Fatal Convictions

30

Alex had missed nearly a dozen calls while he had his BlackBerry on silent in the courtroom: two from Khalid’s home number, three from Shannon, one from his office. A few local numbers he didn’t recognize-probably the press.

He ignored them all as he walked to his car in the scorching heat. He put on his shades and took off his suit coat, focused on what Taj Deegan had just told him.

He kicked around various scenarios on his way back to the office. As a lawyer, he was trained to reserve judgment until he had heard both sides. But as a human being, he had to admit that the case against his client seemed pretty damning.

Alex retraced his interactions with Khalid over the last few days and reconsidered those events in light of what he had just learned. Khalid had seemed equivocal on the issue of whether funding for his mosque could be tied to Hezbollah. Khalid had refused to divulge even to his own lawyer the substance of his conversations with Fatih Mahdi. Khalid had lost two sons fighting against Israel. He had condemned Israel’s aggressive response to the 2006 Hezbollah provocation.

Perhaps Khalid was part of an Islamic Trojan horse strategy. Perhaps he had positioned himself as a voice of reason among Muslim clerics so he could gain a visa to America and fight from within the bowels of the American beast.

What did Alex really know about Khalid Mobassar? And did it even matter? Whatever the true facts, Khalid would soon come to symbolize the oppression of women carried out in the name of Allah. Khalid’s case would sear the issue of honor killing into the national consciousness in the same way that Bernie Madoff personified investment greed or Charles Manson personified cult killings.

In the life of a trial lawyer, there were certain cases that defined your career. Johnnie Cochran was O.J.’s lawyer. Ken Starr prosecuted Bill Clinton. David Boies was Al Gore’s mouthpiece in the recount litigation.

Khalid Mobassar’s case was that kind of case. If Alex didn’t withdraw now, he would always be known as the guy who defended honor killings. Even if, God forbid, he won and Khalid really was guilty, Alex would symbolize what Americans hated most about lawyers. Lawyers find loopholes to spring criminals. They trample the rights of innocent victims.

And in this case, innocent Christian victims.

Alex wanted no part of it. He picked up the phone to call Shannon. The firm shouldn’t even make an appearance at the bond hearing. Taj Deegan was right. There were plenty of lawyers champing at the bit to represent even the most despicable defendants if the price was right.

Alexander Madison was not one of them.***

In their five years of practicing law together, Alex could not remember the last time he had been this frustrated with Shannon. They would constantly pick at one another and give each other a hard time, but they didn’t have real arguments. At least… not until today.

He had been on the phone with her for nearly thirty minutes. She was talking in hushed tones from one of the rooms in Ghaniyah’s home. Several ladies from the mosque had come by to help Ghaniyah clean up, and Shannon was doing her part.

Alex had already explained the evidence aligned against Khalid, but his partner wasn’t listening.

“Since when did we start putting our clients on trial before we take their cases?” Shannon asked. “I can’t imagine that Khalid would have ordered something like this.”

“And I can’t believe we’re having this conversation,” Alex said. “I had to twist your arm to represent the Mobassars in the first place. You didn’t even want to take Ghaniyah’s case, and now you want to represent her husband for an honor killing?”

“I’m not one to cut and run just because the commonwealth’s attorney is trying to bring a little heat.” Shannon’s voice was insistent, though she kept the volume low.

“This isn’t about cutting and running.” Alex felt his blood pressure rising. “We can’t put our whole practice at risk for the sake of one client.”

“This is exactly what our practice is supposed to be about,” Shannon responded. “It’s number nine on the list.”

She was referring, Alex knew, to his grandfather’s list. The things that made Madison and Associates unique. The ninth item read A lawyer’s highest duty is to defend an innocent client.

“That’s exactly my point,” Alex said. “He’s not innocent, Shannon. How can he be innocent?”

“You don’t even know him, Alex. I’ve researched this guy. Spent the afternoon at his house with his wife.” Shannon was talking faster now, her voice still hushed. Alex had heard this tone before and knew she wasn’t going to change her mind.

“I’m going to be at the arraignment tomorrow standing right next to Mr. Mobassar,” Shannon continued. “I would really like to have you there with me. But whether or not you show up, somebody’s got to argue for this man’s bail.” She let the words hang for a moment before she put the knife in. “Some of us still believe in the presumption of innocence.”

“So now you’re the big crusader,” Alex said sarcastically. “If it wasn’t sad, I might enjoy the irony.”

Shannon sighed and apparently decided she had better things to do than go on like this all afternoon. “Right now, the big crusader is just one woman helping another woman clean up her place. If you’ve got some time, we could use your help.”

Alex blew out a deep breath and tried to match her level of composure. “All right. Stay with him through the bond hearing, and then he can get new counsel.”

“You aren’t listening to a word I’m saying,” Shannon insisted. Alex had never heard her quite so dogmatic about taking a case. “Ghaniyah needs our help. And I, for one, believe in her husband. Plus, her civil case could be worth a million dollars or more based on her positive recognition of the truck I photographed earlier. I plan to be at Khalid’s arraignment tomorrow morning. You can do whatever you want.”

He hated it when his partner became so unreasonable. But there was no use discussing it further right now. “Unfortunately, I’ll be busy,” Alex said. “Somebody’s got to stay in the office and talk the other clients out of leaving.”