The prosecutor sat at the table in the jury room finishing up his 8:30 docket of cases, seeing the people representing themselves. They were the toughest with which to deal because their quests were personal. It was about 10 after 11. My trial was scheduled to start at 10:30, but in this court, that was a dream.
I sat at the other end of the table, listening to the excuses, intuitively knowing which were close to reality, let alone the truth; but that mattered not to the prosecutor, who was trying to reduce his case load and that of the court, making room for the onslaught of new cases that would be generated over the upcoming weekend.
There were a couple of men standing against the wall to his right along with a woman, all waiting to talk to him, and there were others out in the large gallery area outside the four courtrooms on the floor. The prosecutor's assistant would walk out and escort someone to the table where he or she would be told "the deal."
He finished up with a woman and said to his assistant, handing her a file, "Get this knucklehead; I'll see what kind of cockamamie story he's got."
"Sir," she said to the guy standing directly to the prosecutor's right. "You're next."
Not missing a beat, the guy said, smiling, "I see I've graduated to knucklehead. Your police officer said I was an idiot."
The prosecutor didn't laugh. Joyless bastard.
My trial? The joyless bastard prevailed. Or maybe not. He urged the judge to give my client 30 days in jail, but she imposed a fine of only $150. I guess she figured that getting thrown through a plate glass window and nearly bleeding to death ... "a horrific, bloody scene," one officer said ... was enough punishment.
C'est la guerre.
Posted by Bill at March 10, 2005 11:27 PMWait a minute, now. This guy got fined- for what.. disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct?- because he was BLEEDING TO DEATH?? Or would have, if he hadn't received medical care? What the fuck? Would this prosecutor take, say, a pregnant woman who had her membranes rupture in public to court for *littering*? Or maybe an epileptic would be charged with resisting arrest if he jerked away from an officer during a seizure?
The bastard.
And what the hell was wrong with that judge? Is your county THAT hard up for money? Oyez, oyez, cash, check, visa, mastercard, american express, this court is now in session?
Appeal. On principle.
Posted by: lucy at March 11, 2005 12:31 AMthrown through a window
or squashed by a knucklehead,
peeps don't bleed at all.
damnit all, i missed
the cue; suzette, in haiku,
I bow down to you!
omfg... i'm not even going to TRY this year.
Posted by: Keri at March 11, 2005 08:54 PM