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Olivia Marissa Bennett-Alexander

Graduated , Philadelphia High School for Girls

B.A. Administration of Justice, Pre-Law, Trial Advocacy -Temple University..

J.D.-University of Pennsylvania Law School

Passed the Bar, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Deleware, Louisiana, Texas, California

 Speaks French and Spanish Fluently...

Worked as a Public Defender, -Philadelphia PA.

Worked for Bach and Roach LLC, as Associate Attorney

Founding partner-Alexander & West , Attorneys at law..

Divorced- Elwood Barnes..,Corporate Attorney 

No Children, two miscarriages..

Married-Donnie Ray Alexander

Beverly Cheryl West-East

Graduated , Philadelphia High School for Girls

B.A. Administration of Justice, Pre-Law-Trial Advocacy, Temple University..

J.D.-University of Pennsylvania Law School

Passed the Bar, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Deleware, Louisiana, Texas, California

 Speaks French and Spanish Fluently...

Worked as a Public Defender,-Philadelphia PA.

 Founding Partner-Alexander & West Attorney's at Law.

Daughter of Olivia's Older Half Brother, James West... Olivia's Niece

Married to 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 University Law School, New York City..

Passed The Bar , New York, Pennsylvania, Deleware, New Jersey, Texas, California 

Speaks Spanish , French and Russian Fluently...

Worked as Public Defender, -Philadelphia PA.

 Associate Attorney at Robert Foxworth and Associates.

Associate Attorney at Alexander and West , Attorneys at law.

Married to Beverly West

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

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, Architecture from Fisk University

Master in Business Administration- University of Pennsylvania.

Para -Legal -Alexander & West Attorneys at law.

JD- Drexel  University Law School..

Passed the Bar in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Deleware, New York, Texas, California

Associate Attorney-Alexander & West, Attorneys at Law, Philadelphia.

Married to Paris Boyd

Bresha Billips

Graduated from Philadelphia High School For Girls

B.A. Administration of Justice,/ Trial advocacy /Pre Law- Lasalle University, Philadelphia PA.

J.D.- Middleton Law School, Bayside ,Pennsylvania.

Passed the bar, Pennsylvania, Deleware, New Jersey, New York, California.

Speaks Spanish and French Fluently...

Associate Attorney at Alexander and West , Attorneys at law...

THE OFFICE OF ATTORNEY RODERICK STRICKLAND

"I can't believe this shit..Do you mean to tell me there is a chance that Cutler could be saved from execution and get a new trial?" said Roderick Strickland.

"That's exactly what I'm telling you...Yesterday those attorneys along with this bunch here from McCluskey/Cozen/Connor & Pratt and some others ,did the research and sent a very impressive addendum to Judge Gaskins and he is reading it and could make a ruling in as much as a few hours from now." said  Bert Vandenberg.. a former FBI Special Agent, Now a high priced Private Investigator.

 

 

KEITH JONES-

Born in Philadelphia PA. 

Mother, Nancy Jones, Court Stenographer

Father, Judge Keith Morrison

Graduated from West Catholic High School

B.A. Administration of Justice, Trial Advocacy, Pre Law- Howard University

J.D.- University of Pennsylvania Law School

Fluent in Spanish, French, German

Passed Bar in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Deleware ,New York, Texas, California

Associate Attorney- McCluskey/Cozen/Connor/Pratt

Married to Beatrice Evans

BEATRICE LYNN EVANS -JONES

Born in Philadelphia PA.

Graduated from Philadelphia High School For Girls

B.A. -Administration of Justice, Trial Advocacy ,Pre Law- Temple University

J.D.-University of Pennsylvania Law School

Fluent in Spanish and French

Passed Bar in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Deleware, Texas, California

Associate Attorney- McCluskey /Cozen/Connor and Pratt

Married to Keith Jones

SOFIA CARMELITA GARCIA-AHMED

Born in Philadelphia PA.

Graduated from Philadelphia High School For Girls

B.A. -Administration Of Justice, Trial Advocacy, Pre Law-Temple University

J.D.-University of Pennsylvania Law School

Fluent in Spanish and French

Passed Bar in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Deleware and New York, Texas, California

Associate Attorney -McCluskey/Cozen/Connor and Pratt

Married to Kahlil Ahmed...

KAHLIL ABDUL AHMED

Born in Philadelphia PA.

