Sunday, July 26, 2009

Poetry from the Law (part 4)



“Last W & T”
by
Rachel Loden
- - -
published in

Hotel Imperium

(University of Georgia Press, 1999)

A Last Will and Testament, as you probably know – and as Wikipedia puts it – is a legal document “by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his or her estate and provides for the transfer of his or her property at death.”

Wills in certain of their details can be fascinating. A person’s final decisions can be profound, especially if you’re personally involved. The provisions in a Will, to those who survive and knew the deceased, are more than a bit spooky: directives from the grave, to be macabre about it. In addition, since a Will is almost always a public document (generally it must be filed in court), its directives can be seen by all the world, an unusual view into private intentions.

However, a Will – especially when a lawyer has written the thing – can be anything but a fascinating read. That’s because a lawyer, to protect the client’s best interests, must make sure all legal requirements for a valid Will are met, that intentions are clearly stated, and that all foreseeable contingencies are taken into account.

And so Wills typically include awesome amounts of legalisms and over-writing. There are boilerplate (standard) phrases (for example, “being of sound and disposing mind and memory, do hereby make, publish and declare . . . ”) time-tested as sufficient for certain legal requirements. There are usually also plenty of phrases purportedly used for clarity or conciseness (e.g., “hereinafter sometimes referred to as . . .”) that in fact are mighty gobble-de-gookish.

Wills also typically include provisions that make little sense on their own, but are fully understood only via reading other parts of the document. For example, a sentence that begins, “Subject to the restrictions contained in this paragraph and anywhere else in this Will . . .” requires the reader to factor in the restrictions in that particular paragraph and any others that may exist in the document. A sentence starting, “Notwithstanding the above provisions . . .” requires the same kind of searching and parsing, but in reverse. Sometimes these phrases do indeed help make things perfectly clear, but they make for very difficult reading.

And then there’s the arcane or specialized vocabulary of Wills. Some of the more unusual words commonly used are bequeath, bequest, probate, executor, per stirpes (yes, you read that right, “per stirpes”), intestate, fiduciary, solido (I like the sound, and look, of “solido”), ad litem, and codicil.

On top of argot, or really a sub-species thereof, are the provisions in a Will regarding taxes. If these provisions aren’t always terrific fun:
. . . an organization described in Sections 170(c) and 2055(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), which would entitle the estate to a charitable deduction for Federal Estate Tax purposes . . .

. . . an inclusion ratio greater than zero for purposes of the Generation Skipping Transfer Tax provisions of Article 13 of the Code (the “GST tax”), then any portion, up to the whole . . .
they nevertheless conclusively show that the two eternal verities of Benjamin Franklin’s well-known observation (“in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”) are not mutually exclusive. In this world, baby, or more precisely, when you shuffle off this mortal coil, death and taxes can be had all at once!

So okay, here we are: legalisms, cross-referencing circumlocutions, a specialized vocabulary, and soporific tax talk: the language of a Will as a source text for a poem presents a severe challenge. This kind of legal document, compared to say the rich writing in Milton’s Paradise Lost, doesn’t seem a likely candidate to produce a great poem.

Yet Rachel Loden proves that assumption wrong, very wrong, in“Last W & T,” a poem included in her collection Hotel Imperium (University of Georgia Press 1999). “Last W & T” is made entirely from language taken from the Last Will and Testament of one Richard M. Nixon.

For your reading pleasure, here is Loden’s poem:

Last W & T
I, residing in the Borough
of disposing mind and memory

~

give and bequeath
the amount due or paid to me in the case
of Richard Nixon v United States
charitable of any “windfall”
and to first make my family whole

~

bequeath all items I shall own at my death
or the official or personal life of my deceased wife
except for my “personal diaries,” to the RICHARD
LIBRARY & awards, plaques, stamps and coins
or if neither daughter is surviving
direct my executors
collect and destroy

~

If any beneficiary under this Will and
I shall die impossible
who predeceased the other
it shall conclusively be presumed that I
survived

~

To retain and to purchase or otherwise acquire, whether common
     or preferred, obligations or trusts,
to sell, at public or private, without limitation, partition, demolish
     buildings, or otherwise
with any property, real or personal, upon any terms
to compromise or arbitrate, enforce or abstain, with or without
     consideration
with or without covenants
without the consent of any beneficiary
in cash or in kind
may determine to be just and reasonable, to charge the same
     wholly
against principal

~

Wherever “child,” “children” or “issue”
deemed to include only lawful
to require a division into equal
for each then deceased child of such person, regardless of whether
any child is then living

~

The use herein of any gender shall be deemed to include the other
     genders
any and all power who shall qualify
and be acting hereunder
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal

~

WE the undersigned, do hereby certify that the Testator above
     named did
subscribe, publish and declare the foregoing instrument
and then and there requested us and each of us to sign our names
     thereto
the execution thereof, which we hereby do
each being duly sworn, depose and say:
that the Testator, in our presence,
published and declared the same to be
his Last and Testament

Sworn to before me
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“Last W & T” received relatively little attention when first published, despite the many positive reviews Hotel Imperium received (and there were lots of them, and rightly so). In fact, two reviewers who mentioned the poem, while at least noticing it, didn’t seem to fully understand or appreciate it.

At Publishers Weekly the reviewer wrote that, “language enthusiasts will approve of Last W & T”. However, the poem was described, rather cheaply, as “a rearrangement, refrigerator-poetry-magnet style, of the words of Richard Nixon's will” (italics added, for emphasis).

I must take issue, or, as is said in the courtroom, object, and object strongly, to the refrigerator-poetry-magnet style part of this description. Look, refrigerator door poetry can be grand. But the term suggests a jumbling or scrambling of words, as if Loden took and mixed-up, moved around, the language of Nixon’s Will on her page.

Not so, or maybe more fairly, not quite so. What Loden first did was first select a small percentage of words – a very small percentage – from Nixon’s Will. You can see exactly how little she used in the “Appendix” below, which sets out the entire Will with the words Loden used in her poem highlighted. As you’ll see, she deleted most of what’s there, including full sentences, multiple paragraphs, even entire lengthy sections. Nixon’s Will has almost 5,000 words. Loden’s poem: about 300.

Loden then made a poem of the words and phrases chosen, but – and here’s where the “refrigerator magnet poetry” idea misses the mark – she kept the selected words in the precise order they appeared in the legal document. Yes, Loden often elides intervening words and punctuation, but the word order remains the same.

Restricting the word order to that in the source document greatly limits the ability to manipulate what happens. It’s a classic Oulipian-type constraint. And it adds much to my admiration of what Loden made in her poem.

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“Last W & T” was also mentioned when the Boston Review wrote about Hotel Imperium. The reviewer there described the poem, just about correctly, as a “collage of passages from Nixon’s will.” But the reviewer then almost dismissed “Last W & T,” writing that the poem “fail[ed] to transcend its premise; it just sounds like, well, language from a will.”

I object to this too, and strongly. Admittedly, “Last W & T” does “sound like . . . language from a will.” That’s sort of the point, since the poem’s made entirely from such language. However, I must insist that the poem doesn’t “just” sound like a Will, as in that’s the only thing going on with it.

Let me make this perfectly clear: “Last W & T” has a whole lot going on in addition to its language sounding like a Will.

Here’s an example: the first paragraph of Nixon’s Will, with the words used by Loden highlighted, and then her poem’s first two lines, which use those words:
I, RICHARD M. NIXON, residing in the Borough of Park Ridge, County of Bergen and State of New Jersey, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, do hereby make, publish and declare this to be my Last Will and Testament, revoking all prior Wills and codicils.

             (+)

I, residing in the Borough
of disposing mind and memory
Yes, Loden’s two lines mostly “sound” like the language of a Will. But they are also funny, intriguing, and even a touch ominous, qualities not generally considered Will-like. What’s funny, to me at least, is that the “Borough” in which the “I” resides is, essentially, the brain. I’d love to reside in the Borough of “mind and memory” myself. But wait, I do believe . . . I already do!

The “wild card” in these lines, the word that starts things a-swirlin’, is “disposing.” Again, the verb is entirely proper in a Will, to show that the person is ready to settle, transfer, give away – to deal conclusively with – his or her property. But “disposing” also connotes “getting rid of” and “destroy,” in a careless or even ruthless and malevolent way. That’s an ominous undertone, a sound quite different from the legalism from which it arises.

“Disposing” here modifies not only “mind” but “memory” too. This suggests that the speaker, the “I” of the poem – Richard Nixon, as is made clear early on – the speaker here is Nixon – is the type who likes to, and can, and will forget, as in forget the truth and forget you. This too is pretty tricky, and sounds a note far different than a typical Will.

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Here’s another example, a very clear one, of something more happening in “Last W & T” than the language sounds of a Will. Again, I set out the language from Nixon’s Will (with the words used by Loden in bold), followed by the lines from Loden’s poem:
If any beneficiary under this Will and I shall die simultaneously or in such circumstances as to render it difficult or impossible to determine who predeceased the other, it shall conclusively be presumed for the purposes of this Will that I survived.

