SENTENCED ➙ GMW

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Lucas Friar sat solemnly in his seat beside his lawyer, anxiously awaiting the verdict for his case. He had been pleading his innocence since day one, and now, twelve random strangers were about to decide his fate.

"Spokesperson," the judge says authoritatively, snapping Lucas out of his thoughts. "Has the jury reached a verdict?"

"We have, your honor." An Asian woman stands up, a smile gracing her features. She seems nice, Lucas thinks. Happy. Maybe this will go my way. "We, the jury, find the defendant, Lucas Friar, guilty of murder in the second degree, and recommend a fifteen year sentence, with the possibility of parole."

Lucas stomach sinks, and he frantically looks around the courtroom. "But I didn't do it!" he screams, as his lawyer snaps his briefcase shut, shooting him a pitiful look, and two policemen lift him out of his seat, and lead him towards the doors. "I didn't do it!" Lucas Friar hollers back as he's dragged out. He catches the eyes of Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, who look distraught, and Maya Hart, cheeks tear-stained, anger in her eyes, as they follow him out of the courtroom. "Please, Maya! I didn't do it!" he yells to her, struggling to break free of the policemen. They don't say anything, their focus trained on dragging him through the front doors of the court house.

Outside, lying in wait, stood multiple groups of reporters, some with microphones and camera crews, and others with recorders and paper. Lucas, scared and angry turned his attention to the crowd. Microphones and cameras were being shoved in his face, questions being called out by random people.

"Did you kill her?" one woman yells.

"Why did you kill her?" shouts a man.

Lucas stared straight into one of the cameras and whispered point blank into the camera "l didn't do it," he announces frantically, before narrowing his eyes at the camera. "But whoever did, I'm going to find you. I swear to God, I'm going to find you, and make you pay for this."

The policemen shove him in a squad car then, slamming the door maliciously, reporters still screaming questions at him from outside. As the cops drive away, Lucas has only one thing on his mind: catching Riley's killer, and redeeming himself.