand on Justin’s shoulders and whispered him that this is a good sign. The judge nodded.

Judge: Then I represent Mr. Timberlake in the name of the state California being guilty of battery in a hard case and undue possession of a weapon. He is sentenced to three years and six months imprisonment. The trial is closed.

Justin’s mom had tears in her eyes. She hugged her son, before the policeman took Justin with them. Justin took a last view on his ex-boyfriend and formed with his lips ‘Please visit me’. Then he got lead out to the police car, which would bring him to his new home for more than three years.