Graduated from Central High School

BA.- Administration of Justice, Trial Advocacy, Pre Law- Temple University

JD- University of Pennsylvania Law School

Speaks Arabic languages fluently, fluent in German and Russian.

Passed Bar in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Deleware and New York, Texas, California

Associate Attorney-McCluskey/Cozen/Connor and Pratt

Married to Sofia Garcia

YVETTE DENISE JONES-LOCKWOOD

Born in Philadelphia PA.

Graduated from North Catholic High School

BA-Trial Advocacy, Pre Law, Administration of Justice -Lasalle University

JD -University of Pennsylvania Law School

Fluent in Spanish, French and Russian

Passed Bar in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Deleware , New York, Texas, California.

Senior Associate Attorney-McCluskey/Cozen/Connor and Pratt

Managing Partner- McCluskey/Cozen/Connor and Pratt

Married to District Attorney Investigator-Gary Lockwood

Jasmine Lee Jenkins Coley

Born in Philadelphia PA.

Graduated from Philadelphia High School For Girls.

B.A. -Trial Advocacy, Pre Law, Administration of Justice- Temple University

J.D.- UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, SCHOOL OF LAW

Public Defender-Philadelphia PA. 

Assistant District Attorney -Philadelphia District Attorney's Office  

Senior Associate Attorney - Dan Stevens -Claude Perkins Attorneys at Law-Philadelphia PA.

He Photos of, but no backgrounds on Jasmine's husband, Attorney Dabnis Coley, Olivia and Beverly's cousin, Attorney Kayla Bennett-St. Jacques and her husband, Attorney Ray St. Jacques, and Attorney Anthony Billips, husband of Olivia's attorney, Bresha Billips.

All of the people who helped research and write the appeal..

"I know or have met most of these guys...They're very good..Very well versed attorneys." added Bert Vandenberg,

"I don't understand...Why are all these attorneys involved in this? What skin do they have in the game/" asked Rod Strickland...

"They're friends...They live on the same street, all of them...A great many of them work in the same building...The Bridge Building down by Penn's Landing.. They Work together, socialize together...So when Jessica needed a favor...She called Olivia and Beverly, who had been working with her and Olivia called in the troops...They all worked on the case for two days and helped write that appeal..That same appeal that Liberal, Bleeding heart judge Gaskins is reading today... So realistically...yes..Cutler may be granted a stay and a new trial and there is not much you can do about it." said bert Vandenberg...

''The Hell it isn't!! I'm going up to Green Hill and fight this case.... I won't be facing Olivia and Beverly and all those others, just these two..and I can handle them..." he snarled..looking at the files on Jessica and Chip.

Jessica Amaryllis Sanchez-Burrows-

Born in Philadelphia PA.

Graduated from Philadelphia High School For Girls

B.A. -Administration of Justice, Trial Advocacy ,Pre Law- Temple University

J.D.-Temple University School of Law

Fluent in Spanish and French

Passed Bar in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Deleware, Texas, California

Worked at Philadelphia Public Defenders Office.

Associate Attorney- The Philadelphia Innocence Project

Married to Attorney Charles Burrows.

Charles Burrows

Born in Philadelphia PA.

Graduated from Central High School-Philadelphia PA.

B.A. -Administration of Justice, Trial Advocacy ,Pre Law- North Carolina A& T University

JD- Columbia University, School of Law

Fluent in Spanish, French and Russian

Passed Bar in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Deleware , New York, Texas, California.

Senior Associate Attorney - Dan Stevens -Claude Perkins Attorneys at Law-Philadelphia PA.

Worked at Philadelphia Public Defenders Office.

Associate Attorney- The Philadelphia Innocence Project

"This is the case that put me on the map.. that made me a name amongst Attorneys when I was an Assistant District Attorney... I'm not going to let some young muck raking do gooders destroy everything I 've worked for. They're too young to even know how the game is played." snarled  Rod  Strickland...

''But you do, don't you Rod?" asked Bert.

''Damn Right I do....I'm running for District Attorney against Gil Garcetti next year...And I won't let this case bring me down damn it!" said Rod Strickland.

Bert Vandenberg shook his head.. Whether it was Lt. Tragg or this guy... His clients were always assholes... He needed to find a better breed of client, he mused.