             (+)

If any beneficiary under this Will and
I shall die impossible
who predeceased the other
it shall conclusively be presumed that I
survived
Again, the language, particularly the first and third lines, seems, and in fact is, entirely rooted in the legal document. The twists though, are obvious. The second line of this section, “I shall die impossible” is a concise crackerjack encapsulation of Nixon’s ego-pride and the persistence of his presence in Loden’s (and our) minds and lives. The section’s finale reinforces the notion of Nixon’s persistence: “it shall conclusively be presumed that I / survived.”

All these, of course, are Loden’s inventions or constructs, made by choosing certain words from the Will, and presenting them, arranged in lines, in the order they otherwise appear. Note the punch of the linebreak at the second-to-last line set out above, the way it emphasizes “survived.”

To me, the “I shall die impossible” line is the sharpest here. It’s a memorable turn of phrase, almost an iconic slogan. It’s also nightmarish, evoking Nixon as a boastful Dawn of the Dead-style zombie. Loden made the line happen – as is easily seen from the section of the Will (set out above) that served as its source – by eliding almost a dozen words that appeared between “die” and “impossible.”

“I shall die impossible”

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The fifth section of “Last W & T” (which happens to be the one that immediately follows the lines discussed above) may be the most impressive example of language that both sounds like a Will and conveys something completely different. Here, Loden takes a huge section of the Will (Article 9, detailing the powers of those named as executors), which comprises about 1,000 words in fifteen sub-parts, and reduces it to less than 80 words. Here are the lines from the poem:
To retain and to purchase or otherwise acquire, whether common
     or preferred, obligations or trusts,
to sell, at public or private, without limitation, partition, demolish
     buildings, or otherwise
with any property, real or personal, upon any terms
to compromise or arbitrate, enforce or abstain, with or without
     consideration
with or without covenants
without the consent of any beneficiary
in cash or in kind
may determine to be just and reasonable, to charge the same
     wholly
against principal
Once again, this sounds just like a Will. But still again, lots else is going on too. These lines suggest the conferring of absolute power, so absolute that it runs amuck. I see that in the phrases “without limitation,” and “upon any terms.” I see that in the phrases “with or without / consideration” and “with or without covenants” (aka promises), all of which suggest unfettered discretion, as does the line “without the consent of any beneficiary.” Even the power to determine what is “just and reasonable” is totally discretionary (the operative word is “may,” meaning that it can, but is not mandated, to be so).

Notice too the suggestions regarding certain intangible human matters, as in the second line above in which Loden uses the phrase “obligations and trusts.” These words connote not just business and estate matters, but promises, faith and reliance between people. In Loden’s “Last W & T” Nixon gives the power to buy, acquire, and sell these fundamental human connections. See also the final line of this section of the poem, the two-word phrase, “against principal.” Now, that phrase clearly relates to finance and monetary matters. And yet, and especially when heard aloud, the word “principal” includes its homophone “principle” such that the phrase “against principal” also, poetically, connotes unethical or immoral practices.

That Loden engineered the sense of unfettered immoral power run amuck is easily seen, and appreciated, by taking a look at how she made just the first five lines of this section, which all derive from two particular subsections of Article 9 in the Will. Here again are Loden’s five lines:
To retain and to purchase or otherwise acquire, whether common
     or preferred, obligations or trusts,
to sell, at public or private, without limitation, partition, demolish
     buildings, or otherwise
with any property, real or personal, upon any terms
And here are the two subsections from which the five lines derive:
(a) To retain and to purchase or otherwise acquire stocks, whether common or preferred, bonds, obligations, shares or interests in investment companies or investment trusts, securities issued by or any common trust fund maintained by any corporate fiduciary, partnership interests, or any other property, real or personal, of whatsoever nature, wheresoever situated, without duty to diversify, whether or not productive of income and whether or not the same may be authorized by law for the investment of estate funds, it being my intention to give my fiduciaries the same power of investment which I myself possess with respect to my own funds.

(b) [. . .]

(c) To sell, without prior authorization or confirmation of the court, at public or private sale, exchange, mortgage, lease without statutory or other limitation as to duration, partition, grant options in excess of six months on, alter, improve, demolish buildings, or otherwise deal with any property, real or personal, upon any terms and whether for cash or upon credit, and to execute and deliver deeds, leases, mortgages or other instruments relating hereto.
Loden here selects language from the Will that creates unchecked authority and, on top of that, authority to divide and destroy. First, from from the clause in section (c) in which “without” and “limitation” appear, she did not use any other words, including in particular those that appear between those two. Using any of the other words, of course, would dilute entirely the idea of power “without limitation.”

Similarly, Loden chose the verbs “partition” and “demolish” while not selecting others that connote more constructive activities (e.g., “grant” and “improve”). This I think is telling regarding what Loden presents in her poem: Nixon as a testator who wants to create a kind of clone of himself, successors not benign or helpful but arrogantly all-powerful, stern, and ready to lay waste if necessary.


“without limitation” . . . “upon any terms”

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For all the connotations and undertones in “Last W & T” concerning the nature (nation) of Nixon and other things, there are parts that I concede do seem to only “sound like a Will.” But I don’t consider this a shortcoming. In these sections, I believe that Loden attempts to find the poetry in legal language. She tries, and it’s an all but impossible task, to make that dull ol’ law text, to be a bit cheap about it, sing. Look and listen, if you please, to these lines, from very near the poem’s end:
WE the undersigned, do hereby certify that the Testator above
     named did
subscribe, publish and declare the foregoing instrument
and then and there requested us and each of us to sign our names
     thereto
I hear and see a rhythm in the sequence of long-short-long-long-short lines. I like the propulsion of “subscribe, publish and declare” in the third line. I especially love the repetitive sequences in the next-to-last line: “and then and there” followed by “us and each of us.”

But I’d understand if you weren’t all the way with me on this. You see, and as you probably guessed, especially if you’ve read my other “Poetry from the Law” posts (on (click on each to go) Reznikoff’s Testimony, M. NourbeSe Philip’s Zong!, and Loden’s “Affidavit”): I’m one wigged-out (that’d be a white-powdered judge’s wig, of course!) word-lovin’ legal geek. For a guy like me – I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth – “Last W & T” is a wonder. Thanks much – if you’ve made it this far – for allowing me to share a few thoughts about this poem.

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Appendix

The Last Will And Testament
of
Richard M. Nixon
(with the words used in Loden’s poem highlighted)

I, RICHARD M. NIXON, residing in the Borough of Park Ridge, County of Bergen and State of New Jersey, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, do hereby make, publish and declare this to be my Last Will and Testament, revoking all prior Wills and codicils.

ARTICLE ONE

I give and bequeath to THE RICHARD NIXON LIBRARY AND BIRTHPLACE (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "Library") for its uses, an amount equal to the "adjusted proceeds amount" (as hereinafter defined); provided, however, that if there are any outstanding and unpaid amounts on pledges I have made to the Library, including, specifically, any amounts unpaid on the One Million Two Hundred Thousand Dollar pledge made in 1993, then the adjusted proceeds amount under this bequest shall be paid first directly to the Library to the extent necessary to satisfy such charitable pledge or pledges, and provided further, that if at the time of my death or distribution the Library is not an organization described in Sections 170(c) and 2055(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), which would entitle the estate to a charitable deduction for Federal Estate Tax purposes, I give and bequeath such property to THE NIXON BIRTHPLACE FOUNDATION, provided further, if THE NIXON BIRTHPLACE FOUNDATION is not then an organization described in Sections 170(c) and 2055(a) of the Code, I give and bequeath such property to such organization or organizations described in said Sections of the Code in such shares as my executors shall designate by written and acknowledged instrument filed within six months from the date of my death with the clerk of the court in which this Will shall have been admitted to probate.

In the event such property is distributed to an organization other than the RICHARD NIXON LIBRARY & BIRTHPLACE, I request such organization to bear in mind my wish that such property ultimately repose in such Library, if and when it qualifies as a charitable organization under Sections 170(c) and 2055(a) of the Code.

The term "adjusted proceeds amount" shall be defined as the excess of:

(i) the amount due or paid to me and/or my estate under the judgment entered following the decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in the case of Richard Nixon v United States of America, decided on November 17, 1992, and/or any concurrent or subsequent proceedings relating or pertaining thereto, and any related or subsequent case, provided that any such amounts paid during my life shall only be included as adjusted proceeds to the extent such amounts as of the date of my death are held or invested in a segregated and traceable account or accounts over

(ii) the sum of (a) the amount of all attorneys' fees and other costs or expenses, whether previously paid or unpaid, associated with or incurred in connection with such proceedings or any case similar to or relating thereto and all other attorneys' fees from 1974 on, which my estate or I have paid or which are outstanding, excluding, however, any attorneys' fees paid to the firm of which William E. Griffin has been a member, and (b) One Million Four Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars, the amount equal to my contribution to the Library made in 1992. The amounts under (a) and (b) of this subparagraph (ii) shall be part of my residuary estate.

