In Philadelphia, Lt. Tragg was having breakfast...he was watching the national news on the Television Monitor in the diner..
He had wondered why the diner was empty for the past few weeks, Empty of his favorite Sparring partners.. Then He saw on National TV a story that shocked him..
"PHILADELPHIA ATTORNEYS OVERTURN THREE DEATH SENTENCES, WIN NEW TRIAL FOR CONDEMNED MAN!"
He saw OLIVIA BENNETT-ALEXANDER
HER NEICE, BEVERLY WEST -EAST
HER NEICE'S HUSBAND, NELSON EAST
YVETTE JONES
KEITH JONES
SOFIA GARCIA
AND JESSICA SANCHEZ-BURROWS
All Smiling victoriously as they left the Tennessee State Supreme Court...Where they had successfully ,after four defeats in lower state appellate courts gotten the three death sentences of Ricky Lee Bowers overturned and a new trial reordered...
They smiled and greeted the press..
Who was a lot nicer to them than they ever were to him after a big case..
They showed photos of formerly condemned Ricky Lee Bowers and told the story of the horrific triple murder at the roadhouse he was accused of.. and now facing a retrial for..
Lt. Tragg shook his head..
''So that's where they all are, In Nashville! How do they latch on to all these controversial cases and who bank rolls them? I remember when Olivia, her niece, Beverly and Nelson were Public Defenders..Liv buys a Duplex,after scoring big in a divorce settlement.. starts her own firm and the next thing you know..She's all over the country...And now she's taking Yvette and her crew with her.." he said..
Attorney Jasmine Coley was sitting with her friend, ADA Karen Page, They were waiting for their food to arrive..
"I miss my friends.. I see they are doing good work out in Nashville..I wish Dabnis and I were on that trip with them...Liv and Yvette face timed me last night..They are staying in a fabulous place.."said Jazzy..
"Yeah, Vettie and Liv Face timed me too!...I saw it.. They have a pool and everything. Individual rooms with a kitchen and Shower.."said Karen..
Their Omelettes
Hash Browns
Sausages
And Coffees arrived..
Lt. Tragg walked over..
"I see your friends are all out in Nashville.." said Lt. Tragg, sitting next to Karen Page..
"Yes they are..I was just telling Jazzy ,I faced timed Liv and Vettie last night..They're doing fine.."said Karen..
"I miss them, I can't wait for them to come back.."said Jazzy..
"I wish your husband and that boyfriend of yours had gone with them.."said Lt. Tragg slipping his hand up Karen's skirt, rubbing her legs..
Jasmine did not find his last remark the least bit funny....She glared at him with a white hot hatred..
It went completely over his head...He was rubbing Karen's legs and snaked his hand up her dress further...He had a pleased as punch look on his face...
"GET YOUR HAND FROM UNDER MY SKIRT OR I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS KNIFE AND STAB YOU!" Karen said out loud..
Lt. Tragg was as red as a beet...He stood up..People were looking at him..He slithered out of the diner..
"He just like his father...Just like him.."said Sam Mother, shaking his head and frowning..
Jazzy just laughed...
II-
We treated ourselves to a celebratory Brunch at that rooftop bar and grille we had been to the night we arrived..They served Breakfast
And had a live band......I recognized the group...They had performed at Josie's one weekend in Philly.
We all had New York Strip Steaks
and Omelettes..
Hash Browns
Mimosas and
Hot Coffee
and a side of Pancakes...
''A Toast, to this brilliant team.. Who did the impossible.. You guys got a win...You overturned a triple death sentence.."said a Jubilant Chip...
"It wasn't just the seven of us...It was a team effort...It wasn't just Liv, Beverly, Nelson, Yvette, Keith ,Sofia and myself...It was everybody..."said Jessica..
