At the Dolly Madison State Correctional Institution for women...Della Raffman greeted us in the very pretty and well lit visitor's room..
"I am just so glad to have an audience...For seven years I studied the law in the library they have here and I filed numerous briefs that got nowhere and wrote numerous letters to the governor, to anyone who would listen..Being here, I don't have the money to hire a top flank attorney..."said Della Raffman.
"I am Assistant District Attorney Karen Page.... I run the Wrongful Conviction Unit of the District Attorney's Office in Philadelphia...We look over several disputed verdicts and we allow Attorneys and Investigators to present an argument before an impartial Judge over a period of days..and we determine if a conviction can be overturned...There is no jury...Just a Judge and it's in our conference room... I have no staff...I don't even have a secretary...I share an investigator with another ADA..
I contract out Attorneys to defend and plead these cases...So far I have overturned 75 wrongful convictions....I work closely with the Innocence Project and other private attorneys such as my good friend and former law school buddy, Olivia Bennett-Alexander....She and her staff will be representing you." said Karen.
"Hi Della, I am Olivia Bennett-Alexander, I'm an Attorney
"This is my niece, also an Attorney and founding partner of my firm, Mrs. Beverly West-East...
"Pleased to meet you."said Beverly
"Her husband and Associate Attorney with my firm, Mr. Nelson East.."
"Pleased to meet you."said Nelson.
"Ms. Josie Boyd, our newest Associate Attorney."
"Pleased to meet you."said Josie.
"And my husband and Investigator for our firm, Mr. Donnie Ray Alexander." she said..
"Please to make your acquaintence." I said.
"Myyyyyy I love your southern mannners.." she said and looked at me seductively...
"You've got a nice practice...Your niece, her husband, another associate and your husband...How wonderful...I'm glad you have an investigator.. My last attorney, Vincent Berkowitz was a great attorney, but a poor investigator..He insisted on doing it all himself..He was a darling man...I loved him...He loved me...We fell in love during the trial...He took it sooo hard when he lost...He was inconsolable...I cried more that he took his life , than I did being sentenced to death... His son...His son , who didn't approve of our relationship by the way...did try to do right by his father.. He took my case on and lost in two state appellate courts...but on his third try did get my death sentence commuted to life...I don't know if I'd rather have been executed or to sit here and rot away my years in prison for a crime I didn't commit." said Della.
''You and your husband were estranged at the time of his death correct?" asked Olivia.
"Yes...we were in the process of getting a divorce...We were fighting over money and property..the usual things...but I felt no ill will towards him...I certainly didn't want him dead." said Della.
"You testified that you talked to him on the phone early in the morning of the last day he was seen alive and that he never came to your residence....but Sol Rubenstein says he was outside and he heard at least two gunshots." I said.
"He's a liar...He was angry because I spurned his sexual advances...He was a Private Investigator then and a go for my divorce lawyer, Nathan Hemlock.....He used to sit in the meetings and spend his time slyly running his hands up my skirt, rubbing my legs...I slapped his face ! And I told my attorney about him and his salacious advances and late night calls..My attorney fired him... It got so bad..I had to get a restraining order against him...So when I got accused and arrested for murder by that nit wit, Sgt. Tragg and his even dumber partner, Detective Evans...He volunteered his testimony...Seriously, I don't see how either of those two ever got on the police force...They both were as dumb as a box of rocks."sneered Della.
Beverly cracked up..
" Sgt. Tragg is now a Lieutenant and Dominic Evans is serving a life sentence for murder himself.." she laughed.. oh and Sol Rubenstein...has become an Attorney now..Quite a successful Attorney, he's no longer a go for, for anybody.."said Beverly..
"Oh My God, really? I imagine Sol is one hundred times more arrogant now and sexually agressive too!" said Della.
"In your last trial, that piece of wood with the two red stains that they say was your husband's blood was the only thing that convicted you, the only thing that made them believe he died in your house and fit the time table of when you were actually in the house." I said.
"But that's a lie...My husband wasn't in the house and I've never owned or even fired a gun...That silver tongued Assistant District Attorney had such sway over those jurors that he convinced them of that.. He produced some expert witness ,who said it was my husband's blood, but it wasn't"protested Della.