It is my intention, by this bequest, to make a charitable gift of any "windfall" received under the lawsuits referred to above, and to first make my family whole by recovering all of the legal expenses I have incurred or my estate is to incur because of these and other lawsuits.

ARTICLE TWO

A. Subject to the restrictions contained in this paragraph and any other restrictions contained in this Will, I give and bequeath all items of tangible personal property that I shall own at my death which relate to events of my official or personal life or the official or personal life of my deceased wife, PATRICIA R. NIXON, which have had historical or commemorative significance, except for my "personal diaries", which are defined and disposed of in Paragraph B of this Article, to THE RICHARD NIXON LIBRARY & BIRTHPLACE; provided, however, that if at the time of my death or distribution such Library is not an organization described in Sections 170(c) and 2055(a) of the Code, which would entitle the estate to a charitable deduction for Federal Estate Tax purposes, I give and bequeath such property to THE NIXON BIRTHPLACE FOUNDATION, provided further that if THE NIXON BIRTHPLACE FOUNDATION is not then an organization described in Sections 170(c) and 2055(a) of the Code, I give and bequeath such property to such organization or organizations described in said Sections of the Code in such shares as my executors shall designate by written and acknowledged instrument filed within six months from the date of my death with the clerk of the court in which this Will shall have been admitted to probate.

In the event such property is distributed to an organization other than the RICHARD NIXON LIBRARY & BIRTHPLACE, I request such organization to bear in mind my wish that such property ultimately repose in such Library, if and when it qualifies as a charitable organization under Sections 170(c) and 2055(a) of the Code. Such tangible personal property shall include, without limitation, awards, plaques, works of art of all kinds, medals, membership or achievement certificates, commemorative stamps and coins, religious items, commemorative and personal photographs and all correspondence, documents, notes, memoranda, letters and all other writings that I own at my death, of whatever kind and nature, personal or public, whether inscribed by me or not inscribed by me and whether written by me or to me. I direct that the determination as to which items of my tangible personal property are included in this bequest, and which items are items of tangible personal property disposed of under Paragraph C of this Article, shall be based on the decision of my executors; however, it is my wish that my executors consult with my surviving daughters in making this determination. The determination of my executors shall be conclusive and binding upon all parties interested in my estate.

Notwithstanding the above provisions, my daughters, PATRICIA NIXON COX and JULIE NIXON EISENHOWER, or the survivor, or if neither daughter is surviving, my executors, shall have the right, within six months of my date of death, to go through all of such tangible personal property, to take any such property appraised at no value, or any other items of such
tangible personal property, provided that under no circumstances shall the amount of such property taken by my daughters exceed in value three (3%) percent of the total value of all such property included in this Paragraph A.

B. I give and bequeath me "personal diaries" (as hereinafter defined) in equal shares to my daughters, JULIE NIXON EISENHOWER and PATRICIA NIXON COX, or all to the survivor. If either or both of my daughters shall, disclaim some or all or parts of my "personal diaries", such disclaimed items shall be distributed to THE RICHARD NIXON LIBRARY AND BIRTHPLACE (the "Library") for its uses; provided, however, that if at the time of my death or distribution the Library is not an organization described in Sections 170(c) and 2055(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), which would entitle the estate to a charitable deduction for Federal Estate Tax purposes, I give and bequeath such property to THE NIXON BIRTHPLACE FOUNDATION, provided further that if THE NIXON BIRTHPLACE FOUNDATION is not then an organization described in Sections 170(c) and 2055(a) of the Code, I give and bequeath such property to such organization or organizations described in said Sections of the Code in such shares as my executors shall designate by written and acknowledged instrument filed within six months from the date of my death with the clerk of the court in which
this Will shall have been admitted to probate.

In the event such property is distributed to an organization other than the RICHARD NIXON LIBRARY & BIRTHPLACE, I request such organization to bear in mind my wish that such property ultimately repose in such Library, if and when it qualifies as a charitable organization under Sections 170(c) and 2055(a) of the Code.

If neither of my daughters survives me, I direct my executors to collect and destroy my "personal diaries." Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Will, if neither of my daughters survives me, the property constituting my "personal diaries" shall be subject to the following restrictions: At no time shall my executors be allowed to make public, publish, sell, or make available to any individual other than my executor (or except as required for Federal tax purposes) the contents or any part or all of my "personal diaries" and, provided further, that my executors shall, within one year from the date of my death or, if reasonably necessary, upon the later receipt of a closing estate tax letter from the Internal Revenue Service, destroy all of my "personal diaries".

My "personal diaries" shall be defined as any notes, tapes, transcribed notes, folders, binders, or books that are owned by me or to which I may be entitled under a judgment of law including, but not limited to, folders, binders, or books labeled as Richard Nixon's Diaries, Diary Notes, or labeled just by dates, that may contain my daily, weekly or monthly activities, thoughts or plans. The determination of my executors as to what property is included in this bequest shall be conclusive and binding upon all parties interested in my estate; however, it is my wish that my executors consult with my surviving daughters and/or my office staff in making this determination.

C. If at the time of my death any lawsuit or lawsuits are pending regarding the ownership of any of my tangible personal property including, but not limited to, all of the tangible personal property listed in Paragraph A above, I Specifically direct my executors to continue such lawsuits for as long as they, in their discretion, deem it appropriate to do so, knowing my wishes in this matter.

D. I give and bequeath the balance of the tangible personal property I shall own at my death, not otherwise effectively disposed of in this Will, to my issue, per stirpes. If both of my daughters, PATRICIA NIXON COX and JULIE NIXON EISENHOWER, shall survive me, such tangible personal property shall be divided between my daughters in such manner as they shall agree, or in the absence of agreement, or if any child is a minor, as my executors determine, which determination shall be conclusive upon all persons interested in my estate.

E. I authorize and empower my executors to pay, and to charge as administration expenses of my estate, the expenses of storing, packing, insuring and mailing or delivering any article of tangible personal property hereinabove disposed of.

ARTICLE THREE

A. If my granddaughter, MELANIE EISENHOWER, survives me, I give and bequeath to her the sum of Seventy Thousand ($70,000.00) Dollars.

B. If my grandson, ALEXANDER RICHARD EISENHOWER, survives me, I give and bequeath to him the sum of Thirty Thousand ($30,000.00) Dollars.

C. If my grandson, CHRISTOPHER COX, survives me, I give and bequeath to him the sum of Ten Thousand ($10,000.00) Dollars.

The specific bequests to my grandchildren named above are made to equalize the gifts made to all of my grandchildren during my life. The disparity in amounts, or lack of a bequest, is not intended and should not be interpreted as a sign of favoritism for one grandchild over another.

ARTICLE FOUR

All of the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, real and personal, wherever situated, including any lapsed or ineffective legacies or devises (but excluding any property over which I may have a power of appointment, it being my intention not to exercise any such power), herein sometimes referred to as my "residuary estate", I dispose of as follows:

A. I give and bequeath the sum of Fifty Thousand ($50,000.00) Dollars to each grandchild of mine who survives me.

B. I give, devise and bequeath the balance of my residuary estate to my issue, per stirpes.

C. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this will, if any bequest or share of my estate under this Article FOUR would be payable to a grandchild of mine for whose benefit a separate trust created under the Will of my deceased wife, PATRICIA R. NIXON, is then in existence, I direct that such bequest or share of my estate shall be distributed to the trustee(s) of such trust, to be added to, administered and disposed of as part of the principal of such trust in accordance with the terms of such trust; and, provided further, that if the addition of any portion or all of this residuary bequest or share of my estate to a trust for a grandchild under the Will of PATRICIA R. NIXON shall cause such trust to have an inclusion ratio greater than zero for purposes of the Generation Skipping Transfer Tax provisions of Article 13 of the Code (the "GST tax"), then any portion, up to the whole, of such bequest or share of my estate, that is not exempt from the GST tax shall not be added to the trust, but shall be given to such trustee(s) to be held in a separate trust under the same terms and conditions, my intention being to create two separate trusts, one of which has, for GST tax purposes, an inclusion ratio of zero, and one of which has an inclusion ratio greater than zero.

ARTICLE FIVE

If upon my death no issue of mine shall then be living, I give, devise and bequeath my residuary estate, or the then remaining principal and, except as hereinabove otherwise provided, any undistributed or accrued income of such trust, as the case may be, to THE RICHARD NIXON LIBRARY & BIRTHPLACE, and if such organization is not then in existence, to the persons who would have been my heirs under the laws of intestate distribution of New Jersey then in effect had I died on the data. of the event requiring a distribution.

ARTICLE SIX

I direct that all estate, inheritance and other death taxes (including any interest and penalties thereon) imposed by any jurisdiction whatsoever by reason of my death upon or with respect to any property includable in my estate for the purposes of any such taxes, or upon or with respect to any person receiving any such property, whether such property shall pass under or outside, or shall have passed outside, the provisions of this Will, except for additional estate taxes imposed by Section 4980(A)(d) of the Code and generation-skipping transfer taxes imposed under Section 13 of the Code ("GST taxes") which may be payable by reason of my death, shall be paid, without apportionment, from the principal of my residuary estate. Any GST tax payable by reason of my death shall be charged and the liability for the payment of such GST taxes shall be determined according to the law of the jurisdiction imposing such GST tax.