II-

Waynesburg PA.  is a borough in and the county seat of Greene County, Pennsylvania, United States, located about 50 miles (80 km) south of Pittsburgh. Its population was 3,987 at the 2020 census.[2] The region around Waynesburg is underlaid with several layers of coking coal, including the Pittsburgh No. 8 seam, the Waynesburg seam, and the Sewickley (Mapletown) seam. 

The area is also rich with coalbed methane, which is being developed from the underlying Marcellus Shale, the largest domestic natural gas reserve. Early in the 20th century, four large gas compressing stations and a steam shovel factory were located in Waynesburg. Waynesburg is named for General "Mad" Anthony Wayne, one of the top lieutenants of George Washington during the Revolutionary War (1776–81). The borough is the location of Waynesburg University, and it is served by the Greene County Airport.

It is also the borough where the State Correctional Institute of Greene is...Home of Pennsylvania's Death Row.

When Haley Cutler, life long Philadelphian got off the train...She looked bewildered, lost

until she saw a familliar face and a familliar accent..

"I know....I felt the same way you do baby...First time I came up here...."What in the hell kind of place is this?" said Jessica Sanchez-Burrows, Attorney at law..

"Hi.. I'm Jessica, your dad's attorney...This is my husband, Charles...We call him "Chip"...He's also one of your dad's attorneys." she said.

"Hi Haley.." said Chip..

"Hi" said Haley, looking Chip up and down...She thought he was fine ..."Damnnnn Chica is balling, got herself a fine ass man and he a lawyer too! respect!" she thought, looking at Jessie.

"I know you're hungry....The food in town is better than the food at the prison.....We'll eat first....Then I'll explain to you how We are going to get your dad a stay of execution and a new trial and bring him home, back to Philly where he belongs....He shouldn't spend his last days in this god forsaken place."said Jessie.

"For Real though!" said Hailey ,fist bumping Jessica.

They found a diner and ordered Breakfast...

while they ate... Hailey looked Jessie up and down and questioned her.

"I feel like I know you..Did you grow up in Port Richmond or Fishtown?" she asked.

''Sure Did...My parents split when I was 12...Right around the time I was starting to get in trouble, Hang out with the wrong crowd... I got busted...For smoking weed and did time in Juvie, Twice.. After the second time, My Mother sent me to live with my Papi, around York and Dauphin ,near Kensington.. I uh got my act together then..Papi was strict... I went to Catholic School until 10th Grade.. I entered Girls High, made good grades...decided somewhere along the way that I might want to be a lawyer.. Won a scholarship to Temple University and stayed there for seven years..Got My J.D. and started working at the Public Defenders Office where I met my husband....I later left for the Innocence Project and he followed me there...That's when we got serious and got married." said Jessica.

''I went to Girls High too! I've been out for three years, haven't decided just what I want to do yet...I've been torn, you know??  My Father would have never have killed my mother and certainly not the way they say he did, burning down the whole house...putting us both out of doors... They had a bad marriage. But he still loved her and he loved me.. I know that to be true." said Haley.

"Haley, was there anybody else in the mix? Was Your Mother seeing anybody?" asked Chip.

''Yeah, as a matter of fact, she was seeing two guys...One was insanely jealous.. I didn't like either of them , but especially the one. Anyhow...one of those guys is dead...The super jealous one is still around.....So tell me Charles...Tell me.. how did you become a lawyer ?" she asked , checking Chip out..

"I uh came from sort of Middle Class Beginnings....My Father is an Attorney...I used to watch him in court all the time... I went to Central High School, Did one semester at Lasalle and transferred to North Carolina A& T, graduated and came home to Philly...Worked in a my father's law office for about a year, then went to Columbia Law School in New York City, got my J.D. , came back to Philly, worked in Corporate Law for awhile...Discovered that being a Criminal Defense Attorney was more to my liking...I worked as a Public Defender for two years...That's where I met the love of my life...She quit and went to work for The Innocence Project and six months later, I quit and went to work for the Innocence Project also...We got married and the rest is history." said Chip..

Hailey fist bumped Jessica...

"Much Respect" she said.

Jessica smiled.

JUST THE NIGHT BEFORE-

Olivia sat at home, waiting for me to return... When her phone rang.. She thought it was me, it wasn't!

