The Good Judge

A FEW WEEKS AGO!

We were almost at the end of a very contentious murder trial.... Olivia and Beverly , assisted by Nelson and Josie

were defending a young Black woman, Vanessa Harris, who was accused of killing her romantic rival during a party in which everyone was high..A lot of Marijuana had been smoked and beer drank...Ten people were rounded up who were in the apartment when the girl ,Ruby Hodges was stabbed to death..and of course, there were ten different stories.

Our client was arrested in just her panties and bra...Two guys had taken her dress and blouse off of her and were about to rape her when the party was busted by Vice Detectives....

Everybody was as high as a kite and no one knew exactly who stabbed  Ruby Hodges..

Lt. Tragg kept Vanessa Harris up all night...She was high, she was exhausted ….After eight hours she "confessed" to murder one...Very little physical evidence...The victim's blood was on almost everyone present...and a smudged fingerprint belonging to our client was on the murder weapon, which hadn't been properly secured and had been handled by more people than should have...The entire case was a big mess and web of confusion.

What made it worse was Ms. Harris had  confessed to "More than likely killing her romantic rival Ruby Hodges , who was sleeping with the same guy she was...This guy in question was not at this party.

She said- "I get so high sometimes I can't even remember what I do...I have blackouts..So I probabaly did do it.." she said..

I'm Donnie Ray Alexander, Olivia's husband and a former Homicide Detective...Now chief investigator for my wife ,

Olivia Bennett-Alexander and her niece, Beverly West- East's law firm...That didn't set right with me...This whole case looked janky!

So I did a little digging..

Three of Assistant District Attorney, Chris Garcetti's main witnesses had been caught in a web of lies and had changed the story of what happened six times..

and the only thing the prosecution had now was one smudged finger print of hers was on the alleged murder weapon... a switchblade that belonged to her ex-boyfriend that our client couldn't remember seeing..

Lt. Tragg was confident he had made a good case..but three of his witnesses had already been exposed as liars and outside of them...There was no eyewitnesses...The knife should have been bagged and tagged immediately...That's Homicide 101...because the EMT workers and at least two policemen had handled it...the evidence was tainted...

Another two so-called witnesses had taken her clothes off and were trying to take advantage of her drugged state...Which is why she was arrested in only her panties and bra and blouse...The two men were being held for attempted rape charges and even their version of events was different from the other versions told...

All we knew was that some body stuck a knife into the side of the victim's neck, piercing his jugular vein and causing him to bleed out...

Vanessa's clothes had a little of the victims blood on it..but they were halfway across the room and she hadn't had them on when arrested..

"Where is her dress?? Where is her blouse?" demanded Olivia loudly...

"Liv, she didn't have them on when she was arrested...They are probably in evidence..."said Lt. Tragg..

"Oh Noo..No..No...This won't do." said an unusually angry Olivia. "She needs to be covered." she said.

The night we went to see her, Beverly demanded that she be given some pants, An orange jump suit to cover her...something....

Nelson thought it was deplorable that she sat in the interrogation room around a lot of male detectives and policemen in just her panties and bra for hours and wondered aloud if a white female prisoner would have been treated the same way..

Josie concurred and was just as angry and outraged as Beverly was...

In court...

Beverly, Nelson and Josie brought in expert blood splatter witnesses that said that since her dress and shoes had been strown around the living room, the blood could have easily splattered on the clothing from somewhere else....Plus, two of the so called witnesses also had the victim's blood on them...

By the next to last day of our defense...ADA Chris Garcetti made us an offer..

''Look Olivia, Beverly...I'll take Murder one and the Death Penalty off the table...I'll plead it down to Manslaughter....10-15 years...with probable parole in 9 years for good behavior...You don't have any other cards to play." he said.

That night at home, We discussed the offer.

 ''Auntay, this case is soo messy, that might be a good idea.."said Beverly..

 "I hate to say it...but the jury is 7 to convict, 5 to acquit and at this rate we are certain to get a hung jury at best." said Nelson..

"I don't know what to say....I'm just glad I'm not the lead attorney.."said Josie..