ARTICLE SEVEN

If any beneficiary under this Will and I shall die simultaneously or in such circumstances as to render it difficult or impossible to determine who predeceased the other, it shall conclusively be presumed for the purposes of this Will that I survived.

ARTICLE EIGHT

I hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my friends, WILLIAM E. GRIFFIN, and JOHN R. TAYLOR, to be the co-executors of this Will.

The appointment of my attorney, WILLIAM E. GRIFFIN, as a co-executor is made with my knowledge and approval of his receipt of commissions as provided by law, and his law firms receipt of compensation for legal services rendered to my estate.

The individuals named in the foregoing paragraph are granted the continuing discretionary power, exercisable while in office, and exercisable only unanimously if more than one of them is then in office, to designate one or more successors or co-fiduciaries or a succession of successors or co-fiduciaries in such office to act one at a time or together with co-fiduciaries, to fill any vacancy occurring in such office after any successor designated herein shall have failed to qualify or ceased to act, by written instrument, duly acknowledged, and to revoke any such designation prior to the happening of the event upon which it is to become effective, by a written instrument, duly acknowledged, and a new designation may be made as above provided. If there shall be more than one such designation of successor fiduciary or co-fiduciary in effect and unrevoked, they shall be effective in the reverse of the order in which they were made.

Any fiduciary may resign at any time by delivering or mailing a notice in writing of such resignation to his or her co- fiduciaries, or, if none, to his or her designated successor, if such designee has indicated his or her willingness to act, and thirty days thereafter such resignation shall take effect. If any fiduciary becomes disabled, that determination of disability shall also constitute that individual's immediate resignation as a fiduciary without any further act. For the purposes of this paragraph, a person shall be considered disabled if either (i) a committee, guardian, conservator or similar fiduciary shall have been appointed for such person or (ii) a court shall have determined, or two physicians shall have certified, that the person is incompetent or otherwise unable to act prudently and effectively in financial affairs.

Each successor fiduciary and co-fiduciary shall have all rights and discretions which are granted to the executors named herein, except those which may be specifically denied in this will.

At any time that there are two or more fiduciaries then in office, all decisions regarding my estate shall be made by both or the majority of my fiduciaries in much office. However, my fiduciaries may from time to time authorize one of their number, or each of them acting singly, to execute instruments of any kind on their behalf (including, but not by way of limitation, any check, order, demand, assignment, transfer, contract, authorization, proxy, consent, notice or waiver). Insofar as third parties dealing with my fiduciaries are concerned instruments executed and acts performed by one fiduciary pursuant to such authorization shall be fully binding as if executed or performed by all of them. An authorization shall be valid until those acting in reliance on it receive actual notice of its revocation.

No fiduciary shall be required to give any bond or other security for the faithful performance of such fiduciary's duties in any jurisdiction whatsoever; or if any such bond shall be required, no such fiduciary shall be required to furnish any surety thereon. No executor shall be required to file a bond to secure the return of any payment or payments on account of commissions of such executor.

My individual executors may receive the commissions allowable under New Jersey Law from time to time during the period of the administration of my estate and any trusts hereunder.

Any corporate executor serving hereunder shall receive compensation in accordance with its Schedule of Fees in effect from time to time during the period over which its services are performed.

ARTICLE NINE

I give to my fiduciaries, with respect to any and all property, whether real or personal, which I may own at the time of my death, or which shall at any time constitute part of my estate, including funds held hereunder for persons under the age of 21 years, and whether constituting principal or income therefrom, in addition to the authority and power conferred upon them by law, express authority and power to be exercised by them as such fiduciaries, in their discretion, for any purpose, without application to, authorization from, or confirmation by any court:

a) To retain and to purchase or otherwise acquire stocks, whether common or preferred, bonds, obligations, shares or interests in investment companies or investment trusts, securities issued by or any common trust fund maintained by any corporate fiduciary, partnership interests, or any other property, real or personal, of whatsoever nature, wheresoever situated, without duty to diversify, whether or not productive of income and whether or not the same may be authorized by law for the investment of estate funds, it being my intention to give my fiduciaries the same power of investment which I myself possess with respect to my own funds.

b) To deposit funds in the savings or commercial department of any corporate fiduciary or of any other bank without limit as to duration or amount.

c) To sell, without prior authorization or confirmation of the court, at public or private sale, exchange, mortgage, lease without statutory or other limitation as to duration, partition, grant options in excess of six months on, alter, improve, demolish buildings, or otherwise deal with any property, real or personal, upon any terms and whether for cash or upon credit, and to execute and deliver deeds, leases, mortgages or other instruments relating hereto.

d) To exercise in person or by proxy all voting, conversion, subscription, or other rights incident to the ownership of any property, including the right to participate in any corporate reorganization, merger or other transaction and to retain any property received thereunder and the right to delegate discretionary power.

e) To borrow from any person, including any corporate fiduciary, and to lend money to any person, including any person beneficially interested hereunder, with or without security.

f) To compromise or arbitrate claims, to prepay or accept prepayment of any debt, to enforce or abstain from enforcing, extend, modify or release any right or claim, or to hold any claim after maturity without extension, with or without consideration.

g) To hold separate shares or trusts in solido, and to hold property in bearer form or in the name of a nominee or nominees.

h) To execute and deliver deeds or other instruments, with or without covenants, warranties and representations and with or without consideration, including releases which shall discharge the recipient from responsibility for property receipted for thereby.

i) To abstain from rendering or filing any inventory or periodic account in any court.

j) Without the consent of any beneficiary, to make division or distribution in cash or in kind or partly in each. Any such distribution in kind shall be made at the fair market value on the date or dates of distribution and may be made without regard to the tax basis of such property and without any duty to distribute such assets pro rata among beneficiaries or to equalize the tax basis recovered by such beneficiaries, any provision of this will or rule of law to the contrary notwithstanding.

k) To employ legal and investment counsel, custodians, accountants and agents for the transaction of any business of my estate or any trust hereunder or for services or advice, to pay reasonable compensation therefor out of my estate or such trust, as may be applicable, and to
rely and act or decline to rely or act upon any information or opinion furnished by them.

l) To retain or acquire the stock of any corporation in which any individual fiduciary hereunder or any officer or director of any corporate fiduciary hereunder may have an interest, whether as officer, director, employee or otherwise.

m) To make or join in elections and joint returns under any tax law; to agree in the apportionment of any joint tax liability; to exercise or forbear to exercise any income, gift or estate tax options; to determine the allocation of exemptions or exercise other elections available to my executors for generation-skipping transfer tax purposes; and to make or refrain from making adjustments between principal and income or between shares of my estate by reason of any deduction taken for income tax instead of estate tax purposes or any election as to the date of valuation of my estate for estate tax purposes, all in such manner as my executor may deem advisable, and any such determination made by my executor shall be conclusive and binding upon all persons affected thereby.

n) To pay out of my general estate in respect of any real or tangible personal property situated outside the state of the principal administration of my estate at the time of my death any administration expense payable under the laws of the state or country where such property is situated.

o) To pay themselves, individually, at such time or times and without prior approval of any court or person interested in my estate or, any trust hereunder or payment of interest or the securing of any bond or rendering of any annual statement, account or computation thereof, such sum or sums on account of commissions to which they may eventually be entitled hereunder as they, in their discretion, may determine to be just and reasonable, to charge the same wholly against principal or wholly against income, or partially against principal and partially against income, as they may, in their discretion, determine advisable, and in the case of any trustee, to retain commissions which they may determine shall be payable out of income from income derived from any year preceding or succeeding the year with respect to which such commissions shall have been earned.

p) Generally, to exercise in good faith and with reasonable care all investment and administrative powers and discretions of an absolute owner which may lawfully be conferred upon a fiduciary.

ARTICLE TEN

A. Whenever income or Principal is to be distributed or applied for the benefit of a person under the age of 21 years (referred to as a "minor" in this Article) or a person who in the sole judgment of my fiduciaries is incapable of managing his or her own affairs, my fiduciaries may make payment of such property in any or all of the following ways:

1. By paying such property to the parent, guardian or other person having the care and control of such minor for such minor's benefit or to any authorized person as custodian for such minor under any applicable Gifts to Minors Act, with authority to authorize any such custodian to hold such property until the minor attains the age of 21 years where permitted under applicable law.

2. By paying such property to the guardian, committee, conservator or other person having the care and control of such incapable person.

3. By paying directly to such minor or incapable person such sums as my fiduciaries may deem advisable as an allowance.

4. By expending such property in such other manner as my fiduciaries in their discretion shall determine will benefit such minor or incapable person.

B. If principal becomes vested in and payable to a minor, my fiduciaries may make payment thereof in any of the ways set forth in the preceding paragraph of this Article, or may, defer payment of any part or all thereof meanwhile paying or applying to or for the use of such minor so much or all of such principal and of the income therefrom, as my fiduciaries in their discretion may deem advisable. Any income not so expended by my fiduciaries shall be added to principal. My fiduciaries shall pay any remaining principal to such minor upon such minor's attaining the age of 21 years or to such minor's estate upon death prior to such payment in full.

