ANOTHER SHITTY JAIL cell, another restless night of sleep. Despite what Mischa thought was an effective cross-examination by Aubrey, the online media coverage was brutal after Benito's testimony. Stanley Pucci's New York Times blog said that "Mischa Barton's alibi, which had always felt like quite a stretch, was obliterated today by Damon McLaughlin, who seemed almost amused at the idea." (This from the reporter who told her the previous night that he thought she was innocent.) The Paris paper Le Monde said that her alibi sounded like "the fantasies of a frustrated, drug-addicted and washed-up actress." A daily online poll in Le Monde now had 82% of respondents believing the actresses were guilty. A similar poll in USA Today, which Mischa had hoped would be a bit more favorable, had 71% believing the actresses to be guilty.330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlhoMecVx3h
The next morning, following a "shower" that consisted of rubbing water through her hair at a sink and scrubbing her armpits with hand soap, it was time for court. Mischa was once more put into the back compartment of the oversized gendarmerie vehicle, the restraints placed again on her wrists and ankles. The gendarmerie assigned to her security treated her, as usual, with some reverence due to her celebrity status, but even as they had grown chillier toward her as the evidence had come in, blow by blow, so their cavalcade of three vehicles----on in front and one behind---made good time on the narrow Paris streets.
She heard them as soon as they crossed over the Siene, the hostile chants of the protesters waiting to greet them. "La mort aux meurtrieres!" they cried. Death to the murderers. Mischa peered through the window at the swollen throngs lining the streets, straining against the police barricades, shaking their fists in the air and holding signs that did not exactly speak well of the four actresses on trial.
"Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?" Mischa mumbled.
The sounds came in rapid-fire succession, two thumps against the side of the rear cabin, where the four actresses sat. Then the unmistakable crash of glass shattering on the hood of the vehicle, and then the explosion. Through the slit in the plastic between them and the front cabin, Mischa saw a cascade of red-orange flame snake across the windshield.330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33ZplY7h8X
Their vehicle veered sharply to the right and came to a sudden and brutal halt. Mischa was pitched forward on the left-side bench, thrown as far as the momentum of the abrupt stop had carried her against her wrist and ankle restraints. The guards fell into one another and began shouting to each other and to the front cabin.330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaL0ZEVXQe
One of the guards pushed Mischa back up to a seated position, where she sat, helpless, as the guards frantically readied their weapons. One of them was on his radio, urgently trying to get direction from his superiors. Through the narrow back window Mischa saw several fireballs on the street topped with thick black smoke. A demented mob spilled over the barricades. French troops in riot gear, though late in reacting, advanced on the crowd with raised shields, raised nightsticks, and in some cases rifles poised at the shoulder.330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TgnwQb1vA
But there weren't enough of them, and they hadn't been ready for this. Protesters scattered like rats in all directions.330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNUvw3IqC6
"Nous devons sortir d'ici!" one of the guards shouted.330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG7Jhga82ql
He was right. They were sitting ducks. Their vehicle was on fire and the protesters were headed for them.330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLPFZSfDJeF
The actresses had to get out of there or die!330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFrYs9ZKkw
