"Water is two hydrogens, one oxygen. Peroxide is two hydrogens, two oxygens. Decomposition of hydrogen peroxide releases heat and oxygen. Proper venting prevents explosion."

Without Juror Five, this would be easy money. Forget the lawyers, forget the judge. And that box of people might as well be just body sensations--fat, muscle, breasts, and thighs. In truth they're only sloppy brains. Idiots thinking themselves big for doing their civic duty.
      But not Number Five. According to her jury profile, she's the wife of a Fortune 500 CEO and teaches chemistry part-time at an elite suburban high school. For every day of the trial she's worn tight Versace dresses and walked into court with a grace beyond her two facelifts and fifty-five years.
      She's so good she's not even listening to anything I say up here.

"No, hydrogen peroxide is not considered an explosive. However, when mixed with small amounts of catalysts, an explosive pressure rupture of the containing vessel can occur if the vessel is not properly vented."

Juror Five must know what venting is. She can't have been doing the corporate wife thing all these years and not know about venting. Her husband's gotta take his business trips and you know that's his pressure valve. I'd bet that son-of-a-bitch requires vents every few weeks. Probably doesn't even bother making lame excuses as to why he's gone away from her all the time.
      Did you ever wonder why Las Vegas hosts so many business conventions?

"Materials containing catalysts are silver, lead, copper, chromium, mercury, and iron oxide."

Wonder what her catalyst is?

"Yes, another word for iron oxide is rust."

That got a smile. She knows what's coming. She is listening! And I doubt her shit husband's noticed that smile in years.
      If we had time, we could talk about anything but this waste treatment lawsuit. Maybe we'd discuss how you can't travel across the country making crap clean for everyone but your family back home. Sure, she's grooming those kids for Harvard. That's the easy part. But love? Care? Real life? Forget all that.

"Most municipal and industrial applications call for 35% or 50% concentrations. That's half water, half peroxide."

Juror Five frowns. She thinks she doesn't need my simplified explanation. My gut says she looks down on the civil servants and unemployed fools she's been sitting with for the last three weeks. But she's wrong about simplified explanations. If you get caught even once everyone will ignore your simplified explanations. Your kids won't respect you even ten years after they leave home. They'll always know what you did. And they never blame the mother who was there for them. Even if she started it all.
      No, it's all dumped on the shit husband who was never there.
      And maybe it is his fault.

"The rate of decomposition increases approximately 2.2 times for each 10 degrees C rise in temperature in the range from 20 degrees C to 100 degrees C."

Juror Five frowns. Yeah, hon, that's a bullshit statement. But you're doubting yourself now, thinking maybe I said something you can't grasp. Well here's the truth: No matter how hard you try, it won't ever make sense. Even the judge knows that.

"My apology, I was digressing."

Juror Five! Look at me! Look. Please.

"Yes, in my expert opinion, if the containing vessel had not been properly maintained, rust could have formed inside. When hydrogen peroxide was added to the container, the iron oxide--rust--could have been the catalyst for an explosive buildup."

Proper venting, my dear. You gotta have proper venting.

"Without proper venting there will always be an explosion."

____

I don't know how someone can bill themselves as "America's leading expert witness," but [this guy] does. Where else but in American can you make a career out of being an expert witness?