C. Any payment or distribution authorized in this Article shall be a full discharge to my fiduciaries with respect thereto.

ARTICLE ELEVEN

All interests hereunder, whether in principal or income, while undistributed and in the possession of my executors, and even though vested or distributable, shall not be subject to attachment, execution or sequestration for any debt, contract, obligation or liability of any beneficiary, and, furthermore, shall not be subject to pledge, assignment conveyance or anticipation by any beneficiary.

ARTICLE TWELVE

The account (intermediate or final) of any executor may be settled by agreement with the adult beneficiaries interested in the account and a parent or guardian of those beneficiaries who are minors, who shall have the full power on the basis of such settlement to release such fiduciary from all liability for such fiduciary's acts or omissions as executor for the period covered thereby. Such settlement and release shall be binding upon all interested parties hereunder including those who may be under legal disability or not yet in being and shall have the force and effect of a final decree, judgment or order of a court of competent jurisdiction rendered in an action or proceeding for an accounting in which jurisdiction was duly obtained over all necessary and proper parties. The foregoing provisions, however, shall not preclude any fiduciary from having such fiduciary's accounts judicially settled if such fiduciary shall so desire. In any probate, accounting or other persons interested in my estate are required by law to be served with process, if a party to the proceeding has the same interest as or a similar interest to a person under a legal disability (including, without limitation, an infant or an incompetent) it shall not be necessary to serve process upon the person under a disability or otherwise make such person a party to the proceeding, it being my intention to avoid the appointment of a guardian ad litem wherever possible.

ARTICLE THIRTEEN

The validity, construction, effect and administration of the testamentary dispositions and the other provisions contained in this will shall, in any and all events, be administered in accordance with, and construed and regulated by, the laws of the State of New Jersey from time to time existing.

ARTICLE FOURTEEN

A. Wherever "child", "children" or "issue" appears in this Will, it shall be deemed to include only lawful natural issue and persons deriving their relationship to or through their parent or ancestor by legal adoption prior to such adopted person's attainment of the age of 18 years.

B. A disposition in this Will to the descendants of a person per stirpes shall be deemed to require a division into a sufficient number of equal shares to make one share for each child of such person living at the time such disposition becomes effective and one share for each then deceased child of such person having one or more descendants then living, regardless of whether any child of such person is then living, with the same principle to be applied in any required further division of a share at a more remote generation.

ARTICLE FIFTEEN

A. All references herein to this Will shall be construed as referring to this Will and any codicil or codicils hereto that I may hereafter execute.

B. Wherever necessary or appropriate, the use herein of any gender shall be deemed to include the other genders and the use herein of either the singular or the plural shall be deemed to include the other.

C. Except as otherwise specifically, provided in this will:

1. Each reference to my "fiduciaries" shall be deemed to mean and refer to my executor and, where applicable, to a custodian hereunder;

2. Each reference to my "executors" shall be deemed to mean and refer to the fiduciary or fiduciaries, natural or corporate, who shall be acting hereunder in such capacity from time to time; and

3. Any and all power, authority and discretion conferred upon my executor or my fiduciaries may be exercised by the fiduciary or fiduciaries who shall qualify and be acting hereunder from time to time in the capacity in which such power, authority and discretion are exercised.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this (24th) day of February, 1994.

/s Richard M Nixon


ATTESTATION CLAUSE

WE the undersigned, do hereby certify that on the 24th of February, 1994, RICHARD M. NIXON, the Testator above named did, in the presence of the undersigned and of each of us, subscribe, publish and declare the foregoing instrument to be his last Will and Testament and then and there requested us and each of us to sign our names thereto as witnesses to the execution thereof, which we hereby do in the presence of the said Testator and of each other on this 24th day of February, 1994.

(signed by three witnesses)

each being duly sworn, depose and say:

That they witnessed the execution of the Will of RICHARD M. NIXON, dated February 24 1994, consisting of eighteen pages. That the Will was executed at Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, under the supervision of Karen J. Walsh an attorney at law with offices at 51 Pondfield Road,
Bronxville, New York. That this affidavit is made at the request of the Testator.

That the Testator, in our presence, subscribed his name to the Will at the end thereof, and at the time of making such subscription, published and declared the same to be his Last Will and Testament; thereupon we, at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other, signed our names thereto as subscribing witnesses.

That the said Testator, at the time of such execution, was more than 18 years of age and, in our opinion, of sound mind, memory and understanding, not under any restraint or in any respect incompetent to make a Will.

That the Testator indicated to us that he had read the Will, knew the contents thereof, and that the provisions therein contained expressed the manner in which his Estate is to be administered and distributed.

That the Testator could read, write and converse in the English language and was suffering from no defect of sight, hearing or speech, or from any physical or mental impairment which would affect his capacity to make a valid Will.

That the Testator signed only of the said Will on said occasion.

Sworn to before me this 25th day of February, 1994.

PAUL G. AMICUCCI
Notary Public, State of New York
No. 5001747
Qualified in Westchester County

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Rachel Loden
Hotel Imperium
“Last W & T” at pages 29-31
(University of Georgia Press, 1999)

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Saturday, July 18, 2009

Poetry from the Law (part 3)


“Affidavit”
(2001)
(re-published 2009)
by
Rachel Loden
(illustration above by Tad Richards)

An “affidavit” is legal document, a written statement made under penalty of perjury, used in various circumstances. One common use of the affidavit is at the end of a police (law enforcement) criminal investigation.

Sometimes, particularly for serious felonies, the police will want the approval of a judge before making an arrest. To get that approval, a police official submits an affidavit. The affidavit sets out the circumstances of the crime and the suspect’s involvement. The point is to show the judge that there is probable cause – a reasonable belief – that the suspect committed the crime.

A good affidavit, then, spells out the facts of the case in a comprehensive and straightforward manner. The style and tone is very much – to invoke the phrase used in the 1960s’ TV series Dragnet – “All we want are the facts . . .”



An affidavit then, tends to be very logical, very careful, and very clear. Its job is to make a case.

As such, an affidavit itself is not likely to be much of a poem, even if considered as a type of prose poem. Poems – the good ones – suggest and imply, leap and dive, intensify and exalt, have faceted surfaces, and sometimes exist for no purpose other than to be what they are, with words themselves the primary spectacle. This is all far different from the super-rational step-by-step direct exposition and entirely utilitarian purpose of the affidavit.

And so imagine my excitement today, to bear witness to a wondrous poem made entirely from an affidavit: Rachel Loden’s “Affidavit.” The poem was first separately published, as a stand-alone chapbook in 2001, and was re-published just this year in Loden’s Dick of the Dead (Ahsahta Press). In a note at the back of the latter book, Loden states the poem “is based on an affidavit filed by Palo Alto police detective Mike Denson.”

The detective’s affidavit concerned a major local (Palo Alto) murder: a husband killing his wife, at home, after many years of marriage. The affidavit was published in the local paper in May, 2000. In an interview in 2001 with that same paper, Loden explained that she found the police affidavit “compelling” and that it “sparked [her] imagination.” Writing a poem was for Loden a way (in the reporter’s words) of “dealing with the tragedy.” Or, as Loden put it, “The murder was horrifying and, as a woman, I took it to heart.”

Here’s Loden’s poem:
             Affidavit

A luminous path of blood led from the kitchen
to the basement steps. The time of Ms. F.’s

death. The time the FedEx
driver knocked on the door. Her head

was on the landing next to a brass ship’s bell.
He said he drove to a vacant lot on Sneath

Lane in San Bruno. It seemed the victim
had been sitting at the table when she died.

Her legs extended up the stairwell. Mr. F.
could not explain the bloody shoes and towel

in his Suburban. He claimed the front door
was ajar. He called her name, “Christine.”
This poem works – it rivets and draws you in – even if you know nothing about the affidavit on which it was based. It is rich with gothic-horror details, particulars that both disturb – haunt, actually – and arouse curiosity. This begins right away, with the extremely vivid and attention-grabbing opening, “A luminous path of blood . . . .” The key word there is “luminous.” It’s lucid, radiant, brilliant, otherworldly: luminous. I read that, and it sparks a glow in my imagination.

The poem’s second and third sentences – spread over three lines – deepen the mystery. The repetition of the word “time” in the two sentences suggests mortality, while also appealing to the universal impulse to solve a puzzle (here, the question of what’s up with the blood and Ms. F’s death, and the significance thereto of the time of death and of the knock on the door) – an impulse that Loden will tug at throughout the poem. There’s also in the third sentence the way the first mention of the ultimate fact of the poem – “death” – drops into it all, following a line break and a double-space. And the way that the seemingly innocuous fact of a knock on the door also connotes death, at least to me, via a reminder of the Bob Dylan song title.