"No...No deal...I'm going for an acquittal....I've got a DNA specialist coming in that Donnie Ray found...who took a look at that knife and said that it should have been bagged and tagged right away and should not have been handled by EMT drivers..and that the DNA  from her sweat and skin was transferred to the knife as well as on their clothes the same night...This person has testified in several trials of this nature. No deal."said Olivia.

"You guys ready to roll the dice?" I asked..

 "I'm with you Auntay...Till the wheels fall off the  cart. You know that!"said Beverly...

 "Liv we been practicing law together since I was a pup...You taught me everything I know about being a real lawyer in the real world..I'm rollin that dice with you."said Nelson.

"We are a team...We win together or we lose together...I'm in.."said Josie..

In the balance was our clients life...She was looking at a possible death sentence for First degree Murder or at best, Life imprisonment..

The very attractive young Judge..Elise Clemmons....looked at Olivia and said..

"That was a very good deal Mrs. Bennett-Alexander that ADA Garcetti offered you...You realize if your client is found guilty I will have no choice but to sentence her to death, since our ADA is asking for that...Are you sure you want to gamble?" she asked Olivia, who as it turned out, she was very fond of...

Actually she was baiting Olivia...She wanted her to gamble.

"I'm taking that chance...My client did not commit this crime.."said Olivia.

 Lt. Tragg smiled..

"She's as guilty as hell...Liv and Bev are crazy....You made them a good deal.."said Lt. Tragg to ADA Chris Garcetti , who was trying to save face with the deal..He realized that once again, Lt. Tragg's slip shod police work and rush to judgement arrest might be this case's undoing.

"I certainly did...I'm about to hand them a very bad defeat...."said ADA Chris Garcetti.. He was posturing...He knew that the jury could go either way..

SOME HOURS LATER-

''Bailiff read the jury's decision.."said Judge Clemmons...who was almost giddy upon reading the verdicts...

"COUNT ONE , MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE- NOT GUILTY!!!!!"

"COUNT TWO , USE OF AN INSTRUMENT OF CRIME-NOT GUILTY!!!

"COUNT THREE, CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT FIRST DEGREE MURDER- NOT GUILTY!!

Each juror was polled....They all said  unanimously...NOT GUILTY!!!

Chris Garcetti was beside himself!!

He tossed his jacket in the air..

He kicked the table several times...

He bellowed to the top of his lungs..

"WE HAVE THE STUPIDEST JURORS IN THE GOTDAMN WORLD, WHAT TRIAL WERE YOU IDIOTS WATCHING" he screamed...

"Bailiffs, I think our esteemed Assistant District Attorney needs a night in the cooler." said the Judge .

Chris was grabbed and dragged to the Holding facility upstairs nicknamed "The Cooler"...He had now lost at least three times to us and once to Yvette Jones and crew...He also had the dubious record of having spent more time in the "Cooler" than any attorney in Philadelphia.

The Attractive Judge addressed all of us...

"My hat is tipped to you...That was some serious gambling you did Ms. Olivia, Ms. Beverly and Mr. East and a gutsy performance.

 "Thank you your honor."said Olivia..

 "Thank You your honor."said Beverly..

"Thank you your honor."said Nelson.

"Ms. Boyd , I understand you are a newly minted Attorney...You can and probably have learned a lot from your associates." said Judge Clemmons, who was just gushing.

"Yes I have learned a lot from them.Your Honor."said Josie.

She looked at me..

"And you Mr. Donnie Ray....great investigative work...When I was a defense attorney I always said..''Nothing like a good investigator. You sir are a great investigator.." she said laughing..

"Thank you mam!" I said.

She looked at our grateful client..

"You Ms. Harris..You are extremely lucky...Any other attorney would have lost that case..and you'd be headed to death row or a life behind bars....Today you are free, you are extremely fortunate....I certainly didn't want to see that happen to you... That's why I had a third party get in contact with Olivia and Beverly on your behalf."said Judge Elise Clemmons..

"You? You did that for me..?" asked Vanessa Harris..

''Sure did..They arrested you and brought you in high as a kite and in just your panties and bra and I knew in my heart..Here goes another poor Black girl about to be railroaded and mistreated...I never believed your "confession."  I'm not a fan of Lt. Tragg's rush to judgement and slip shoddy police work.. Now that's just between you and me...What I want you to do for me is get yourself in a Rehab program...get off the drugs and booze...You're better than this..Come see me in a few days and I can get you set up..."said the Judge..

