TRUE CRIME STORIES

TRUE CRIME STORIES

in court yesterday waiting for the end of calendar and the start of my trial, a wretched combination of boredom and anxiety.  arraignments, miscellaneous reports on the status of cases, my mind drifting from the banal chatter of the calendar call to my trial.

former judge tom johnson addressing the court on the status of one of his clients.  "...and then two DUDES jump in my client's car and when everything's said and done, there are a bunch of stolen checks, money orders and bags of marijuana..."

tom delivers his factual proffer absolutely straight-faced, his client standing next to him doing his best impersonation of the wrongfully-accused. i laugh inside but almost audibly, a smile crosses judge miranda's face.

i step out for a second to get a drink of water or something.  i return a minute later,  "...so as you can see judge, arthur here was the victim of circumstances..."

 
-benjamin harris