Next in the poem, at the very end of the fourth line – and this stuns – there appears a woman’s head. Loden again very effectively uses both a line break and the following double space – but this time the reverse of how it was used when “death” first appeared – to leave the woman’s head out there, all alone. It’s really scary, after having read about the path of blood, and a death, to come upon
                                                                               . . . . Her head
just there, hanging almost by itself at the end of the line. When I first came upon that phrase, sitting there atop the double-space blankness that follows, my pulse raced. It did again, typing it just now. It’s another vivid visual image, filmic in its intensity and the way Loden immediately cuts away via the line-break.

And then there’s “a brass ship’s bell” on a landing, next to the head.



I’m not exactly sure why I fixate so strongly on the brass ship’s bell in “Affidavit,” but I do. It probably has something to do with it being so damn incongruous compared to the poem’s other, more horrifying, details, to say nothing of the incongruity of a ship’s bell in a home. Sometimes, as here, unusual and out of place just plain scares me, as in, “this ain’t right, get me out of here, now!” Part of the striking oddness of the brass bell, of course, is that it parallels the grotesque thought of “[h]er head” on the stairway landing. Plus, it’s a bell, and thus inevitably suggests death, via John Donne’s Meditation XVII (“never send to know for whom the bell tolls . . . ).

Other gothic-horror details follow. A pair of seemingly disembodied female legs “extended up the stairwell” appear, as do “bloody shoes and towel” in the man’s vehicle. Plus much more that you try to figure out, including the various elements of the man’s purported alibi.

The final two sentences on one level are just elements of the claimed alibi, but they work to bring about a powerful end to the poem. First, they show much about the case including the mind-set of the killer. The details presented before the concluding lines, particularly that “Mr. F. / could not explain the bloody shoes and towel // in his Suburban,” undercut his alibi claim that he found the front door ajar and called out his wife’s name. That the husband would lie about this, of course, further reflect a desperate attempt to avoid being caught and an inner disconnect – a chilling coldness – about what he’d done.

But within all that the poem’s final word – “Christine” – is also deeply poignant. Before this concluding word, the poem’s two people were only referred to, and I believe purposefully, by formal titles (“Ms.” and “Mr.”), initial-only last names, gendered pronouns, and a relatively abstract noun (“victim”). Coming after all that, the final word – “Christine” – is intensely personal. The name, the dead woman’s name, echoes out and back in the mind.

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As great as “Affidavit” is by itself, it can be appreciated even more by comparing it to the source text, the detective’s actual affidavit. Let me put it like this: the poem consists of ten sentences, and totals about 100 words, while the detective’s affidavit runs for more than 150 sentences, and has more than 3,000 words. Obviously, Loden selected what to present, choosing only a very few details for the poem. She did so, I would suggest, to intensify what happened and her response to it.

But Loden not only selected the details, she arranged them. The sentences and phrases taken from the detective – and Loden largely presents verbatim selections – are not presented in the order they appear in the affidavit. It’s quite interesting to see what she did. I’ve pasted immediately below the text of the entire affidavit (it was printed in the local newspaper shortly after the police filed it with the court). Within it, I’ve indicated via a larger font size those portions Loden used in the poem. The number in the bracket before each of these sections indicates in which of the ten sentences the particular language or information appears in Loden’s poem. As you’ll see, and as discussed following the text of the detective’s affidavit (warning: it is lengthy), Loden did much selecting and arranging to make her poem:
STATEMENT OF FACTS
PALO ALTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
Case No. 00-126-0111

The following information is based on information that I hove personally gathered or that has been relayed to me by other Palo Alto police officers, members of the Santa Clara County Coroner's Office, and/or members of Santa Clara County Crime Laboratory.

Summary

On May 5, 2000, Kenneth Fitzhugh Jr. killed his wife, Kristine Fitzhugh, by beating her over the head with a blunt object and strangling her. This vicious assault occurred in the kitchen of their home located at 1545 Escobita Ave., Palo Alto, California. During the assault, the victim lost a substantial amount of blood. Mr Fitzhugh attempted to clean up the victim's blood, which had dripped onto the kitchen floor and furniture. He then moved her body and "staged" it at the foot of the basement stairway adjacent to a brass ship bell. Later he brought friends to the scene so that he would have witnesses to the "discovery" of his wife's body. He attempted to mislead investigators by suggesting that the victim had been killed when she fell down the basement stairs and hit her head.

Factual Background

The victim, Kristine Fitzhugh, and the defendant were married for the last 33 years. They had two children. The victim worked as part-time music teacher for the Palo Alto School District and was (sic) did volunteer work for community organizations. Mr. Fitzhugh was self-employed as a real estate consultant and ran the business out of their residence. He also did paralegal work on a part-time basis. For the last 18 years, the Fitzhugh family has lived at 1545 Escobita Ave., Palo Alto.

The Crime Scene

The Fitzhughs' home is in a neighborhood is (sic) known as "Southgate". The house has two stories, four bedrooms, an attic, and a basement. The following description reflects the appearance of the home when police saw it on May 5, 2000, the day Kristine was killed. The kitchen had a hardwood floor, an island, and a stainless steel sink with a garbage disposal. On the pink tile counter was a paper towel rack. Under the sink was a storage cabinet that contained cleaning fluids and paper bags. A rectangular wooden table and four wooden chairs were located by the east wall. One of the chairs was situated at the south end of the table. The table was centered in front of a large window that looked eastward toward a section of the back yard. Dark green pattern wallpaper covered the kitchen walls.

At the end of the hallway was a laundry room. This room had shelving that was used for storage, including a large package of paper towels. There was a washer and a dryer that had blood spatter on them.

Directly across from the kitchen was a door that led down to the basement. The basement floor was cement. The basement contained storage cabinets, cleaning materials, tools, and other objects consistent with a home that had been lived in for 18 years.

The 12 stairs leading into the basement appeared to have been rebuilt recently. The white steps had synthetic anti-slip strips attached to the leading edge of each step. There was a round wooden handrail adjacent to the stairs. One of the victim's shoes was located on the left side of the seventh step from the top of the staircase. The landing was about four feet square and was covered with a carpet. The carpet had a wet bloodstain on it. [4-b] A large heavy brass ship bell had been placed at an unusual location, blocking a portion of the landing. Fire Personnel moved the bell because it interfered with their resuscitation efforts. A telephone was located at the base of the stairs. Items of clothing in dry cleaning bags and school papers were found near the victims' body. These items had blood on them by the time police arrived. The basement floor had a large pool of wet blood consistent with the location of victim's head when resuscitation efforts were attempted. The Fitzhughs owned three automobiles. There is no garage and only one of the cars could fit in the driveway. Escobita Avenue is a narrow tree lined street. When a large car, such as the Fitzhughs' Suburban, was parked on the street, there was room for only one car to pass it at a time. Mr. Fitzhugh typically drove a green convertible 325 BMW or a blue 1999 Suburban (California License plate # 4JSK143). Both of these vehicles typically were parked on the street in front of the house. Ms. Fitzhugh drove a silver 325 BMW, which she parked in the driveway. Officers responding to the scene found the (sic) Ms. Fitzhugh's car parked in the driveway and other vehicles parked on the street in front of the house.

Time of Death

According to witnesses, Kristine Fitzhugh was at Peet's Coffee Shop in Palo Alto on May 5, 2000, after teaching her regularly scheduled music class. At approximately noon she bought two muffins and coffee.

The investigation determined that a Fed-Ex employee, who attempted to deliver a package to the victim's home at 12:08 p.m. on May 5, 2000, said that no one answered the door. The driver stated that there were no cars in the driveway, and the Suburban was not parked in front of the house. The event was initially reported to the police by way of a "911" call that was placed from the victim's residence at 1:41 p.m. on May 5, 2000. Based on this and other information, I believe that
[2] the time of the victim's death was between 12:08 p.m. ([3] the time the Fed-Ex driver knocked on the door) and 1:41 p.m. (the time of the "911" call).

Discovery of Victim

Two female friends of the victim told investigators that Mr. Fitzhugh arrived at their home on May 5, 2000 around 1:30 p.m. driving his blue Suburban. He told them that his wife had not shown up for class and he wanted to go by his house to see if she was there. They rode with Fitzhugh to his Escobita Avenue home. They noticed that the front door was ajar and remained in the car while Mr. Fitzhugh went inside. They saw him go upstairs and heard him calling out Kristine's name. Mr. Fitzhugh looked around downstairs and then came back outside and told them he need (sic) help because his wife was injured. One of the women went downstairs with Mr. Fitzhugh. She observed Kristine Fitzhugh's body lying at the base of the stairs. [4-a] Her head was on the landing, near the ship's bell and [7] her legs extended up the stairwell. There were several pieces (sic) clothing in dry cleaning bags and school papers under her body. One woman called "911" and told the Palo Alto Police Department dispatcher that a person was injured inside the residence located at 1545 Escobita Avenue.

The Fire Department and Officer Priess of the Palo Alto Police Department were dispatched to the residence. In the meantime, one of the women and Mr. Fitzhugh moved the victim to a flat area of the basement. Fire Department personnel arrived and were directed to the basement. Resuscitation was attempted but Ms. Fitzhugh was already dead.