"Yes, it was Bee Bee, Kahlil, Josie and you Chip..You guys did the research , found the predicates and the discrepancies in testimony..all the things that built our argument...And the investigators, my husband, Donnie Ray, Gary Lockwood and Jade Lee...You guys found the evidence, the alibi witnesses, Credit Card and Debit card statements..12 witnesses..ballistic Tests..Everything that bolstered our arguments..We couldn't have done what we did without all of you..."said Olivia.
"Thank you...It makes what we do worthwhile...I'm just glad to be a part of this.."I said..
"Awwwwww" said Beverly hugging me..and kissing me on the cheek..
"Yeah it was a team effort..All if us got this " W' " said Nelson..
"Now We've got to get ready for the trial...I wish we were home and we were running this through the Wrongful Conviction Unit." said Josie.
''Yeah , it would be easier, but I'm enjoying being in Nashville.."
"Some of us were talking about going into Memphis tonight.."said Yvette..
"Sounds like a plan...Only let's not get plastered like SOME of us did in New Orleans."said Gary, laughing..
"Ohhh man, New Orleans was crazy.."laughed Keith Jones..
"Wasn't it though?" said Bee Bee..
"It was a blur...but we had a good time.."laughed Sofia..
"Yeah, we sure did.." said Kahlil..
"Let's not party too hard...We still have to prepare for a trial." said Jade...Always the voice of reason.
III-
We did travel to Memphis... Naturally, the kids , Beverly, Nelson, Josie, Paris, Keith , Bee Bee, Sofia and Kahlil headed out first...
Beale Street was packed !
"Ouuu I love it..Reminds me of New Orleans.." said Beverly...
"But we aren't going to over do it like we did in New Orleans." cautioned Nelson, who remembered how drunk they both were..
''I know I'm Not.."said Josie, who was like a wild eyed kid..
''Me Neither...I have to drive everybody back.."laughed Paris.
"Wow! I never dreamed that being an Attorney would take me to all of these places.."said Keith Jones..
"Me neither...I guess the stars aligned in the right places for us when we took that job with Ms. Yvette at the time we did and met Olivia and Beverly.."said Bee Bee.
"Must have...Look at us...Two Poor Philly girls who have become lawyers and have been to Houston, San Diego, Honolulu, New Orleans and even London, I couldn't have made this up.." said Sofia.
''Well Believe it..We are all here and with our friends...Nothing could be better than this.."said Kahlil
Like New Orleans, they hit all of the clubs and hot spots... I'm glad they were all on one
Mini Bus and I hope their designated driver, Paris was sober...He usually was pretty level headed..
I drove the second Bus out.... With Olivia, Gary, Yvette,Jessica, Chip and Jade..
I found the designated Parking Lot where Paris had parked his Mini Bus and I parked ours not far from it..
Olivia smiled..
"I'm really happy the kids got out...They all worked really hard these past two weeks...Well into the morning..Little sleep and then waking up and starting all over.. It was worth it.. They deserve tonight." she said.
''We all do Liv." said Gary..
"Agreed... I'm pretty sure we'll run into them at some point tonight.."said Yvette..
"But in the meanwhile, let's party.."said Jessica..
"I'll drink to that." said Chip..
"Me too."said Jade..
We too Hit the Bars and Hot spots ..We ran into Beverly, Nelson and the others...
And we all settled at a Barbecue Joint I told them about and had the best barbecue ribs, pulled Pork
and Beer not in New Orleans...
"I'm having such a good time.."said Olivia, rubbing my hands...
"I am too..I've always had a good time in Memphis.." I said.
"Ohhh you've been here before.?" said Yvette..
"In Memphis, not Nashville.." I said.
"That's how he knew about this Barbecue Joint.."laughed Gary Lockwood.
The food was incredible..
"This food is delish....My hubby agrees...It has managed to take his mind off of me for the time being."joked Beverly...
"It's never off of you Honey Bun."said Nelson as he chowed down...
"Stop eating so fast slugger, you're going to choke ." said Josie to Nelson...They had a kind of Brother -Sister relationship that had developed recently...