''Hello Mrs. Alexander...It is I John Cuff again..The Addenulum you and your associates worked on was 

incredible. The Judge is reading it tonight I imagine..Well written, well researched...Considering the small window of opportunity you had...you got that put together in record time..but........You missed one key thing....Look at the crime scene reports again...Tell your husband to speak to an arson expert...There in lies your case..." said the voice.

''You know an awful lot Mr. Cuff....FOR A DEAD MAN...Do you mind telling me who you really are?" asked Olivia.

"Your husband is very good....very good..Who I am is not important..I am an attorney, I'm clerking for the Judge in the 7th Circuit Court...that's all you need to know..There are seven of us..It could be any one of us or none of us...Good Night Olivia...Remember..look again." came the voice.

(Click!)

"I don't know what this means Donnie Ray." said Olivia, telling me about her most recent call.

''Whoever your caller is...Is very close to the judge..Very close.. It's definitely a young lawyer, someone clerking for the judge, someone who gets to read  all of the appeals that come before him, before he does, someone who has researched this case as thoroughly as all of us.. That means he has time on his hands..And someone who says we missed something...We take another look..." I said.

"But who is he?" asked Olivia.

"Who he is is not important...What's important right now is what did we miss?" I asked.

"Your powers of deductive reasoning is downright seductive Donnie Ray..." whispered Olivia..

Giving me a soft and slow kiss....

"Yeah? " I said, slipping off my clothes and lifting her babydoll up and slipping down her panties..

Lifting her up in the air and entering her slowly....

"WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MY GODDDDDDDDDDDDD DONNIE RAYYYYYY!! OUUUUUUU," she yelled out as I plunged into her soft and wet center....

I didn't know if I was coming or going, it felt so good..

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOU!! OHHHHHHHHH IT FEELS SO GOOOOD DONNIE RAY....OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" she screamed..

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM" I moaned...

"OHHHHHHHHHHHH YOU DON"T MAKE ANY SENSE BEING THIS BIG, THIS DAMN HARD!!" she cried out..

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH YOU DON'T MAKE ANY SENSE BEING THIS DAMN SEXY!" I moaned.

"UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!" I moaned as she rode me on the side of the bed, kissing me so softly that I was nearly on the verge of exploding...

We made sweet, sweet love in the bed for the next EIGHT TO NINE HOURS.....before Olivia had an intense orgasm, that brought tears to her eyes and had her body trembling...and I came so hard, I thought I was going to pass out..

"OUUUUUUUU DONNIE RAYYYYYY, That was soooooooo goood.....OUUUUUUUUUUUUU

THANK YOU BABY!" she cooed before falling asleep on top of me..

III-

THE NEXT MORNING-

''Who Was the case detective on this case?" asked Olivia.

''You won't believe this..

Detectives Dominick Evans and Phillip Marlowe." said Beverly...

"Aint that a bitch....and both of these clowns are doing Life for murder themselves." said Nelson..

''Phillip Marlowe...that's the piece of crap who murdered my auntie." said Bresha, who got emotional at the mention of his name..

''And Dominick Evans murdered an ADA and his wife...along with another detective, Barbara Denison,they were responsible for five murders...He turned in State's Evidence.. He got 15-Life...

She got the Death Penalty and has since been executed...Can you believe this clown is actually up for parole next year?" scoffed Josie..

"You don't have to worry about Phillip Marlowe...he's serving Life with no possibility for parole for the 2005 Murder of your Auntie..." said Olivia, hugging Bresha.

"Their report stated that Mrs. Brenda Cutler was shot to death and then the house was doused with an accelerant and set on fire..  I checked the crime scene photos and I went over this with anArson detective,

He said the fire was definitely set from the outside...When 

they picked up David Cutler, he was miles away at his job, He drove trucks delivering Coca Cola  beverages...His time sheet stated he had been there for hours...He was too far from the scene to have taken part in any of that...plus no traces of any accelerant were found on his work clothing.

All they had was an eyewitness who "Thought she saw him leaving the scene"  This eyewitness described an African-American man who was a shade lighter and two inches shorter than David Cutler.

They had a so called Arson expert....I looked him up...This guy is a quack...he has no degree in anything and has testified in at least five other trials and his testimony has been debunked by several people.." I said.