Officer Priess arrived shortly after the Fire Department. He found Kenneth Fitzhugh Jr. and the two women at the residence. He noticed that Kenneth Fitzhugh was wearing black dress shoes, black pants and a light colored dress shirt. Mr. Fitzhugh told Officer Priess that the injured woman was his wife, and went on to say that she must have slipped while carrying some dry cleaning down the stairs and hit her head. Mr. Fitzhugh explained that when he discovered his wife's body, her head was at the bottom of the stairs next to the ship's bell, and her feet were above her on the stairs. He said that some dry cleaning was under her head and one of her shoes was located farther up the stairs.

Officer Priess believed the death to be an unattended accident. He called in back up to assist in the investigation. Mr. Fitzhugh and the two women were taken to a room where they remained until investigators arrived. In the mean time (sic) Mr. Fitzhugh made telephone calls and told people that his wife had been killed when she slipped and fell down the basement stairs.

I was assigned the investigation and arrived at the residence at approximately 3:00 p.m. on May 5, 2000. I observed the condition of the house, and in particular the stairwell area where the victim had been found. The victim's right shoe was on the seventh step from the top. There was blood on the victim, mostly around her head area. There was more blood on the floor and on a large heavy brass bell. By the time I arrived, the ship's bell had been moved away from the landing area to make room for resuscitation efforts.

On the dining room table, I observed the victim's purse, keys, an uneaten muffin, and a bottle of water. On the kitchen table was a half-eaten muffin, a half-full cup of coffee, a notebook, some school papers, and an orange marker. [6] It appeared to me that the victim had been sitting at the kitchen table immediately before she died.

Suspect's Story

Kenneth Fitzhugh agreed to come to the police department so that I could interview him. I asked him to tell me what he and his wife had done that day. Mr. Fitzhugh proceeded to tell me the following:

He and his wife, Kristine Fitzhugh, got up around 6 a.m., read the newspaper and drank coffee. They went jogging at approximately 7:00 a.m., returning around 7:45 a.m. Mr. Fitzhugh said he took off his clothes and put his running shoes back in his bedroom closet. Fitzhugh claimed that after showering he put on the same clothing that he was wearing while talking with me. These were the same clothes he had on when Officer Priess first arrived at the house. At around 10:00 a.m. his wife left the house in her silver BMW and headed to teach her regular scheduled 10:20 a.m. music class at nearby Duvenick (sic) Elementary School. [5] Mr. Fitzhugh claimed that he left the residence around 11:00 a.m. and drove his Suburban to a vacant lot located at 2101 Sneath Lane in San Bruno, California. He arrived at 11:45 a.m. and parked his Suburban in the parking lot adjacent to the vacant lot. He said he then walked around the undeveloped property for about an hour and considered whether it was a suitable site for a building a potential client wished to construct. However, Mr. Fitzhugh could not provide specific details concerning what he did during the time spent on the property. He admitted that that he did not have any plans or drawings, did not know the size or layout of the building, and lacked many of the particulars necessary to evaluate whether the property was suitable. He said that he did not speak to anyone while at the site.

Mr. Fitzhugh said that he had an appointment at 1:30 to pick up some friends in Palo Alto to run errands. He left the property and drove southbound on Highway 101. At approximately 1:15 p.m., near the Woodside Road turnoff, he received a call on his cell phone from a coworker of Kristine, which had been forwarded, from his home phone. The coworker told him that his wife had not arrived to teach her 12:50 p.m. class at Addison Elementary School. Fitzhugh suggested that she try Kristine's new cell phone number, which he gave to her. She said that she would attempt to reach her by calling that number. He said that he would do the same. He told me that he immediately called his wife's new cell phone number and called the home phone number. He said there was no answer at either location.

Fitzhugh said he continued to drive to the home of two friends of his and Kristine's in Palo Alto. Once at the house he told them that his wife had not showed up for her 12:50 class, and that he wanted to go back to his house to see if she was there. They agreed and he drove them to his residence on Escobita Avenue in his blue Suburban.

[9] When they arrived, Fitzhugh said his wife's car was parked in the driveway and the front door to the house was ajar. He went inside while the two women waited outside in his Suburban. [10] He said that he first looked upstairs and called out her name. He then looked for her on the on the (sic) first floor. When he noticed that the door to the stairwell leading to the basement was ajar he looked down the stairwell, he saw his wife lying near the bottom landing. Her body was on top of some dry cleaning, her hands were clutching some items, and her face was touching a large brass ship bell. He said he did not immediately go down the stairs. Instead, he went back outside and told the woman that he "needed some help". They all came inside, and one of the women went down into the basement with Mr. Fitzhugh. The other woman called 911. He said that he and one of the women attempted CPR on the victim. They continued to give CPR until the personnel from the Fire Department arrived at around 1:40 p.m. He said he realized that his wife was dead while he was giving her CPR but nevertheless he continued until Fire Department personnel took over. He said about the time that Officer Priess arrived he was told by a member of the Fire Department that his wife was dead.

After hearing Mr. Fitzhugh's explanation of his actions that day, I asked him for consent to search his house and his cars. I was interested in determining whether anything had been stolen from the house. He agreed, and I obtained a Consent to Search form. He provided me with most of the information that was necessary to completely fill out the form, however, when it came time to sign the form he declined to sign it. I left the room briefly, and when I returned he said that he changed his mind and that I could search the house and the cars as long as he could come along. I agreed. He then signed the consent to search form.

I returned to the house with Mr. Fitzhugh. Other officers assisted in searching the home and the vehicles. While at the home an officer told me that a bloody paper towel and a pair of bloody running shoes had been found in Mr. Fitzhugh's Suburban. The Suburban was sealed and impounded. I asked Mr. Fitzhugh if he could show me where the running shoes he had worn that morning were located. He took me upstairs to a closet in the master bedroom. I observed an empty space in a row of shoes that were lined up on the floor of the closet. He told me his running shoes should be where the empty space was. He described the running shoes to me. [8] I informed him that his running shoes had been found in his Suburban, and showed him a picture of the recovered shoes. He had no explanation as to why they would be in the vehicle. He further stated that he had no explanation for why they would have his wife's blood on them. He also could not provide an explanation for the bloody towel. Subsequently, Mr. Fitzhugh left the house and went to pick up his son at the airport.

In an interview conducted several hours later, Mr. Fitzhugh told me that perhaps his wife's blood had gotten on the shoes when she cut her left hand a week or two before while gardening. He said the (sic) he applied direct pressure to her wound to stop the bleeding, and suggested perhaps that explained the blood on the shoe. He still could not explain how his running shoes got into the Suburban, or why they would have blood on the sole.

When asked again about the bloody paper towel that had been found in the back of his Suburban, this time he said that he had cleaned himself up after the police arrived and then went outside to check on his dogs that were in the Suburban. He said he believed that he might have tossed the paper towel in the vehicle at that time.

Coroner's Investigation and Findings

I met with the Chief Coroner for Santa Clara Counsy Dr. Edward Schmunk, and his associate, forensic pathologist Dr. Diane Vertis at the victim's 1545 Escobita Avenue residence.

Dr. Vertis conducted the autopsy and told me that she observed the following injuries on the victim: 1) three impact wounds on the top of her head, indicating that the victim had been stuck from behind with a blunt object; 2) three more impact wounds on the back of the head, indicating that she had been struck from behind with at blunt object; 3) a puncture wound behind the victim's right ear that extended through her skull and into the brain; indicating that a blunt object had struck the head with sufficient force to fracture the skull; 4) injuries to the victim's throat and neck indicating that she had been strangled; 5) injuries to the victim's face, including two black eyes, indicating that she had been punched and/or slapped in eyes, mouth and face; and 6) a "defensive" type injury to her left little finger, consistent with her having put her hand up to block a blow. Embedded in the laceration was the victim's wedding ring.

Both Dr. Vertis and Dr. Schmunk told me that in their expert opinions the head wounds ("craniocerebral trauma") were the cause of death, and manual strangulation was a contributing factor. They said that these injuries were not consistent with the victim falling down the basement stairs of the residence. These wounds were consistent with the assailant attacking Ms. Fitzhugh from behind with a blunt object and the victim at least briefly attempting to fend off the attack. The injuries were consistent with an attack that included the assailant having grabbed Kristine's neck, attempting to strangle her with one hand, while punching her face with the other. In all likelihood, they believed Ms. Fitzhugh was dead before she was moved to the basement.

Blood Evidence

Several spatters of blood were located in the kitchen area. Some of this blood was located under objects. On closer inspection, members of the police department were able to locate over seventy blood spatters in the kitchen area alone. Some of the blood spatter evidence was consistent with blood flying off an object used to assault the victim. More blood spatter evidence was located in the laundry room.

On May 10, 2000, members of the Santa Clara County Laboratory of Criminalist and members of the Palo Alto Police Department conducted luminol testing at the residence. This is a procedure whereby a special liquid chemical that has a fluorescent reaction to blood is sprayed on an area. This procedure allows for detection of blood that can not be seen by the naked eye, and is especially useful in detecting blood residue remaining after an assailant cleans up the scene of a violent crime. Photographs were taken documenting the luminol testing and are attached hereto as Exhibits 1-6. The bluish color that appears in these photographs I believe reflects the luminol reacting with blood.