"Thank you your honor...I will and thank you Olivia, Beverly, Nelson, Donnie Ray and Josie...I just knew I was on my way to jail...Thank you for giving me my life back." said Vanessa.

 "You're quite welcome young lady.."said Olivia.

 "Yes...Now do what the Judge says and clean your life up.."said Beverly..

 "Good Luck to you.." I said.

 "Yes.. Good Luck to you." said Nelson..

''See you round Vanessa." said Josie.

Lt. Tragg couldn't believe it...He just knew he had cracked this murder , that he had an iron clad case..an easy one and yet, Olivia and Beverly, Auntie and Niecey had snatched another case right from under him...

Thank goodness this case didn't attract a lot of attention...There was no press in the hallway..He could quietly slip away...

He stared at the Judge..

He despised her...She was obviously a Radical Leftist judge...who couldn't keep her politics and activism separate from the bench...She was the worst possible judge for this case... She was obviously a big fan girl of Auntie and Niecey..She ruled in their favor so much it was almost as if she was part of the defense. He thought...

He stomped his foot in disgust and stormed out of the courtroom.

Update: A Few Weeks Later, Police Arrested Pinky Thornton who confessed to killing Ruby Hodges and placing the murder weapon near Vanessa Harris, who was "So High, she didn't know what was going on." she said.






II-

At home that night ,Olivia and I were in the bedroom..

"Liv...did you know that the Judge had reached out to a third party to get us that case?" I asked.

"No I didn't...but I knew that the person who did get in contact with me about the case was acting for someone else...I just didn't know who...Especially since they paid our legal fees....I knew this girl couldn't afford us..and I knew this Attorney wasn't the type to throw anybody else a possible payday."said Olivia.

''So this Judge just uh does stuff like this?" I asked.

"Yeah, she's an activist..She really should go into politics..I mean I like her...I really do...but she's a little too non- impartial for the bench...Just like we have really conservative judges whose politics swing the other way who I don't like....I feel politics should not be part of being a judge.. "said Olivia.

"It's just that this time...This Judge was clearly on our side."I said laughing..

''Yes, which makes me a hypocrite I know...but hey...nobody is perfect!"sighed Olivia.

"You're perfect...Perfect for me.." I said..I took her in my arms....

"Awwwww." said Olivia as we began kissing passionately..

It was night, a little after ten o'clock...

all was quiet....

Olivia and I did have our night alone... She wore another  brand new lavender see through nightie.. with matching lavender panties..

 She had purchased it from Bridget Jones's shop -Lady Chatterlies Lover, Panties and Bras for the Discriminating Woman.

She had showered and had on a new lotion and fragrance..

She smelled great...as usual...Her skin was baby soft..

I loved it..

We kissed passionately in the middle of the floor of our home...


But soon it was off and we were in bed...

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuu girllll.." I moaned..

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh husband, ummmmmmmmmmm.."she moaned..

''Ouuuuuuuuuu Donnie Rayyyy I love you sooo much, sooo much, you don't even understand..."moaned Olivia....

"I love you too Olivia...Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh my godddd…" I cried out..

"Ummmmmmmmmmmm… ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu you like it daddy?" she cooed..

"I do.." I said..

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu I like it too!" she said..

We were making sweet love...Nice and slow and unrushed...

EIGHT TO NINE HOURS passed by and we weren't even close to stopping...

Olivia positioned herself on top of me and began to move up and down..

"OHHHHHHHH MY GODDDDDD DONNIE RAYYYYY! !" she bellowed..

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu"I moaned..  I didn't know if I was coming or going..

This bed didn't squeak, but the headboard did rattle....

ANOTHER THREE TO FOUR HOURS BREEZED BY....

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu you are doing the damn thing Donnie Ray.."she cooed..

Before you know it...I was cumming like a gusher...and Olivia was having an intense orgasm, legs just shaking, arms flailing away....head turning from side to side and tears and sweat just flowing down the side of her face...

