Smoke and Mirrors (DE)

4. State vs. Joseph Combs

Joseph fastened his BVLGARI cuff links to the cuffs of his pressed black Armani suit— the same ones Grace had gifted him as a congratulatory gift for his new business venture except he never got to wear them with a business suit. His first time wearing them were to stand trial for murder, four counts.

Since the case was so high profile, Joseph was given the opportunity to make himself look presentable for the courts. He'd gotten his hair neatly re-braided and his hair line and facial hair lined up. Dre purchased two five thousand dollar Giorgio Armani suits to wear over the span of the next two days that the trail was set to take place for and had it dropped off for him to wear. He stared at himself in the mirror, an actual mirror— not like the one in his cell. It had been four years since he was able to clearly see himself, to see the man he'd become.

Despite the circumstances he stood taller now than when he first walked in— his mind had gotten sharper, he'd gotten older and embraced his true identity. Joseph no longer cared what anyone thought. He no longer withered in his own sorrow for his traumatic upbringing or cursed Max for making him that way and that's what made him a force to be reckoned with. Joseph was better at being the bad buy, it was more exciting anyways.

A knock at the bathroom door called for his attention making him avert his gaze from his own reflection in the mirror. " Joseph trial starts in twenty minutes, we need to go," Rick yelled from the other side of the thick wood door. Joseph opened the door being met with his defense attorney and two police officers. He emerged from the bathroom and held out both wrists in front of him to be cuffed in order to be transported to the court house. " I'm ready," Joseph said simply.

Joseph didn't feel any type of way about finally going to trial where as most would feel an array of feelings— anxiety, excitement, fear, etc. He felt no remorse for what he did and truly didn't care enough to hold any emotion. This could only go one of two ways, either he's set free or sent back to his cell indefinitely. In his eyes the outcome couldn't get any worse than what it already was. Joseph watched out of the prison transport van window as he was driven to the court house. This was the most outside he'd seen in four years, it was like a new world.

Pulling up in front of the court house, a large crowd of media flocked the court house steps— news anchors and journalists armed with microphones and cameras anticipating Joseph's arrival. This was the most highly publicized case of the decade in New York City. Journalists were being paid a pretty penny for their best cover of the case and no one was going to miss up on their only opportunity to catch Joseph before the trial started.

" Show time," Rick said sarcastically. The van door was opened by Josephs police escort. He slowly stepped out, squinting his eyes as they adjusted to the bright sunlight. The media crowd erupted into a frenzy— cameras flashing and microphones being shoved in his face like some type of twisted celebrity. Joseph smiled a charming yet menacing grin at the cameras as he was escorted up the stairs. If they were going to take pictures they might as well get good ones.

" Joseph! Joseph are the accusations true? Did you kill that family?"

" Is it true that you set that old woman on fire?"

" What do you have to say about your DNA being found at the scene of the crime?"

Journalists shouted a barrage of questions at him like machine guns, jabbing him with their microphones like bayonets. Upon entering the packed court room, Joseph recognized some familiar faces seated in the seats behind his defense— Dre, Tre, Ziggy, his aunt Maria and even Max. All eyes were fixated on him as he walked to his seat like a new student walking into class for the first time, news cameras and more journalists sat in attendance as well. After the judge and jury were sworn in, the trial began.