Evidence of blood was located on the kitchen chair that was found next to the half-eaten muffin and Ms. Fitzhugh's music papers (Exhibit 1b and 2b). Evidence of blood was found on the kitchen wall (Exhibit 3b). Evidence of a large area of blood was revealed on the kitchen floor (Exhibit 4b). [1] A luminous path of blood led from the kitchen to the top of the basement stairs (Exhibit 5b). Evidence of a pool of blood was detected on the top of basement stairs (Exhibit 5b and 6b). Apparent in Exhibits 4b and 5b are distinctive patterns that appeared to me to be consistent with the soles of Mr. Fitzhugh's running shoes. Within the luminous images in Exhibits 4b and 6b, there appeared a pattern consistent with someone having wiped up blood.

A complete search of Mr. Fitzhugh's Suburban was conducted on May 10, 2000. A medium size Brooks Brother's (sic) shirt was found stuffed under the front seat. On the front of the shirt was a large round stain that appeared to be blood. In the master bedroom closet I found other medium sized men's dress shirts. A witness recalled Mr. Fitzhugh wearing a similar shirt on many occasions.

DNA Test Results

A blood sample was taken from Kristine Fitzhugh at the time of the autopsy. A blood sample was also obtained from Mr. Fitzhugh. Mr. Fitzhugh's running shoes and the shirt found in his Suburban were submitted to the Santa Clara County Crime Laboratory for DNA testing. The Santa Clara Crime Laboratory is nationally certified to conduct DNA testing. A member of the Crime Laboratory told me that DNA testing established that Kristine Fitzhugh's blood was on both the running shoes and the shirt found in Mr. Fitzhugh's Suburban.

Attempts To Corroborate Suspect's Story

Mr. Fitzhugh was asked to provide any information or witnesses that could help corroborate his claim that he was away from the home from 11:00 a.m. until 1:41 p.m. on May 5, 2000. Other than the two women who he picked up and took back to his house, and Kristine's coworker, Fitzhugh told me that he did not speak to anyone else and did not know anyone that saw him during this time period.

The phones in the residence were hooked up to caller identification boxes. These devices recorded the time and the number of the last ten calls that were made to the residence. The devices were examined and the numbers stored therein were documented. The number from Kristine's coworker was located on the boxes and the time indicated was consistent with her statement. According to Mr. Fitzhugh's story, his cell phone number should have on the (sic) appeared shortly before or shortly after that call. This was not the case. His cell phone number did not show up on of any of the caller identification boxes.

A fellow police officer told me that he drove to the location to 2101 Sneath Lane, San Bruno, and determined that it was vacant lot adjacent to a business called the Family Golf Center. The officer told me he spoke to employees of the Family Golf Center. He spoke to a manager of the facility. She told him that she knows Kenneth Fitzhugh and had an on going (sic) long-term friendly business relationship with him. She has spoken to him on several occasions. She said that Mr. Fitzhugh he (sic) had been involved in getting the city building permits for the facility. She pointed out the vacant lot to him (2101 Sneath Lane). The lot was adjacent to the office and was clearly visible from the office. The manager told Officer Souza that due to the nature of their relationship, it would be unusual for Mr. Fitzhugh to be on or near the property and not come into her office and speak with her or other employees. She told him that if he had been at the property on May 5th between 11:45 a.m. and 12:45 a.m, she would have seen him.

Mr. Fitzhugh had shown me where on Kristine's hand she had allegedly been injured in the garden accident. Dr Vertis examined the same area of victim's hand and said based on the description of the injury, she expected to see some indication of the wound. She saw none.

Mr. Fitzhugh has told me that nothing was missing from the residence. During the investigation I have not discovered any evidence of a forced entry into the residence or any evidence that property was stolen from the residence.

The facts set forth in this written statement are true, based upon my information and belief, except those facts which are set forth as my own observations, which I know to be true based upon personal knowledge.

Dated: May 19, 2000
Detective Mike Denson
Palo Alto Police Department

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The highlighting and numbering I’ve added within the affidavit show how Loden selected and then skillfully re-arranged details. I marvel at her work. A key example is the first line in Loden’s poem, describing a “luminous path of blood.” As seen above, this detail comes from very near the end of the detective’s affidavit, and indeed is the last fact from the legal document chosen by Loden for the poem. Why Loden in her poem completely switched where this fact appears is obvious: it’s an attention grabber of the first magnitude, horrifying, mysterious, and even otherworldly.

Similarly, the first detail in the affidavit used by Loden (the brass ship’s bell) doesn’t appear until her poem’s fourth sentence. And thus, I think, this odd but compelling detail is made even odder and more compelling, appearing as it does in the middle of what is at that point plainly the scene of a most heinous crime.

In fact, Loden re-ordered almost all the details and language she selected relative to where they they appeared in the detective’s statement, and doing that made for a better poem. Want to see what I mean? Here’s a poem made from the exact sentences of Loden’s poem, and in the same style (couplets), but with the sentences presented in the order the information appears in the actual affidavit:
Her head was on the landing
next to a brass ship’s bell. The time of Ms. F.’s

death. The time the FedEx
driver knocked on the door.

Her legs extended up the stairwell. It seemed the victim
had been sitting at the table when she died.

Mr. F. said he drove to a vacant lot on Sneath
Lane in San Bruno. He claimed the front door

was ajar. He called her name, “Christine.”
He could not explain the bloody shoes and towel

in his Suburban. A luminous path of blood
led from the kitchen to the basement steps.
This poem just doesn’t make it, does it? Not even close, actually. There’s too much shown too soon, it proceeds way too logically in the middle, has little if any mystery or tension to it, and the final lines have none of the sincere touch of humanity of Loden’s poem.

Loden’s re-arranging of the information, as well as her selection of details, must have been a time-consuming and difficult task given the range of choices available. The possibilities here were enormous: she first had to winnow almost two hundred sentences to ten, and after that literally millions of combinations and permutations were still possible with regard to how those ten sentences would be ordered (and millions more if the possibilities with line-breaks and form (e.g., couplets versus quatrains) are considered).

Such circumstances perhaps naturally give rise to thoughts of the role of poetic inspiration, intervention by the muse, or just good luck. And maybe some of that happened for “Affidavit.” But my theory, for this particular case, is that a poem this good, based on such a lengthy source text, didn’t happen in a flash. There must have been a whole lot of hard work, a whole lot of thinking, considering and experimenting before the poem was completed.

And so my verdict: given the poem Loden made – and please, scroll back up to the top of this post and read it again – her poetic eye and skills are extremely fine; the selecting and ordering of the details and language here, and the making of a poem from that material, are superb. “Affidavit,” no less than the work in Charles Reznikoff’s Testimony, or that in M. NourbeSe Philip’s Zong!, is a poem from the law for the ages.

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Loden’s “Affidavit” when first published (in 2001) received unusual attention in Palo Alto, where the crime took place and where Loden lives. As mentioned above, the local paper had a reporter interview her, and the resulting article printed her poem in its entirety. That kind of recognition in the general civic community doesn’t happen very often for a poem, and here I think it is a mark of both the power of the subject matter and the quality of the poem itself.

Another part of the unusual response to Loden’s poem is that a copy of the “Affidavit” chapbook was bought by the Stanford University (and here’s the kicker) Law Library!!! That could only happen for a poem from the law, yes? In the Stanford Law Library’s Special Collections, Loden’s book/poem is now forever assigned call number LAW-0436, and has the following library subject-matter entries:

Subject (LC): Fitzhugh, Kristine--Poetry.
Subject (LC): Murder victims--California--Palo Alto.
Subject (LC): Murder--California--Palo Alto--Poetry.


Those are pretty unique catalog entries for a book of poems. I only wish the library cataloger had not focused solely on the poem’s crime aspects (“Murder Victim” / “Murder”) but also included subject matter entries regarding some of the other, may I say more “poetic” facts that Loden included. In particular, I’d love to be researching in a library and come across an entry like this:

Subject (LC): Brass Ship’s Bell--Murder--California--Palo Alto--Poetry.

Yes, that would be something! Even more seriously, Stanford ought to add the following catalog entry, so as to give full recognition to Loden’s poem from the law:

Subject (LC): Affidavit--Murder--California--Palo Alto--Poetry.

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“Affidavit” is not the only poem from the law by Loden. Soon here in “the glade,” I’ll write about another of her works based on a legal document, a poem made entirely from language taken from the Last Will and Testament of Richard Nixon. [Update, July 26, 2009: click here, if you please, for my post on Loden’s poem “Last W & T,” made from language taken from Nixon’s Will.]

My previous posts on Poetry from the Law, if you please, can be seen by clicking through here (on Charles Reznikoff’s Testimony), and here (on M. NourbeSe Philip’s Zong!).

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Affidavit
Rachel Loden
drawings by Tad Richards

(Pomegranate Press, 2001)

(the chapbook / first separate publication)

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“Affidavit”
is republished in

Rachel Loden
Dick of the Dead
(Ahsahta Press, 2009)