Compelling Arguments

 

       

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 -The Thomas Kline 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...

Married to Attorney Tony Billips

Once Again Assistant District Attorney Curtis Loader looked at dossiers on all of us.. He had been up against us before.  He was familliar with us  He too was a graduate of PENN LAW...A pretty decent attorney...He like the other ADA's did not want this case...but he was the low man on the totem poll.

District Attorney Gil Garcetti was not about to bring in a Special Prosecutor , which would cost more money and bring more undo attention to this sordid mess.

ADA Curtis Loder practically ordered Lt. Tragg to recanvass, though there was nothing left of the blown up office to recanvass...The Feds had confiscated everything salvagable..  He was amazed that he had not met with Sharon Hopkins of the FBI/ATF task force and compared any notes...

Lt. Tragg felt as though he had enough evidence to charge Anita Brown at least with conspiracy...She was being blackmailed by a guy who alledgedly was blackmailing quite a few people. The explosion had destroyed practically all of the evidence..

He was the only one who didn't see how circumstantial all of this was.

He hired D.A. Investigator Ingrid Stevenson to look further into the case ,since Lt. Tragg wouldn't...

And they both met with

FBI/ATF Special Agent in Charge,  Sharon Hopkins who told them that they were close to making an arrest of the suspected bomber and that so far, nothing in their investigation pointed to the Mayor's Wife in any way... They also said that She had talked to Olivia's investigator, Donnie Ray Alexander and told him the same thing.. She had talked to everybody except Lt. Tragg, who had been very closed mouth and territorial about his end of the investigation.

At our office duplex-

In our Law Library, Beverly, Nelson, Josie and Bresha with help from Yvette's Office Manager, Consultant, Virginia Shaw -Dukes, once a celebrated Attorney herself were researching predicates and cases in which a Bench Trial was ordered...and also looking up whether they could use a motion to suppress those nasty photos.

It was painstaking work... They had been in the law library since breakfast....

In the conference room , I was talking to Olivia.

"I talked to Sharon Hopkins at FBI/ATF-She said that they were close to making an arrest of the suspected bomber and that so far, nothing in their investigation pointed to the Mayor's Wife in any way... She told me that she was supposed to meet with ADA Curt Loder and his investigator, Ingrid Stevenson later on. She said she had talked to everybody except Lt. Tragg, who had been very closed mouth and territorial about his end of the investigation.  " I said.

"You know why? Because he doesn't have anything to offer...I don't feel like arguing this thing..It's Nonsense.. I hope we can get this tossed out." said Olivia.

II-

COURTROOM D- A DAY LATER-

A Day later we were in court and we were under a new Judge, Paul Scanlon...

Olivia, Beverly, Nelson and Bresha 

were arguing that this entire case should be thrown out... They argued that it was completely meritless and had very little basis in fact or evidence.. They brought up predicates and laws from other cases just like it..and demanded that the prosecution show evidence.  They argued brilliantly for four fours..

Assistant District Attorney Curtis Loder argued just as brilliantly that the sexual inneudo argued in this case and the inferred blackmailing of the defendent provided a motive and thus a reason for the charges..

It was an incredibly weak argument....

But Judge Paul Scanlon agreed and ruled that the trial would go forth...

Which brought a smile to Lt. Tragg, who sat with 

Investigator, Ingrid Stevenson...  She was glad that for once, he wasn't snaking his grubby little hands up her skirt or trying to feel her legs..

We broke for Lunch at Sam Mother's Diner... and then returned for the afternoon's oral arguments..

COURTROOM D-

This time Olivia, Beverly, Nelson and Josie were arguing for a Bench trial...

a trial with no jurors due to the sordidness of the circumstances....

Once again Assistant District Attorney argued that there was no need to keep this trial from the public and that it should be a jury trial like any other trial.

That didn't go over too well with Judge Scanlon...He surprisingly ruled in our favor this time....We would get a Bench trial and the press would be kept out of the courtroom... He also asked that Lt. Tragg not make any comments to the press about this trial until it's conclusion.

Lt. Tragg was not happen with the second ruling..

"I don't believe him...A Bench trial...What are they trying to hide.?" snarled Lt. Tragg.

