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Guilt by Association by Kelvin L. Reed
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Category:
Mainstream
Publisher: Kelvin L. Reed
ISBN-10: B00E1S3OWI
Type: Fiction
Pages: 216
Copyright: July 18, 2013
ISBN-13: 9781476477688
Price: FREE! (eBook)
Jayson Cook is reaping the rewards of a flourishing law practice in Boston. However, his comfortable life is turned upside down after he agrees to represent Brian Stone, a white supremacist charged with planting a bomb that destroyed an inner city church, killing a twelve-year-old black girl.
Excerpt
The judge checked his watch and put an end to their levity. "You know, I could just order you to do this."
Now it was Jayson's turn to enjoy the upper hand. "Why don't you?" He knew signing on of his own volition would reduce the likelihood of an appeal due to a claim that defense counsel was a reluctant, half-hearted draftee.
"Because I want you to do just like you did three years ago with that other racist son of a bitch," O'Hare snapped, obviously unaccustomed to getting a lawyer to do his bidding by persuasion. "Defend his rights because it's the right thing to do."
"But why me?"
"Because you're the best, and the defendant won't take anybody else."
"And because I'm black."
"Yes, and because you're black."
Jayson sighed and ran his fingers along the edge of his smooth chin. "You don't know what I went through after that ACLU case. You don't know what my family went through. Old friends not speaking to me, my wife lectured at work by her colleagues…"
"Hah!" the judge snorted. He raised his hand in the air and brought it down forcefully on his desk. "I could show you hate mail I've gotten over the years that would curl your hair--if it was longer."
Jayson chuckled. "I bet you could."
O'Hare stood and grabbed his jacket, which hung on a wooden coat rack behind him next to his robe. "And if you want to sit on my bench after I retire some day, you better develop a thicker skin," he advised, arching his bushy eyebrows and slipping into his jacket. "Besides," he continued, "two years later almost everyone came to realize that you and Seth were right, and that the mayor was just pandering to get votes, like politicians always do."
Jayson stood as well and sighed deeply. After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, he did what he did best: negotiate. "Okay, I'm in, but no post-trial nitpicking about my fees. And after the trial is over, I'm done. No hanging around for appeals, federal trials, nothing."
"Okay," the judge replied. "Is that it?"
"Well," Jayson muttered, "let me get home and break the news to my wife. She's gonna be just thrilled."
A few minutes later Jayson stood alone in the elevator clutching his bulging leather briefcase. He rode the fifteen floors down to the lobby and wondered if he hadn't just made the biggest mistake of his life.
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