"The report was all wrong.. Mrs. Cutler was not shot at all..She died from smoke inhalation...That's part of the autopsy, but not what the jury was told." I concluded

"This is excellent...This is what we missed...Neicey Poo, Nelson, I'm going to need your help writing an update to our addendum...and getting this to Jessica and Judge Gaskins as soon as possible." said Olivia.

"I'm on it Auntay, just tell me what you need." said Beverly...

"Let me grab my laptop.."said Nelson.

"What can we do Liv?" asked Josie..

"I need you for editing Josie...Fresh eyes...Bresha..set up the Portal, I've got to contact Jessica and or Chip.

"Right on it, Olivia." said Bresha, only too eager to help....

"I need two subpoenas written. One for the eyewitness and another for the Arson Expert...I need them to testify in a taped affidavit in front of a Judge." I said.

''We'll get Jetty." said Beverly.

"That's a great idea." said Olivia.

AND AT THE STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION AT GREENE-

Haley and her father, David Cutler sat in a small room off death row and enjoyed a meal together..

Cheeseburger, Fries and Shake. They talked quietly....

''Bresha just contacted me..

 Donnie Ray dug up even more information and is looking to subpoena two more people who gave conflicting testimony...

She says Olivia, Beverly , Nelson and Josie 

are working feverishly to get their amendment finished and sent to me.. If the Judge reads that..I'm certain we'll get a stay. "said Jessica.

"They'd better hurry up... He is set to be executed tomorrow." said Chip, looking a bit worried for the first time.

He was worried...They were gambling on this circuit court judge...If he somehow didn't feel there was compelling enough evidence to warrant a stay or a new trial, They would have run out of time and out of options...

IV-

"Chester call the Warden....We are out of  pancuronium bromide....He'll have to postpone tomorrow's execution." said the Chemical Plant Manager.

AND AT THE PRISON-

"WHAT? YOU'RE OUT??? CAN'T WE CALL SOMEONE ELSE?? OHIO?? , NEW JERSEY??" asked the Warden...

''We can call New York...but they won't be able to get it to us by tomorrow...The Day after, even if they air mail it." said an Assistant..

'Well We can execute him in the Nitrogen Gas Chamber.." said the Warden..

"No you can not....My client was asked to choose his form of execution and he clearly chose Lethal Injection... I'll fight you in Circuit Court if you try to do that." said Jessica.

"We thought you might try something like that....We've already prepared an oral argument..." said Charles..

''And I'll fight both of you... I came up here to argue that the trial was just and fair and the execution of sentence should go on... Warden, I know a guy who can provide you with an alternative drug you can use and have it here by tomorrow morning." said Attorney Roderick Strickland, the original prosecutor in the case.

''Rod Strickland....What hole did you crawl out of? You're not going to do that either.. That drug has to be checked and approved..I'll hold you up in court for weeks if you try that." snarled Jessie.

"You both can quit your yapping... Judge Gaskins just called.. He has granted Mr. Cutler a 48 Hour Stay of execution... He said some attorneys in Philadelphia working on this., need that time to produce some new and compelling evidence that might make a difference." said The Warden, who walked out of the room..

"WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTT? WHY OF ALL THE ...." screamed a livid, Roderick Strickland..

"Baby, we did it...we got the stay...Let's Bring it home!" said Chip, lifting his petite little wife up and spinning her around..

"YES , WE DID IT PAPI!" said a jubilant Jessica.

And at that moment at our Office Duplex in Philadelphia..

The News reached our conference room... Olivia, myself, Beverly, Nelson, Josie,Paris, Bresha, Tony, Alfreda and Rockland were all huddled around the conference table awaiting the news from upstate..

All of the people who had helped us... Jazzy, Dabnis, Kayla, Ray, Yvette,husband, Gary, Keith, Bee Bee, Sofia, Kahlil, Jade, Danny Ho, Virginia and Jetty were there..

When news of the Stay, granted by the Judge of the 7th Circuit court came in....There were shouts of joy...There was Champagne bottles popping and toasts made..

I feared we might be celebrating a little soon...We had bought David Cutler another two days...but we had to have compelling new evidence...enough to get the Judge to toss this verdict out..

Olivia got a phone call while we were all celebrating.. It was her mysterious ally...

"Congratulations Ms. Olivia...Now you got it..Now you're on the right track...Dig a little deeper.." came the voice.

(Click!)

(TO BE CONTINUED)