"Ahh it was an even victory...We won in the morning...They won in the afternoon... They were well researched and very well prepared...We are going to have to bring our A-Game."said ADA Curtis Loder.

Investigator, Ingrid Stevenson said nothing...She just shrugged her shoulders...

"I figured we might not win both, but at least we won one..."said Olivia.

"This trial is going to be interesting ."said Beverly.

That night...Beverly and Nelson and the others felt like hanging out, cutting loose...and so they did..

Which had a nice crowd 

and two D.J.'s spinning..

Plenty of Tacos 

And Plenty Drinks, Martinis..

and Cold Beer...

 

"So Beverly you got a  Bench trial..That's what you wanted anyway wasn't it?" asked Jazzy.

"Yeah it is...but it would have been nice if the whole thing could have been tossed out.." said Beverly.

 

"Yeah, but you knew there was a slim chance of that...The Old Bait and switch worked good for you guys huh?" said Dabnis..

"It did!  Auntay was pleased...She said she didn't expect them to toss the case out either."said Beverly.

"Wow!  I know you guys are exhausted after the day you had in court."said Kayla.

''Yeah I'd put it that way."laughed Beverly's husband, Nelson.

"Well buck up buddy...Here's a Beer...It's on me." said Ray....

"Thanks Buddy!" said Nelson, chugging his glass of Beer down.

"I'm going to be down for some Tequila a little later." said Jessica.

"Ouuuu la laaaaaaa." said her husband, Chip.

"Tequilla gets me very horny....I only drink it when I'm around friends.."said Natalie.

''Well you're safe tonight...You're around me and your friends."said her husband, David.

"I know you'd like me to have some, wouldn't you?" laughed Natalie..who was sitting on David's lap sipping a beer..

"Tequilla has that same affect on me Nat...And I'm like you...I drink it sparingly or around friends..."said Brooke.

"Well like David Said..you're among friends and me.."laughed Sean.

A Bottle of Tequilla arrived and everybody poured a glass and took a shot..

"Ouuuuuuuuuu that went straight to my head." said Renee.

"Me too." said her husband, Tyrell, smiling and rubbing her butt..

"Ouu you better watch that...You might bite off more than you can chew."laughed Renee seductively...

"Ouuuuuu I feel like dancing..." said Bee Bee.

"Come on, the D.J. will be playing something for us soon." said her husband, Keith,

''Aye Mios Dios, I feel like dancing too!" said Sofia.

"Tequilla does it every time."laugfhed her husband, Kahlil.

"Are you staring at my breasts?" asked Lee.

"Yes I'm staring at all of you...You were wearing that dress the very first time I laid eyes on you...It was in here...Every guy kept asking you to dance... I couldn't get close to you.."said her boyfriend, Matthew.

''Well now you have all access." laughed Lee.

"Yall are sooo cute together."laughed Beverly. Who was not drinking Tequilla.  Neither was her husband Nelson.

Nelson was sticking with his Beer.

"We won a lopsided victory in court today."said Josie.

"You guys used the ole Bait and switch...You won the one you wanted to win." said her husband, Paris.

"Yeah you might say that...We won the one we needed to win." said Bresha, sighing relief..

"Well you're here now, relax..."said her husband, Tony...

A distance away....our client...Anita Brown sat with a  man she shouldn't be seen in Public with ,Thomas White.

"Baby look, I reached out....That creep was Blackmailing me too!  Now he's gone and I heard the Cops and the Feds have found nothing...You got good lawyers, The Best defending you...They'll get you off and then me and you can rock and roll like before." said Thomas White.

"No!  Me and You can't do anything like before...I told you this was a fling..We 'd get together have a little fun while my husband was away. He's back now...and we can't do anything...It's over..We had a good time and it's over...and what do you mean you reached out? Do you know more about this thing than you're sayin?? You know what? I don't want to know."said Anita Brown, who paid her tab, got up and left..

The D.J. started playing the music and Beverly, Nelson and the whole gang got up and got on the floor and began line dancing..Another night at Aqua Bar.

III-

TENDER WAS THE NIGHT!

"What a day huh?  Lost in the morning, Won in the afternoon." I said.

