Welcome to Hell by Colin Martin

Author:Colin Martin [Martin, Colin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781905379897
Publisher: Maverick Publishing Ltd
Published: 2011-12-05T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

Looking back on that time, I find it hard to explain how complicated my predicament was. I might as well have had no legal representation.

My lawyer had only been to see me once during the 84 days I’d been in prison. And when we spoke, he expressed no interest in my case. The only thing he seemed interested in was his fee.

I remember him sitting with me and saying that he would charge $20,000, but his fee could double if my case turned out to be complicated. At the time, I didn’t have $20,000 or anywhere near it, but I said nothing. I knew he would abandon me if he knew the truth.

The legal consultation was farcical. The only truthful thing he said was that it would take months for my trial to start. And that he would, of course, need a down payment.

For the first time, I decided to start playing them all at their own game. I assured him there would be no trouble in paying his required fees, and promised him I’d try to work something out.

I was sent to court 12 days later.

I assumed that my ploy would work, but when I arrived in court, the lawyer was nowhere to be seen.

I waited and waited in the court holding cell. Eventually my name was called and I was taken upstairs to a courtroom, without a defending lawyer. Evidently, he had no interest in the case until he was paid.

I remember that day for all the wrong reasons. It should have been the beginning of the end of my troubles, but it was actually the day my life took another horrible turn for the worse.

A judge walked in and asked me in Thai how I pleaded. I said that I didn’t understand Thai, so the judge sent for a translator. I was taken back downstairs to wait.

The translator arrived two hours later. I still had no lawyer, but there was no prosecutor either. Through the translator, the judge explained that I had been charged with the first degree murder of Mr Brett Holdsworth. He asked me if I had a lawyer. I said I did, so he asked where my lawyer was.

I said I didn’t know.

The judge told me that murder was a very serious charge, and that I’d have to have a reliable lawyer. He decided that he would appoint one to defend me, and he set the next court appearance for a date six weeks away. That was it.

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