Beyond A Reasonable Doubt (2012 Watty Winner)

The Arraignment

"Here we are again, Davies." Scott says to me as we both walk towards the courtroom.

"Uh-huh." I reply with a smile. Scott and I have been friends since Law School and he hates that I took a job as Defense Lawyer, 'defending scumbags' as he put it.

"You see the vultures?" He asks me, referring to the media waiting outside the courthouse. I nod. "You know this is an open and shut case right?"

"You know you told me that last time I won that case against you, right?" I say to him then laugh a little.

"Touché." He chuckles as we enter the court room.

"Fifteen years, she'll be out in ten." He tells me and I give him a look.

"Not gonna happen, Scott." I tell him. He shakes his head and smiles.

"The case against her is rock solid."

"Circumstantial at best and you know it." I tell him as I place my briefcase on the table and take out a few papers.

"You've always been a stubborn one, Davies." He tells me as he mimics my actions.

"And that's why I've never lost a case."

"There's a first time for everything." He tells me, getting in his serious lawyer mode, reading over some papers he just took out of his briefcase.

I waited as they ushered Spencer into the courtroom for her bail hearing. Judge Matthenson would be the Judge residing over this case and I don't think I could have gotten a tougher Judge.

He really isn't the type of Judge that you want to piss off and he's notorious for treating women harshly. Yup, this going to be a piece of cake. I say to myself sarcastically and shake my head as Spencer is placed beside me by the court officer.

"Hey." She greets me with a worried look on her face.

"Hey." I reply with a slight smile. I can tell she's scared. I'm going to see if I can get bail reduced but the charges against her will make that highly unlikely.

"Ashley, I just wanna say again how grateful I am that you took this case. I know you didn't have-"

"Stop." I cut her off. "It was no problem." I shake my head. "Really." I assure her.

"Still." She leans closer to me and says. "Thank you." She whispers and my heart jumps.

"I um..." I stop and clear my throat. "It's no problem." I tell her again and she smiles.

"Ashley." She breathes out and I mumble a hmm. "You're-" She starts but gets cut off by the bailiff.

"Please rise." The bailiff instructs the courtroom as the Judge enters. Yeah, just what I needed, he looks aggravated already.

"Please be seated." Judge Matthenson says.

"Court is in session. Judge Frank Matthenson residing." The bailiff adds.

"Felony Arraignment of Spencer Dennison. The Los Angeles Police Department has filed a complaint for case number LA12-0035-7 for one count of Murder in the First Degree in violation of California Penal Code 187 that Spencer Dennison on September 16th 2012 did purposely cause the death of another intentionally, through the use of a firearm." The Judge finishes reading the complaint and looks up from his paper. I glance over at Spencer and I can tell she's about to cry. "How does the defendant plead in this matter?" He asks and I answer.

"Not guilty your honor." I tell him and I swear I heard him scoff.

"Very well, the court date is set for three weeks from today. Bail will remain at three hundred thousand..."