"Well that so called expert is dead...He's been dead for five years...We found out that he was not an expert...He wasn't even a doctor....Unknown to the prosecution at the time and even the detectives who found him..He was a lab assistant for a local doctor...and not a good one at that...He lied and pawned himself off as some kind of expert...To add insult to injury....The wood with the stains was never tested..We have the wood ,we sent it to the FBI lab in Quantico and to an Independent lab here in Philaelphia and to the Medical Examiner's office." said Nelson.
"My ,I admire your ambitious efforts, but you wasted your time...I can tell you what those stains were...I told Vincent...It was red food dye...Nothing more..I was cooking and some of it dropped on that floorboard.. Had they of tested it..It would have quickly been found out." said Della.
"Oh My god...Well we'll have the results by tomorrow....We've got that and the possible perjury of the Prosecution's main witness...That and no weapon or physical evidence..We have a good chance..a very good chance of getting your entire conviction tossed out."said Josie.
"I don't understand....Vincent Berkowitz was a brilliant attorney...He'd won close to 300 cases, how did he drop the ball on this one?" said Olivia.
"That ADA, I have to give him credit was an excellent lawyer, articulate, prepared and very persuasive...Young and upcoming..Vincent was getting old, close to retirement and growing weary...That and he concentrated too much on me...He simply adored me...and I think in doing so, he lost his focus.." said Della...
''We know all about that Assistant District Attorney, Rockland Cambridge...He is good, perhaps the toughest attorney we ever went up against, but My Auntay and I faced off against him four times, Winning Three out of the four and getting the fourth one overturned..."said Beverly...
"Oh My...I am in competant hands...I feel better already...I never held any ill will towards him...He was just doing his job...Where is he now of days?"
"He's dating my niece's mother...believe it or not and he's mellowed...They're in Cancun on Vacation..If all goes as planned...We'll have you out of here and you'll be a free woman before he even knows about it."said Olivia.
"You said your niece's mother...So she is not your sister's child?" asked Della.
"I don't have any sisters...She's is my older brother's daughter...I'm the baby girl...He's older than me by 12 years...She was born right after my ninth birthday and placed in my room..."said Olivia..
"And the two of us have been joined by the hip ever since.."said a smiling Beverly....
"THAT IS SOOO CUTE! And you followed your auntie into a career in law..."laughed Della.
"Sit tight, we are going to get you out of here." I said.
"You're leaving here the day after tomorrow!" said ADA Karen Page, who showed her a deposition..
"It's signed by the District Attorney of Philadelphia...You are to be transferred to the Women's Detention Center in Philadelphia to await your hearing...So start packing all of your personal belongings now..As soon as we leave..I want you to think positive...I don't think you'll be coming back here."said ADA Karen Page, smiling..
"This time next week, you should be a free woman.." said Nelson..
"Keep your head up...Your overdue freedom is coming." said Josie..
"Oh you are just lovely, all of you...Thank you all so much. You're the answer to my prayers.."said a grateful and now hopeful Della Raffman..
"You are certainly welcome...We'll see you next week." said Karen.. "Come on guys...we've got a train to catch.." said Karen as we all filed out...
We piled into the UBER SUV, with all of our belongings and headed for the train station.
II-
At Curleys Bar....
Two Corn Beef Specials were served
with two tall glasses of Beer..
District Attorney John Garcetti chowed down...
"Nobody makes a Corn beef special quite like Curleys.." he said.
"Glad you like it...."said Sol Rubenstein as both men chowed down....
''So Solly, Why am I here? I know you must want some kind of favor...What is it?" asked D.A. John Garcetti..
''Come on Johnny boy...you make me sound like some kind of pimp!" laughed Sol..
"Cut the crap Solly...what do you want?" he asked..
"You have an ADA working under you...Karen Page....I hear she's pretty sharp...You have her running the Wrongful Conviction Unit or something or other...Well I hear she's thinking of reopening the old Della Raffman case...That case was wrapped up years ago..She was convicted and sentenced to death... Why not let sleeping dogs lie? Huh? I'll tell you what I want...As a favor to me...Tell her to drop it..Tell her to let it go...Not to pursue it.." said Sol.
"I'm sorry ,I can't do that! I already signed off on it and she's upstate at the Dolly Madison Prison right now....She and Olivia Bennett-Alexander and her team....
"They've already signed transfer orders for her to come here next week and a hearing date is set...You're too late Solly, it's already in motion.. and besides...Olivia and Beverly wouldn't give up, even if the Wrongful Conviction Unit dropped this case, which we aren't...They'd just take it to every State Appellate court they could until they got what they want...I've seen them in action over the years..Olivia Bennett-Alexander is very tenacious." laughed D.A. John Garcetti.
