I could feel the nerves coursing through my body as I walked through the doors of Hogan building, my hands smoothed down my mustard sweater. My hands began to sweat and shake as I stepped through the doors, my heels clicking on the tiled floor right up until I came to a stop in front of the front desk manned by four women.
"Can I help you?" One of the women called over to me.
"I'm looking for the DA's office, it's my first day" I managed to breathe out, just saying the words made it all the more real. It was like just yesterday that I'd been in law school and now here I was about to start working for the Manhattan district attorneys office.
"What's your name sweetie?" The woman asked smiling at me softly.
"Bethany Marsh" I tell her with a shy smile.
"Okay, I'll call up and one of them will come and get you. Why don't you go and sit over there?" She smiles picking up the phone from the desk in front of her as she points to a row of chairs against the wall to my right.
I take the seat furthest on the end, my knee began to rock up and down as soon as I sat down. As I sat I watched everybody pass me by, all wearing some form of power suits, the men in well fitting black or navy suits and the women in knee length dresses or pant suits. Seeing all of the well dressed people pass my by I couldn't help but look down to my own outfit and I suddenly began to feel underdressed, even frumpy in comparison to everybody else in my calf length pencil skirt and mustard sweater.
"Bethany Marsh?" A Woman suddenly called out from in front of me.
"Yes... yes that's me" I stuttered jolting up to my feet.
"Follow me, ADA Gonzalez is expecting you" The woman said gesturing for me to walk with her "He's who you'll be clerking for. Don't worry he's one of the best we have, I hope you're not afraid to start off in the deep end because he had a busy day today"
"Not afraid, excited is more like it" I said practically running behind the woman because she was walking so fast.
"Good, he'll like that. I'm Dayna Watson, his assistant" The woman infront of me said finally introducing herself as we step into an elevator.
"He has an arraignment this morning" Dayna informed me leaning over to press the button for the top floor.
"What's the case?" I ask hoping that I can get information so I don't have to meet ADA Gonzalez unprepared.
"Jerome Johnson, arrested for statutory rape" Dayna speaks quickly and I begin to wonder if that's the only speed she can speak at.
"How old is he?" I ask just as the elevator comes to s stop and we step out and once again my hands begin to shake as I follow her towards an office where I'll meet my new boss.
"ADA Gonzalez will catch you up on the case before you go into court, follow me" Dayna tells me pushing into an office / waiting room that I think is hers and then through another door which is when I spot him.... possibly the most attractive man I've ever met "Rafael this is Miss Marsh" Dayna introduces and as she does the man in front of me smiles showing off his Hollywood like teeth and walks over holding his hand out for me to shake, as I do all I can do is cringe and pray that my hands aren't too sweaty.
"Thankyou Dayna" The man, Rafael tells his assistant before she turns and walks out of the office leaving the two of us alone "sorry to throw you right into the deep end on your first day but this case is going to be a high profile one, I'm assuming Dayna told you who the defendant is?"
"Yes she said his name is Jerome Johnson, arrested for statutory rape. I'm sorry but why would a case like this become high profile?" I ask utterly confused.
"Because Jerome Johnson is the younger brother of Marcus Johnson" Rafael tells me as if that would clear it up but I honestly have no idea who that is "Marcus Johnson was a man falsely accused, prosecuted and sentenced three years ago, he was sixteen when he went to Rykers where he was killed"
"So people are going to believe that the same thing is happening here?" I ask briefly remembering hearing about that case while I was just starting law school, I remember that Marcus Johnson had retained some high profile defence attorney pro bono but he still lost his case.
"Yes, it's going to get messy so prepare yourself. We've offered him a deal but he refused to take it" Rafael told me turning towards his desk and throws some papers into an expensive looking briefcase "follow me, courts in 20 minutes" he tells me walking out of the office leaving me to follow behind him.
"Did you work on his brothers case?" I ask following after him.
"No but I know everything about it" He tells me before he pulls out his phone and begins typing and with that I know our conversation is over so I quietly follow after him all the way to the courthouse.
When we walk into the room we immediately take our seats at the desk on the right side of the room before the defendant is brought in and told to sit at the desk on the left hand side of the room but he's alone, no lawyer in sight, not even a public defender which surprises me given what happened to his brother.
When the judge walks in and we all sit down once more she immediately looks to the defendant and looks equally as surprised as I am at the sight of Mr Johnson without council.
"Mr Johnson, do you not have council?" The judge asks looking to the man in question.
"I do your honour and I apologise on both my and her behalf but she's running slightly late, she had court earlier this-morning and she should be here any moment" Jerome tells the judge surprising me with how respectful he appears to be.
"A public defender?" The judge asks an understanding look clouding over her face just before the doors to the room push open and in walks a stunning woman, seemingly Asian, perhaps Indian wearing a beautiful red thigh length dress. Her hair falling in waves down her back, louboutins decorating her feet, a briefcase that I can see to be Gucci hanging from her shoulder and a cup of coffee in her right hand. Defiantly not a public defender, you can't afford an outfit like that on a public defender or government salary.
"No your honour that would be me, I'm sorry for my tardiness" The woman tells the judge as she walks over and takes a seat next to Jerome laying a manicured hand on his arm.
"Ahh Mrs Gonzalez, always a pleasure to have you in my courtroom" Judge Ramos tells the woman with a genuine smile just as I hear the man next to me let out a low groan forcing me to turn to him.
"You know her?" I ask him already suspecting based on her last name alone.
"She's my wife" Rafael tells me and even though I had suspected it I can't help the shock and jealousy that runs through my body. Of course he would be married to somebody like her, she looks like she just stepped right out of the pages of vogue and landed in a courtroom. Tall, perhaps 5'9, 5'10 without the heels but certainly above 6 foot with the heels on, not a hair out of place, the dark almost silky looking skin. I know I have no right but I still can't help feeling jealous of her, even disliking her even though I know nothing about her. Actually that's a lie, she defends criminals, that's all I need to know. Good people don't defend criminals.
"Aanya are you prepared or do you need a postponement?" Judge Ramos asks breaking me out of my thoughts, the question seeming unusual to me and the judge is looking at her as though they're friends making me angry.
"I'm prepared thankyou your honour, I wouldn't want to leave Mr Johnson in holding locker than necessary" Aanya tells the judge, her voice low and raspy but somehow still sounding like pure silk, another reason for me to dislike her.
"Well then let's get started shall we?" Judge Ramos asks "Mr Johnson do you understand the charges brought against you?"
"Yes your honour" Jerome tells the judge before turning to look at Aanya anxiously.
"And how do you plead?" Judge Ramos asks.
"He pleads not guilty your honour" Aanya responds for him "and quite frankly I think this whole thing is a complete farce, Jerome is barely 19 and the girl is 17. The Romeo and Juliet law exists for a reason your honour"