It was a nice ending to a pleasant and rewarding day..

************************************************************************

The next morning...

Beverly , Josie and Nelson were busy filing case files away......

Alfreda was smiling...She was getting some help for a change...

They had helped her clean and tidy the office and were now relaxing..

This gave Alfreda time to kiss ADA Rockland Cambridge when he stopped by without feeling guilty..

It was a nice slow morning after a big trial...

 Olivia peered over my shoulder... I was the only one working..

"What are you doing?" she asked.

''I was just curious about this Judge..So I did a little digging." I said.

"She intriuges  you doesn't she?" asked Olivia, laughing..

"Yes look at this.." I said.

"Elise Elizabeth Clemmons, born and raised in Philadelphia PA.  Grew up in Northern Liberties section, Graduated from North Catholic, arrested for leading demonstrations against anti-abortionists, Took part in several demonstrations against Police Brutality and Police Involved shootings.. Attended  Lasalle University, graduated with a degree in Political Science...Went to St. Johns in New York City , studied Trial Advocacy, Administration of Justice..Graduated with a double major.. Worked in New York City Bars and in Law Offices as a Para-Legal, won a scholarship..Attended Law School at  Columbia, got her J.D. Passed the bar in New York, licensed in New York, New Jersey, Deleware, Pennsylvania and Connecticut...Speaks Spanish and French fluently..." I said.

"Impressive."said Olivia , who sat in my lap....I was immediately aroused...

"My goodness Donnie Ray...It doesn't take much does it?" laughed Olivia , who could feel it..

"After all we did last night? My goodness..." she laughed..

I was trying to change the subject...

"It says she was a Public Defender in New York City and here in Philadelphia for a time being and did stints at the ACLU and the Innocence Project before running for and winning a Judgeship... Like you say...She's better either in politics or doing what you guys do...being a defense attorney.." I said.

"Maybe she feels she can do more good as a Judge." said Olivia.

"I could do more good taking you back upstairs.." I said..

"Are you serious?" asked Olivia..

We kissed passionately while she sat on my lap...

"I am sooo serious.." I said.

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MYYYY GODDDD DONNIE RAY!!! OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" Olivia moaned..

''OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH..." I moaned..

Within minutes we were back upstairs....making sweet love....

"OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMM...OUUUUUUUUUU.. YOU NEVER GET ENOUGH!"Olivia cooed loudly...

"UMMMMMMM, I'M AFRAID I DON'T.." I moaned...

Our bed didn't make noise, but our headboard rattled something fierce...

III-

Today in Judge Elise Clemmons courtroom..

A witness...Molly Chambers was on the witness stand...

She was being questioned by ADA Peg Standish...

''So you admit that you indeed helped Dr. Victor Cornbluth assist Mabel Hankins in her suicide?"she asked..

"Yes Mam, but it is what she wanted...It is all in her last will and testament...she had terminal cancer, she was in a lot of agony...She wanted to die..Dr. Cornbluth set up the machine in his motel room and I just helped hook her up.."said Molly Chambers..

"You did so knowing Assisted Suicide is against the law in Pennsylvania, Did you not.?"asked the ADA.

Just then Lt. Tragg walked in with a Tactical squad..

 "Cuff her boys , read her her rights."said Lt. Tragg..

The squad of armed policemen intimidated jurors and spectators alike..

"What are you doing in my courtroom?  Lt. Tragg?" asked the Judge..

"I'm making an arrest..She just confessed to Accessory to Murder." said Lt. Tragg..

"You know you can't do this.."said Judge Clemmons..

"Ohhh yes I can..and I am gonna." said Lt. Tragg..

"Oh No you're not.... ADA, Defense Attorneys and Ms.Chambers….IN MY CHAMBERS NOW!"snarled Judge Clemmons.

All three women walked into her chambers... She snarled at the ADA..

"Did you make this woman a deal of immunity to come forth and testify?" she asked ADA Standish...

"Well No...She is not actually under indictment...Dr. Cornbluth is...She's a hostile witness."said ADA Standish..

"I was under the assumption that a deal was on the table...I was told that she was not going to be prosecuted.."said her Attorney..