''What are you a fan boy Johnny ? Oh I know what this is...You're up for re-election..You're playin to the liberal /progressive base as such a progressive District Attorney eh? You big phoney baloney.."said Sol, now angry..
"My office has also put away more drug kingpins , serial killers and broken up more criminal enterprises than my predecessor." said ADA Garcetti..
"Ahhhh put a sock in it...You can't play both sides of the fence "said Sol.
"Bottom line is...ADA Karen Page has produced for me, She has overseen 75 cases and won all 75 and before she headed up this Unit...She was a damn good prosecutor..I am not going to cut her knees from under her..End of story."said District Attorney John Garcetti.
"Is she on her knees for you huh? At night? You bangin her John?" asked Sol...
"Okay! We are done here!!!...Thanks for the sandwich and the beer Solly, See ya around ." said District Attorney John Garcetti,....
"I'll be damned.. I'll remember this Johnny!" Sol scoffed and stomped his foot in anger.
He sat and looked at the files he had on us...
Olivia Marissa Bennett-Alexander
Graduated , Philadelphia High School for Girls B.A. Administration of Justice, Pre-Law-Temple University.. J.D.-University of Pennsylvania Law School Passed the Bar, Speaks French and Spanish Fluently... Worked as a Public Defender, Worked for Bach and Roach LLC, Founding partner-Alexander & West ,attorneys at law.. Divorced- Elwood Barnes.. No Children, two miscarriages..
Married-Donnie Ray Alexander, former New Orleans Homicide Detective, Now Investigator for her law practice.
Beverly Cheryl West
Graduated , Philadelphia High School for Girls B.A. Administration of Justice, Pre-Law-Temple University.. J.D.-University of Pennsylvania Law School Passed the Bar, Speaks French and Spanish Fluently... Worked as a Public Defender, Founding Partner-Alexander & West Attorney's at Law. Daughter of Olivia's Older Half Brother, James West... Niece Married to Attorney Nelson East.
Nelson Sean East
Graduated, West Catholic High School-Philadelphia PA. B.A. Administration of Justice, Pre-Law- St. Johns University, New York City Psychology Minor... J.D. -St. Johns Univeristy Law School , New York City..
Passed The Bar Speaks Spanish , French and Russian Fluently... Worked as Public Defender, Associate Attorney at Robert Foxworth and Associates, Now Associate Attorney ,Alexander and West Attorneys at law Married to Beverly Cheryl West , no children.
Donnie Ray Alexander
Born and Raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. Educated in New Orleans Public Schools.. Associates Degree New Orleans Community College-Administration of Justice, Pre Law Fluent in French Homicide Detective, New Orleans Police Department, Retired. Principal Investigator, Alexander and West Attorneys at law-Philadelphia PA. Married to Olivia Bennett Also a semi-professional musician.
Josephine Boyd
Born in Philadelphia PA. Raised in Red Hook Section of New York City Bachelors of Science from Fisk University, Architecture major Master in Business Administration- University of Pennsylvania. Para -Legal -Alexander & West Attorneys at law. J.D.-Drexel University Law School Passed bar, now Associate Attorney, Alexander and West Attorneys at law. Single, No children
Karen Page Born in Philadelphia PA. Graduated from North Catholic High School Bachelors of Arts , Administration of Justice, Pre Law, Lasalle University Fluent in Spanish, French and Russian J.D. University of Pennsylvania Law School Associate Attorney ,McCluskey/Cozen/Connor & Pratt Assistant District Attorney, Philadelphia District Attorney's Office. Moved to San-Francisco, worked at Baker ,Abel and Charles and Associates Married To Attorney Lloyd Cantrell, Widowed... Presently Works as Assistant District Attorney, Philadelphia District Attorney's Office Heads Wrongful Conviction Unit, . Presently dating TV Talk show host, B.L. Benz
"Hmmm they are all very astute,,,I see Ms. Page likes Dark meat...I knew her late husband, the late Lloyd Cantrell, he was Black...No wonder she is such friends with so many Blacks....Hmmmm.." he said as he put the files away and went to the counter to pay his bill.
At Sam Mother's Diner..Lt Tragg was once again harrassing customers about Olivia and us and our whereabouts..