"Yeah, I didn't expect to win in the morning...but we put up a good argument...I was proud of both Bresha and Josie...And Nelson and Neicey Poo were equally good..I was so proud standing up there with the four of them...They've all come so far from the green lawyers they started out as to the confident attorneys who can stand alone and argue a big case."said Olivia with a smile.

"They had a good teacher..."I said with a smile.

Olivia sat on my lap...

We just started kissing.....

The kissing got hotter....

I slipped her panties down....Her body was trembling something awful...

Olivia spread her legs and eased herself down on me and began moving up and down at first slowly and eventually faster..

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!  OUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!! DONNIE  RAY!" she moaned.

"AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! OLIVIAAAAA!" I moaned..

She rode me like a surfer rides the waves.....I didn't know if I was coming or going....but this was the way it always was when we had sex...

She kissed me with such passion......I felt like I was losing my mind as she continued to kiss me..

It was nice mellow night for us....

IV-

The next mornng, Olivia treated her staff to breakfast at the tony downtown French rooftop restaurant- 

She and I had Warm Croissants, right out of the oven with butter and jam, french bread ,Orange Juice and hot steaming coffee.

"You guys did so good in court yesterday, I thought you deserved a treat." said Olivia.

 

"Plus, Liv, Alfreda and I deserved a break from cooking." I joked.. as we all laughed.

Beverly and Nelson were enjoying Pancakes, Bacon and cubed potatoes and hot coffee.

''Well The trial is next Tuesday..I think we'll be as ready as we are for any other case."said Beverly.

"I worry about this Judge...I don't know him and he rules kind of funny."said Nelson.

"We can't have Kelly Ann everytime Nelson..."laughed Josie, who was having Hot Croissants and French Bread.

"I don't think I'd eat this good at any other law firm." said Bresha.

"You probably wouldn't...Me neither."laughed Alfreda , who was along with us.

Sitting a few tables over from us was the Assistant District Attorney Curtis Loder, we were going to face and D.A. Investigator, Ingrid Stevenson.

"Well, Well, Well, Look across the aisle from us.. Olivia Bennett_Alexander and her staff...Her husband, Her niece and her husband and those two other female attorneys and another woman I don't recognize... They have just as good of tastes in dining as they have proficiency in the practice of law." said Curt Loder.

"Coming from you that is high praise indeed...I agree, that they are very good...and what they have in common with us is we both have a weak case we would rather not prosecute." said Ingrid Stevenson.

 

"Any word from the Feds?" asked Loder.

"Only that they are zeroing in on the actual bomber....The only way he can help us is if after he's caught, he names Anita Brown as the one who hired and paid him."said Ingrid.

"If I know right....The Bomber probably never met Anita.  The whole thing was handled by a third party...Tragg could be helping us with that angle...but of course , he's not... His head is up his ass somewhere..."scoffed Curt Loder.

"Donnie Ray have you talked to Sharon or anyone from the FBI/ATF task force lately?" asked Olivia.

 

"Yesterday I did... I learned nothing new except that they are closer to finding the actual bomber...who looks nothing like our client...Perhaps if this person is caught they can clear up this whole mess...Tell us who really hired them.  Judging by Anita Brown's Credit Card and Banking records, it definitely wasn't her." I said.

"I'm betting the bomber never met Anita and had no idea who he was doing this for..."said Beverly.

"Yeah ,this was definitely handled by a third party." said Nelson.

"If Lt. Tragg would have been co-operating with the Feds....Anita would never have been arrested...At least not yet...He doesn't even have proof that she was being blackmailed."said Josie.

"Why wasn't the guy she was with, Thomas White questioned?   I went to law school with him...He was a year ahead of me...He used to be kind of sweet on me at one time.." said Bresha.

"Do tell Freshie?" joked Beverly, hugging Bresha and laughing..

"To answer your question Bree because let's face it...Lt. Tragg is a lousy investigator.. He gets one theory in mind and he won't or can't let it go.....I don't even know how he came to this one..."said Olivia.

"The Photos...The Photos he did find in the Safe Deposit Box....I sure wish I could have found that Safe Deposit box before he did....but Underwood and everything else blew up in that ofice..Still I wonder how Tragg found it?" I said.

"He's good at investigating somethings....Not the right things, but some things."laughed Alfreda.

We all laughed as the hazy, lazy morning drug on!

(CONCLUSION NEXT)