Read Online Beyond Justice by Joshua Graham - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Joshua Graham
Tags: LEGAL, thriller, Suspense, Mystery, Grisham, supernatural, legal thriller, Stephen King, paul tseng
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simple misunderstanding, Your Hon—"
Rachel clicked her tongue. "Give me a break." As she fired off her list of improprieties, the D.A. could barely get a word in edgewise. With each item, the smugness on his face faded. The judge’s scrutinizing glower gradually shifted to Walden.
"My client was detained for over eight hours before he was booked in the San Diego Central Jail."
Arms crossed over her chest, Detective Pearson tugged on her earlobe.
"And finally," Rachel said. "I have eyewitness testimony that puts the Detective Anita Pearson at my client’s residence, conducting an illegal search."
Walden pressed forward. "We had a warrant!"
"Would you care to show it to the court?" Rachel said, placing her hands on her hips.
Walden started turning back to Pearson, but stopped. He looked to the judge, smiling like he had a perfectly reasonable explanation. "I can produce a copy if you just—"
"Here." Rachel pulled a sheet of paper from her jacket and slapped it down under His Honor’s nose. Judge Crawford lowered his glasses and peered over the rims, held the sheet up closer. "That’s a copy of the search warrant which I got from the D.A.’s clerk." Rachel said.
"What’s the problem, Counsel?" Crawford asked.
"If Your Honor will kindly look closely at the clerk’s stamp, it will show that this warrant was issued yesterday at 4:55 PM. More than four hours after the search was actually conducted. Yesterday, at 12:15 PM, Detective Pearson broke down the door and conducted a warrant-less search of my client’s premises."
Leaning back in his chair, Crawford rumbled and shot Pearson a withering glare. "Anything else, counsel?"
Brushing back a strand of hair, Rachel met his gaze. "Given the gross improprieties in my client’s incarceration, I once again request he be released on his own recognizance."
"This is ridiculous," Anita Pearson said, unable to remain seated. "The time discrepancy is immaterial. We had probable cause and found more evidence—"
"Which is now fruit of a poisonous tree," Rachel said. "Let’s have that P.C. hearing now, shall we?"
With his indignation now aimed at the detective, Crawford said, "Immaterial?"
Walden tugged his collar. You could almost see the steam rise out.
"Detective," the judge said. "The court does not condone what you’ve done. Nor am I interested turning the focus of this case towards constitutional rights." He turned to Walden. "If you want a Probable Cause hearing..."
Walden frowned and shook his head tightly.
With a bit more respect, Crawford said, "Nevertheless Ms. Cheng, I agree with the State about the severity of the charges. I cannot simply grant the O.R."
"Presumption of innocence until proven—"
"Request denied."
"But Your Honor—"
"Ms. Chen!"
My heart plummeted. I could almost hear it splashing into the digestive acids which had already eroded the lining of my stomach. I would be spending God knows how many months in jail, just waiting for my trial. Unable to see Aaron, or be there for him.
"Bail is set to fifty thousand dollars." Crawford rapped the gavel.
The transformation on Rachel’s face was so drastic, her smile so wide, that it wouldn’t have surprised me if she ran up to the bench and gave Crawford a hug, planting a big, wet kiss on his shiny bald head.
His Honor lifted a cautionary finger. "On the condition that he agrees to wear a GPS tracking device on his ankle until the trial."
I nodded my consent.
"My client agrees," said Rachel.
The gavel hit the sound block again, and it was settled. Dave and I both exhaled. He thumped me in the back. "Yes!"
With her back turned to the judge, Rachel gave me a thumbs up and a broad smile. She returned to the desk with a triumphant lilt in her step. "Congratulations," she said, shaking my hand.
"Rachel, thank you."
The deputy unlocked my wrists and ankles. I was free to go.
For now.
Chapter Fifteen
The
Rachel clicked her tongue. "Give me a break." As she fired off her list of improprieties, the D.A. could barely get a word in edgewise. With each item, the smugness on his face faded. The judge’s scrutinizing glower gradually shifted to Walden.
"My client was detained for over eight hours before he was booked in the San Diego Central Jail."
Arms crossed over her chest, Detective Pearson tugged on her earlobe.
"And finally," Rachel said. "I have eyewitness testimony that puts the Detective Anita Pearson at my client’s residence, conducting an illegal search."
Walden pressed forward. "We had a warrant!"
"Would you care to show it to the court?" Rachel said, placing her hands on her hips.
Walden started turning back to Pearson, but stopped. He looked to the judge, smiling like he had a perfectly reasonable explanation. "I can produce a copy if you just—"
"Here." Rachel pulled a sheet of paper from her jacket and slapped it down under His Honor’s nose. Judge Crawford lowered his glasses and peered over the rims, held the sheet up closer. "That’s a copy of the search warrant which I got from the D.A.’s clerk." Rachel said.
"What’s the problem, Counsel?" Crawford asked.
"If Your Honor will kindly look closely at the clerk’s stamp, it will show that this warrant was issued yesterday at 4:55 PM. More than four hours after the search was actually conducted. Yesterday, at 12:15 PM, Detective Pearson broke down the door and conducted a warrant-less search of my client’s premises."
Leaning back in his chair, Crawford rumbled and shot Pearson a withering glare. "Anything else, counsel?"
Brushing back a strand of hair, Rachel met his gaze. "Given the gross improprieties in my client’s incarceration, I once again request he be released on his own recognizance."
"This is ridiculous," Anita Pearson said, unable to remain seated. "The time discrepancy is immaterial. We had probable cause and found more evidence—"
"Which is now fruit of a poisonous tree," Rachel said. "Let’s have that P.C. hearing now, shall we?"
With his indignation now aimed at the detective, Crawford said, "Immaterial?"
Walden tugged his collar. You could almost see the steam rise out.
"Detective," the judge said. "The court does not condone what you’ve done. Nor am I interested turning the focus of this case towards constitutional rights." He turned to Walden. "If you want a Probable Cause hearing..."
Walden frowned and shook his head tightly.
With a bit more respect, Crawford said, "Nevertheless Ms. Cheng, I agree with the State about the severity of the charges. I cannot simply grant the O.R."
"Presumption of innocence until proven—"
"Request denied."
"But Your Honor—"
"Ms. Chen!"
My heart plummeted. I could almost hear it splashing into the digestive acids which had already eroded the lining of my stomach. I would be spending God knows how many months in jail, just waiting for my trial. Unable to see Aaron, or be there for him.
"Bail is set to fifty thousand dollars." Crawford rapped the gavel.
The transformation on Rachel’s face was so drastic, her smile so wide, that it wouldn’t have surprised me if she ran up to the bench and gave Crawford a hug, planting a big, wet kiss on his shiny bald head.
His Honor lifted a cautionary finger. "On the condition that he agrees to wear a GPS tracking device on his ankle until the trial."
I nodded my consent.
"My client agrees," said Rachel.
The gavel hit the sound block again, and it was settled. Dave and I both exhaled. He thumped me in the back. "Yes!"
With her back turned to the judge, Rachel gave me a thumbs up and a broad smile. She returned to the desk with a triumphant lilt in her step. "Congratulations," she said, shaking my hand.
"Rachel, thank you."
The deputy unlocked my wrists and ankles. I was free to go.
For now.
Chapter Fifteen
The
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