"You're not going to tell me either Vettie? I know you and Olivia are ace boon coons, you talk at sometime everyday...You go shopping together on the weekends...you get your hair done together and you belong to the same gym...You're going to tell me you don't know where Olivia is?" he asked.
"Look, we are in the middle of a big trial..we just came in here at the end of the day to get some food and to eat..and relax a bit..."said Yvette..
Keith Jones, Beatrice "Bee Bee" Evans, Sofia Garcia, Kahlil Ahmed and Jade Lee actually didn't know where we were...They were engrossed in a side conversation...and paying Lt. Tragg no mind..
Charles "Chip" Burrows and his wife, Jessica Sanchez -Burrows knew where we were and what we were doing, but were busy kissing.
and had no intention of stopping what they were doing to answer any questions of Lt. Tragg's.
"You didn't answer my question." said Lt. Tragg.
"If I told you where they were...assuming I knew...What would you do with that information?? What could you do?" asked Yvette..
''Don't play lawyer with me Yvette...I want to know where they are and what they are up to." said Lt. Tragg sternly.
Gary Lockwood, Investigator for the District Attorney's Office and Yvette's significant other walked in...
"Let's go babe...I got those tickets..Movie starts in a half hour." he said.
"Gotta run..I'll see everybody tomorrow."said Yvette as she got up and she and Gary left..
Lt. Tragg looked around...Almost everyone was at the counter, paying their bill and retreating slowly..
He was furious...
It had been two days and there was no sign of us and he had no idea what we were up to...
He called Karen again...straight to voicemail...He sent her a text.."WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?" This time she replied. "GET A LIFE!"
He stomped his foot and kicked the chair..
"HEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!" screamed Sam Mother as Lt. Tragg stormed out of the diner.
III-
Night time...We were on the train headed back to Philadelphia.
This time, the six of us were in the same car... Olivia and I, Beverly and Nelson in front of us and Karen and Josie , right behind us...
"You know, the question that hasn't been answered is , if Della Raffman didn't murder her husband? Then who did?... She and her husband were divorcing..They were dividing the sale of a house and monies like an average married couple...I looked into their finances.. They had their house and a summer house...They each had a car and a little bit of money in the bank...some C.D.'s...but clearly no one was going to get rich off the divorce...She was insured for 100K and so was he...So there goes your motive...In the days before her husband's death...they were nearly done with the particulars..Perhaps I need to talk to the divorce lawyer." I said.
"He wasn't in debt was he? I hear he liked to play poker and he liked to bet on the ponies."said Olivia..
"He was in a little bit of debt..but nothing anybody would kill him over.."said Nelson...
"So if it's not money....Then it has to be sex or love."said Beverly..
"We know who she had a restraining order against and who doesn't want to testify."said Josie.
"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, I love the way your little minds work... You have quite a team Olivia."laughed Karen Page.
"I do don't I?" laughed Olivia, looking at all of us..
Me
Beverly
Nelson
and our newest attorney, Josie.
"I'll put Gary Lockwood
on this...To help you Donnie Ray." said Karen.
"Thanks " I said.
By my estimate , We'd arrive in Philly around 11:00 pm..
We sat and enjoyed each other's company as the train roared on...
We were served Hot dogs on the train
and tumblers of Hot coffee...
That tided us over.
IV-
We all slept late and got up near 11:00 am this morning..
Hot Pancakes
Sausage
and Hash browns were served in
our domicile in the morning..
"Umm that breakfast hit the spot, how is everyone this morning?" said Olivia..
"I'm good." I said.
"I'm still tired..." said Beverly yawning..
"Yeah me too." said Nelson..
''Ditto." said Josie.
Her boyfriend Paris, who had picked us up at the train station at around midnight, was equally tired...He had taken the day off from his job...After he dropped Karen off...He came back and joined us at home..spending the night with Josie as he always did.
Today was a day of rest...We had traveled and met our client and she was scheduled to be transferred here tomorrow...
We were for all intents and purposes ready to present our case..
Olivia's phone rang..
"Hello, Olivia Bennett-Alexander, Attorney at Law..." said Olivia.
"Listen at how professional Auntay sounds." giggled Beverly...
"My name is Beverly...same as your niece, Beverly Hemlock... I'm an Attorney myself...I hear you are representing Della Raffman? Well I need to see you...My father was her divorce attorney...I have something in my possession..Something I've been meaning to turn over to the authorities for awhile now that may help her...I need to see you tomorrow!" came the voice...
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