His face was etched with fear. Closing arguments had only been given at the end of last week and the judge was already calling the court.
His defense attorneys were by his side. The judge looked down emotionlessly as he read the written pages, but the only word he heard was Guilty.
Reporters fled the courtroom, eager to return their stories for the morning edition.
The Crown prosecutor smiled as he rose from his desk, looking long at the uniformed officers in the stands who had testified on behalf of the Crown. He also sought out his main witness, an angry and deceitful old man who had sat in the back of the courtroom throughout the trial. Affirmations were exchanged, no further conversation was necessary.
As he was led away in handcuffs, the defense attorneys were already discussing the Appeal.
The biggest regret at this moment was raising his head to look into his father’s eyes; however, when they met, the aged eyes only showed understanding and pride towards their son. They showed neither fear nor defeat.
Due to the nature of the charges, his passport and valuables would be turned over to the court clerk for bail; set at $250,000.00.
As he waited to be processed, several of the officers, known to him through his legal practice, stopped by to express their regret, all assuring him that this was a serious mistake and that justice would be served.
His license had been suspect over a year ago, forcing him to close the doors of his practice.
He had a new understanding of friendship. Because those she thought would be there for him right now had vanished.
The Crown had successfully created a moral panic within the legal community and, in the court of public opinion, was perceived as guilty. Like McCarthyism, the Crown case showed little regard for actual guilt or innocence.
Once released, he took only the rest of the day to rest; he was eager to find justice and returned to his lawyer’s offices the next day. He retained an experienced trial attorney to handle the appeal. It was reassuring to hear that this respected attorney had applied for first place on appeal after hearing the rationale for the judge’s ruling.
As he walked down the street, known as Avenida Decree, he could not avoid passing those, who until this trial he considered his friends and associates in many of his files, and had been in his house; now they looked away, seeking to focus anywhere but on him. He didn’t know how far he would have to go from within to seek and maintain the strength he needed, but he knew he had no choice.
He had successfully entered law school, always having the satisfaction of knowing that the only other career that would fulfill him as it had with law school would be that of Superman.
Each day, preparing for appeals that took months and then turned into years, she mechanically rose from her bed, forced herself to breathe, and prayed that she would make it through another day. The most difficult promotion for him was the trial. For the next nine years, his life would have been on hold. Yet all around him life went on; he was excited to witness new life and saddened to witness death. It was difficult for her to remember his life before him. In many ways, many things seemed frivolous. His losses were immense. His circle of trust had become very small. In self preservation, he had built so many layers of armor for himself. He now he only expected the worst; he was prepared for it. In silence, his family and his few friends stayed by his side; never turning away from his truths, never allowing him to feel alone.
The judgment of the Supreme Court was not long in coming. The decision was unanimous; the Court had ruled that both the Crown and the judge had erred in law and a new trial was ordered.
However, appearing in court with a new judge and a new Crown prosecutor, there would not be another trial. The Crown after studying the case, the arguments and the evidence that had been withheld and only on this day was able to apologize to the Court and to him. He apologizes for the parody of justice that was allowed to dictate his life and the Courts. Acknowledging that the Crown office could never return or pay for all his losses, both in life and in career. The judge would also speak with great remorse apologizing and condemning the actions of recent years, both by the Crown and the Court.
When he left court, he was hesitant to review the full extent of his damages. Time was the cruelest of all because it didn’t give him back his yesterday, nor did he apologize for the loss. However, he hoped to have the freedom of his tomorrow.
And where you asked, are the reporters of this news. She opportunely she had been informed of his success, far from the first page, it appeared in Section 4, page 12.
Now a lifetime has passed. He and his family moved in search of his freedom and every day that passes it returns, perhaps in a different environment than he thought his life would be.
Even after all this time, the Superman Cape is still ready to wear.