Paris laughed...He was eating just as much and just as fast...
"I can't blame them Jo...This food is delish.."said Beverly...
"Yes it is.."said Josie..
"You aint never lied...This is the best barbecue I've ever had..."said Keith Jones..
"Mmmmmmm me tooo!"said Bee Bee
"When we get home...We've all got to hit the gym..."said Sofia..
"Yeah for sure."said Kahlil..
"So after we leave here..Where to?" asked Jade..
"Oh I've seen a thousand different places.." said Jessica.
"Yeah me too!" said Chip..
We stayed in Memphis until early morning..
Then we loaded up on the buses , Paris Driving one
and me driving the other
and headed back to Nashville.
IV-
And in Nashville, later on that morning , a somewhat sinister meeting was taking place...
Hot Grits with sausage and shrimp steamed from two plates
and two cups of coffee were poured..
"Counselor...We have a problem..A Big Problem..." said Public Defender Curt Kenneth..Apparently some out of towners have invaded our fair city and kicked up a ruckus... It started with those damn Law students from the university...They kept looking into the old Rickey Lee Bowers case...You know that old roadhouse murder two years ago....I didn't think nothin of it.. And I refused to help them when they called on me..I was his Attorney...Open and shut case, like I told ya...Anyway..They caught the ear of the Innocence Project...That organization started by two of O.J. Simpson's attorneys and they called in some high falutin attorneys from out of town..A whole team of em and they got his convictions overturned...A New trial has been ordered."he said.
"WHAT? I tried that case.. That's the case that made me...I'm running for States Attorney...I can't have something like this...Especially THAT case come back to bite me in the ass..." said Assistant District Attorney Clyde Sterno..
"I put somebody on it...Apparently this little lady from Philadelphia and her husband came out here and started the ball rolling..
Her name is Jessica Sanchez-Burrows, she's a staff attorney with the Philadelphia Innocence Project
That's her husband...Charles "Chip" Burrows, He's also a staff Attorney with the Innocence Project...
They brought in a team....recognize these guys?" he said and put glossies of all of us on the table.
Olivia Bennett-Alexander, Attorney
her Niece, Attorney Beverly West
Her niece's husband- Attorney Nelson East..
Olivia's husband, Donnie Ray Alexander, Investigator
Attorney Josie Boyd.
Attorney Yvette Jones
Attorney Keith Jones
Attorney Beatrice Evans.
Attorney Sofia Garcia
Attorney Kahlil Ahmed
Gary Lockwood, Investigator for the Philly D.A.'s office...
and Jade Lee, Investigator...
"There is this other guy with them...
but he's nobody...He's not a lawyer or an investigator...I think he's just the boyfriend of one of the girls..." said Curt..
They Both drank their coffee...
"This Jessica person has put together quite a team...I'd better get to work on this right away...I can't afford to lose this case...We've got to put some spin on it.."said ADA Clyde Sterno..
"I've checked Nashville and Memphis, None of them are registered in any of the hotels or motels here or there....I have no idea where they are staying."said the Public Defender..
"It doesn't matter where they are staying..The damage is already done...They overturned the conviction...I should have known about this sooner...No matter...My work is cut out for me." said
Sterno...
We were all in our rooms.... reconnecting with our significant others.. Bed springs were squeaking, headboards were rattling and the sounds of lovemaking could be heard...No one was thinking about getting in the pool..
Olivia and I
Beverly and Nelson
Josie and Paris
Bee Bee and Keith
Sofia and Kahlil
Yvette and Gary...
and Jessica and Chip...
We were certainly enjoying the two days since we had reversed those three convictions...but now we had to prepare for a retrial...
And At Riverbend Correctional Facility, Far from our recent fun and frolic..
Our client, Rickey Lee Bowers sat...Hopeful...He knew he was only halfway out of the woods...He had narrowly escaped the Gas Chamber.. But he still had to go through this trial again...And he knew..that a second loss would be disasterous for him.
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