Deadlocked by Joel Goldman

Author:Joel Goldman [Goldman, Joel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction / Thrillers
Publisher: Joel Goldman
Published: 2011-10-05T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 30

"The court calls the case of State v. Mason. Counsel, state your appearances," Judge Pistone said, his chin aimed at his lap, scribbling notes on the docket sheet.

"Patrick Ortiz for the state, your Honor."

"Dixon Smith for the defendant, Lou Mason. We waive reading of the charges and enter a plea of not guilty."

"Bail?" Judge Pistone asked.

"We ask that the defendant be released on his own recognizance," Smith said before Ortiz could answer.

Judge Pistone looked up, leaned back in his chair and held up his hand as Ortiz started to reply. "You're slow off the mark today Mr. Ortiz, but you'll get your turn. Mr. Smith," the Judge continued, "have you ever known any judge to release someone charged with capital murder on their own recognizance?"

"No sir," Smith answered.

"Then why would you make such a ridiculous request, knowing that I'll never grant it?"

"It's no more ridiculous than what the prosecutor is going to ask for, especially if he opposes any bail."

"I've denied bail in many murder cases," the judge said. "Why will the prosecuting attorney oppose bail in this case?"

Smith moved from behind his counsel table to the center of the courtroom, placing himself between the judge and Ortiz, blocking out his opposition. Elbows angled out from his hips, hands open, he filled the stage he had set.

"Mr. Ortiz is going to tell you that this was a heinous crime—that Mr. Mason is a lawyer and that lawyers are held to some higher standard because they are officers of the court. He is an officer of the court but that doesn't mean he gets any less justice or due process than the lowest born. The prosecutor is going to tell you that there's overwhelming evidence of Mr. Mason's guilt and that that makes him a flight risk and a danger to the community. Mr. Ortiz is going to tell you all of that and then ask you to set bail so high Mr. Mason can't possibly post it or deny it outright."

"Mr. Ortiz," Judge Pistone said. "Sounds like Mr. Smith has heard you make that speech before, as have I."

Ortiz rose, strolled past Smith, and rested his forearm on the shelf beneath the judge's bench that lawyers used during trial when they wanted to tell the judge something they didn't want the jury to hear. He turned toward the audience, ignoring Smith, and smiled, covering his irritation that he had let Smith get out of the box ahead of him.

"Your honor, it was true the first time I said it and it's even truer today," he said, pivoting back toward the judge, both hands on the shelf, shrinking the courtroom to an intimate box that excluded Mason and his lawyer. "This was a cold-blooded, premeditated murder. The defendant lured Sandra Connelly to an office park at night when no one would be around to interfere with his plan. He has admitted shooting her with his own gun and has made up the biggest fish story since Jonah and the whale to blame it on some mysterious assailant.

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