"But you didn't broker an official deal and YOU didn't make sure she had one before allowing your client to testify...This is shoddy legal work on both of your parts..."said Judge Clemmons..

"Okay both of you go back into the courtroom...I want a word with Ms.Chambers."said the Judge..

Both women returned to the courtroom..

Judge Clemmons looked at Molly...

"Molly...you need to get yourself another Attorney...A smarter one...I'm going back in my courtroom, it's up to you...Think about it."said Judge Clemmons...

Upon returning...Lt. Tragg was livid..

!!

"WHERE IS SHE YOUR HONOR?" he snarled..

"Get out of my courtroom!!!GET OUT!! GET OUT...GET OUT!! THAT IS AN ORDER!!...I'm not going to ask you again!!"said Judge Clemmons...  "Court is adjourned for the day.." she said..

"I'VE GOT A WARRANT FOR HER ARREST AND I'M GOING TO SERVE IT!!!! Let's go boys!"commanded Lt. Tragg.

Lt. Tragg and his men stormed the Judges chambers and found them empty....

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT!  I WANT YOU AND YOUR STORM TROOPERS OUT OF HERE..OR I'LL HAVE YOU LOCKED UP FOR CONTEMPT!" screamed Judge Clemmons..

"Boys, hook her up...Judge Clemmons...You're under arrest for Aiding and Abetting a felon, and Accessory to Murder ...It gives me great pleasure to tell you...You have the right to remain silent...Anything you say and I mean anything you say can and will be used against you...You have a right to an attorney...If you can't afford one and I'm pretty sure YOU can..one will be obtained for you..Do you understand these rights as I am presenting them to you?" asked Lt. Tragg..

"You must be kidding...I'm a Judge damn it.I know the law better than you do!" she said as she was escorted out in handcuffs..

The press was all over the scene..photographing the Judge in handcuffs and Lt. Tragg at the scene, making her do the perp walk.






IV-

ONE DAY LATER-

Judge Clemmons sat in the "Fishbowl" , the interrogation room nicknamed that by detectives..Since she had already been formally charged...She offered nothing to Lt,Tragg

Except a night of curses and insults.. He was fit to be tied when we showed up....she had called him every name in the book!

"I don't believe it...YOU GUYS?" he said as we walked in...

 ''Don't you just love us?" said Beverly, laughing.

"Can we see our client Lieutenant?" asked Olivia..

"Sure...Go in." he said sullenly...

I walked in, followed by Nelson and Josie..

"Thank you for coming..I never thought I'd need your help....If you're worried..I've said nothing he can use and I haven't eaten or drank anything...I'm starving.." she said..

''We brought Coffee and Doughnuts."said Beverly..

Beverly laid them out on the table...Her mother, Alfreda had baked them and we had bought enough coffee that we all chowed down and ate the doughnuts and quaffed the coffee in cups we were taking back with us...

We also brought her some Ham Salad sandwiches from Sam Mother's diner.. She was really hungry and glad to get some hot coffee, sandwiches and doughnuts...

"Bless you." she said.

"They say you allowed a defendant to escape?" asked Olivia..

"Olivia, she was a witness in my courtroom...A Hostile witness.. Not a defendant...Neither her attorney or the ADA had an ironclad immunity deal on the table...She came forth just to testify and Hitler Jr. and his storm troopers walked in to arrest the woman...I called them to my chambers....I admonished both the ADA and her attorney...I sent them back and I told the woman to get another  attorney ….that's all.."said Judge Clemmons..

"But the adjoining door was unlocked that led to the street...You had to know that....You walked back in court and you had to know she was going to take a powder.."I said.

"That's the cop in you...I never intended for her to do that...I never told her to do that...I just wanted her safe for Sgt. Carter outside...I intended to go back in after I adjourned the jury and got Tragg and his storm troopers out of my courtroom and release her.. She wasn't formally under any indictment."said Judge Clemmons..

 "You have a point...a slight one, but a point."said Nelson..

"What's our next move?" asked Josie..

''We arrange for Bail and we get her out , then we see if we can work around this.."said Olivia..

"Thank you guys." said Elisa.

Lt. Tragg stared inside and glared balefully at her.. He really did not like this woman.....

(TO BE CONTINUED)