Innocent Until Ruined

Innocent Until Ruined

<sound of door closing in a bare (echoey) small room>

I’m really sorry that you had to go through that.  They cross examined you harder than I was expecting given your age.  I’ll be honest, when they gave me this case I thought it was going to be pretty open and shut, but your sorority sisters seem intent on throwing you under the bus for what happened.  Their parents sprung for lawyers with 4 times my experience and resources, and I’m doing what I can, but… I’ll be honest.  I’m just a public defender, and you’re not giving me a lot to work with.

<pause>

No no no, I know you’re innocent.  That video of Tara pretty much convinced me that you weren’t there during the hazing, and you probably didn’t even know what was going on, but since we can’t show that evidence anymore, thanks to a sneaky motion by their lawyers, and you’ve got no witnesses for your alibi, and they’re all swearing you were the mastermind… well frankly, I’m not sure what more I can do.  Hell they almost had *me* convinced when they were testifying. But the fact remains that a girl is in a coma after a… creatively brutal sexual assault.  They’re going to punish someone for it, and it’s obvious that the three responsible have the power to make sure it’s not them.

So that leaves you.  There’s not much more I can do in there.  I’m afraid it’s come down to the point where it’s my job to advise you that it’s not too late to plea out.  We can try to reduce your prison time, but if we let the jury come back with a verdict, I’m not sure when you’ll get out.

<exasperated>  Look I *know* you’re innocent, and I’ve been busting my ass for weeks to prove it, but when you’re 19 you’re supposed to be out drinking and having fun, and being with people.  There’s not a lot I can do when your alibi was a pile of text books in your room on a Friday night.  What am I supposed to do with that?  I can’t make your Biology book take the witness stand, and from what I can tell, no one else cares enough to get up there and lie for you!

<even more frustrated> Oh *there’s* the waterworks.  Now why couldn’t you do that on the stand?  Try to win a little sympathy?  Instead you sat up there like some sort of robot, fucking up whatever chance I had of getting you off.  <cruel smirk> I suppose that’s not new for you though, is it?  Not letting someone get you off.  You’d never have messed with that pledge anyway, would you… I bet you’ve never touched yourself let alone another girl.  How about a guy then huh?  C’mon, show me those tears you were holding back.  There we go, now they’re really going.  Good girl.  But too late.  Too little, and too fucking late.

You know, they tell you that when you can't afford an attorney, they'll provide one for you.  And they're right, they pick one of us poor schmucks to take your pitiful case. And we work for you for whatever pittance they give us.  We work and don't sleep and don't see our wives or our kids, while you, you fucking entitled little scholarship brat you sit there and tell me that I'm not trying hard enough.  Well you know what?  You're going to pay me and you're going to do it now.

No, noooo, shhhh, and you're going to keep your fucking mouth shut while you do it.  Already no one believes that you didn't fuck that girl into a coma.  No one will believe you're above fucking me for help.  And you're not.  Because I can help you.  You're going to prison, little girl, one way or the other.  I couldn't save you from that now if I wanted to.  But if you think I can't make your life hell while you're there from out here?  You're sorely mistaken.  So if you want to be safe while you're inside, you're going to do what's good for you.  And you're going to get on your fucking knees right now, and pay me for all I've done for you.
B