Read Online Presumption of Innocence: David Brunelle Legal Thriller #1 by Stephen Penner - Free Book Online

hallway. The hallway where he knew the Montgomerys were waiting to yell at him.
    Edwards shrugged. "I told you. She doesn’t want any deals any more. She said she doesn’t even care if the case is transferred to adult court."
    "Did you tell her she'll die in prison?"
    "Oh yeah, she gets that."
    "Well, good," Yamata chimed in. "She deserves it anyway for what she did."
    Brunelle winced. This was about negotiations and trying to get to the best possible result. It was also about long term professional relationships with defense attorneys you see again and again and again. It might also be about someone getting what they deserve, but you don't say that out loud. Not to Jessica Edwards anyway.
    "What she deserves?" Edwards snapped. "A fifteen year-old-girl who was raped and controlled by a twenty-year-old man doesn’t deserve to spend her entire life in prison."
     "A fifteen-year-old girl," Yamata shot back, "who knocked on Emily Montgomery's door knowing what that twenty-year-old man was gonna do to her? Who staked out the place and waited for her parents to leave? Who made the entire damn thing possible? Who didn't come forward until she was arrested and even then hesitated to tell the truth? Yeah, she deserves to die in prison. She deserves worse."
    Edwards' face was turning red. But before she could respond, Yamata finished with, "Tell me what Emily Montgomery deserved?"
    Edwards glared at Brunelle, who just offered a pained smile and a shrug.
    "You just lost any chance at a deal, Dave," Edwards hissed. "See you at the transfer hearing."
    Edwards stormed out of the conference room, slamming the door behind her.
    "What a bitch," Yamata growled.
    Brunelle shook his head. "Naw, Jessica's all right. She's just a true believer."
    Yamata cocked her head. "A what?"
    "Jess thinks everybody is basically good and sometimes people make mistakes. She thinks cops lie and prosecutors only care about winning. Every one of her clients is being treated unfairly and it's her job to protect them from the powerful government that's trying to put them away for something they didn't really do."
    Yamata's jaw dropped. "Does she really believe that?"
    "I think so," Brunelle nodded. "Being a criminal defense attorney is a tough job. Defending people who've committed crimes takes a special mindset. A lot of people can't look themselves in the mirror. It's worse if you’re a public defender. If you're a private attorney and some psychopath comes into your office, you can always say no. But Edwards gets a file on her desk and she has to represent that psychopath. And worse yet, the psychopath thinks she sucks because she's a 'public pretender,' even though she's probably tried twice as many cases as your typical private defense attorney."
    Brunelle smiled as Yamata processed the information.
    "Just don't bring up the victim," Brunelle smiled. "She hates being reminded there's a victim."
    "But that's the whole point of criminal law," Yamata argued, "to vindicate the victim."
    "Maybe," Brunelle shrugged. "But you have to know when to bring it up with her. It tends to piss her off."
    Yamata crossed her arms. "I can see that."
    "So bring it up just before her closing argument," Brunelle winked. "Totally fucks with her."
    Yamata laughed out loud. "Oh, Mr. Brunelle, I like that."
    Brunelle smirked. "I thought you might. And remember, it's Dave."
    "Right. Dave." She saluted and offered a fabulous smile. "Don't want you to feel old when you're around me."
    Brunelle wasn't sure what to say, so he changed the subject. "Come on, let's go get yelled at by the parents."
    ***
    "What just happened?" Mr. Montgomery demanded as soon as they stepped into the hallway.
    "Change in plans," Brunelle smiled. "But nothing we can't deal with."
    "I thought you said you needed her?" Mrs. Montgomery pointed out.
    "I did," Brunelle conceded, "but part of my job—part of our job," he gestured to Yamata, "is to be prepared for any contingency and move forward with the