Faulty Bloodline by Gary Gerlacher

Author:Gary Gerlacher [Gerlacher, Gary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-03-14T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 21

Friday, May 13

9:00 a.m.

Alejandro’s arraignment began in the courtroom that had stood for eighty-seven years, most recently upgraded seven years earlier by the Felton Foundation. In an impressive two story room lined entirely with dark stained oak and intricate moldings, the judge would sit on a dais six feet above the floor, allowing him a commanding view of the cavernous space. Today, all twelve rows of seating supported a crowd, and more people stood along the perimeter.

The bailiff made his announcement exactly on time. “All rise. Court is now in session, the Honorable Nick Morestrand presiding.”

Judge Morestrand climbed the stairs to his chair, waving for the crowd to be seated. An imposing figure at six foot four, with his gray hair and famously bushy gray eyebrows, he exuded a calm, wise presence. He had easily won re-election for the last twenty-three years as an academic powerhouse known to preside fairly and compassionately.

“Prosecution, the floor is yours.”

Don Anderson, dressed in his best pin stripe, dark blue suit with a red tie, made his point succinctly. “Your Honor, the state charges Alejandro Ramirez with seven counts of first degree, premeditated murder in the deaths of Laurie Vaughn, John Hunt, and five John Does over the last year. The state requests that he be held without bail pending trial, as he is both a flight risk and a danger to the community.” The District Attorney sat down, and the judge looked to the defense table.

Travis Foster waited a moment and then slowly rose, indicating for Alejandro to stand up next to him. Travis had arranged for a haircut and a conservative blue suit for Alejandro to wear in court, while he himself remained his usual unkempt self with gray hair fighting gravity in all directions and in a fifteen-year-old wrinkled gray suit. “Your Honor, my client pleads innocent to these charges. Furthermore, we ask that these charges be dismissed with prejudice, as the prosecution has failed to produce any evidence of my client’s guilt.”

A banging gavel silenced the murmuring crowd. “I would like to remind everyone that you are observers, not participants, in these proceedings. Interruptions will not be tolerated.” He punctuated his words with a long, slow stare across the entire crowd. “Prosecution?”

“Your Honor, it is an insult to this court and to the people to suggest that the trial will be ended before it has even begun. The state has an abundance of evidence which will tie this man to the murders of those innocent people.”

Travis stood up, “Your Honor, I believe the DA is a man of his word, and that he would never claim to have a mountain of evidence unless such mountain actually existed, but we have seen nothing, not one bit of evidence to connect my client to these murders. If he wishes to deny my client bail, he must show at least some reason to do so.”

Expecting this, the DA immediately responded. “The state is still processing the evidence, but among other things, we discovered a .

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