Fool Me Twice

36

Jesse arrived early for the hearing. He was sitting in Judge Emanuel Weissberg’s outer office, chatting with Marty Reagan, when the Cassidy family stormed in.

Upon seeing Reagan, Richard Cassidy approached him.

“Where’s Aaron,” he said.

“Not here.”

“Why not?”

“He recused himself.”

Cassidy gazed at his wife, Portia, who stared daggers at him.

Courtney stood between them.

“He can’t do that,” Portia said.

Reagan shrugged.

“Why aren’t we in Judge Green’s chambers,” Richard said.

“She recused herself as well.”

“What in the hell’s going on here,” Portia said.

“Nothing out of the ordinary,” Reagan said. “I’ll be representing the DA’s office.”

Portia stepped over to her husband and spoke just loudly enough for everyone to hear.

“We’re being fucked,” she said.

“No, we’re not. Something probably came up.”

“You’re such a fool, Richard. Nothing came up. He bailed on us is what happened. And after all we’ve done for him. It makes me sick.”

Richard shook his head. She glared at him. The room became icily silent.

Portia sat down, picked up a magazine, and thumbed sightlessly through it. Courtney opened her bag, removed her cell phone, and started texting. Richard paced.

The door opened, and Judge Weissberg appeared. He was thin and scholarly-looking, wearing black-framed eyeglasses and bearing a ramrod-straight posture. With a wave, he led them into his chambers, where they all found seats. The room was small and cramped with so many bodies crowded in.

“I am Emanuel Weissberg,” he said. “I’ll be conducting this hearing. That is, unless there are any objections.”

“It was my impression that Judge Green would be conducting the hearing,” Portia said.

“You were mistaken,” Judge Weissberg said.

She shifted uneasily under his steely gaze. She was suddenly alert to the possibility that she might have offended him. She looked away.

“If there’s nothing else,” Weissberg said, “let’s begin. Mr. Reagan?”

“Good morning, Your Honor,” Marty Reagan said.

He introduced the participants and reviewed the charges against Courtney. He informed the judge that the Commonwealth would be seeking a one-year suspension of her driving privileges, as per the law. He proposed that she be placed under probation for a similar period of time. He also asked that she be given an equal period of community service.

“Does the defendant have anything to say for herself,” the judge said.

Courtney shrugged.

“May I speak on her behalf, Your Honor,” Richard said.

“You may,” Judge Weissberg said. “So long as you’re brief.”

“I’ll do my best, Your Honor,” Richard said, standing. “As you can see, my daughter is a teenager whose actions were most certainly misguided. She is extremely apologetic and remorseful. She’s seventeen years old, Your Honor. The penalties that the Commonwealth is seeking seem unnecessarily harsh. We ask that she be remanded to the custody of both her mother and me without being further restricted.”

He sat down.

“Is it true she was a repeat offender? Weren’t there three incidents? One of them involving a serious accident?”

Richard stood again.

“We acknowledge that the accident was indeed her fault. We made restitution to the driver, who has declined to press charges. It’s possible that on the other two occasions, she may have been the victim of entrapment.”

“Entrapment?”

“She was being unreasonably dogged by a law officer who appears to bear her malice.”

“That’s a heady charge, Mr. Cassidy,” Judge Weissberg said.

Then, acknowledging Jesse’s presence, he said, “Is this the law officer?”

“It is,” Richard said.

“Chief Stone, is it?”

“Yes, Your Honor,” Jesse said.

“What’s this all about?”

Jesse stood.

“I witnessed the accident,” he said. “Ms. Cassidy was texting on her cell phone when she ran a stop sign and broadsided another vehicle. Afterward, she exhibited disdain for what she referred to as a ‘stupid law’ and expressed her opinions to me in an argumentative and disrespectful manner.”

“May I raise an objection,” Portia said.

“No,” the judge said. “Go on, Chief Stone.”

“When I saw that Ms. Cassidy was unrepentant, I decided to keep an eye on her. I suspected she might be a chronic offender.”

“And?”

“On successive days I witnessed her talking on her cell phone while driving. The first time I saw her, I pulled her over and cited her. Once again, she was sullen and argumentative. The next day I caught her doing it again.”

Jesse sat down.

“He was badgering her,” Portia said.

The judge turned his attention to her.

“Did your daughter actually break the law in the manner Chief Stone has described?”

“You mean was she talking on her cell phone?”

“And texting.”

“I have no idea. I sincerely doubt it.”

“You’re suggesting that Chief Stone is lying,” the judge said.

“It’s not out of the question. I believe he was out to get her.”

Marty Reagan asked for permission to speak.

“In each instance,” he said, “Chief Stone impounded the cell phone which Ms. Cassidy had been using. Research proves that each of the phones was engaged at the time of the alleged offense.”

“Thank you, Mr. Reagan,” the judge said.

He then turned to Portia.

“I’m going to refrain from citing you for contempt, Mrs. Cassidy,” he said. “However, one more outburst and I’ll have you removed from my chambers and taken into custody. Are we clear about that?”

Portia lowered her eyes.

“Answer me.”

“Yes,” she said.

“‘Yes, Your Honor,’” the judge said. “You’ll damn well show respect for this court.”

“Yes, Your Honor.”

“And I’ll hear your apology to Chief Stone.”

“Excuse me.”

“Apologize to Chief Stone for your insolence.”

Portia looked at Jesse.

“I apologize,” she said.

“Speak up,” the judge said.

“I apologize, Your Honor,” she said.

“To Chief Stone,” the judge said.

Portia looked at Jesse.

“I apologize, Chief Stone,” she said.

Jesse didn’t say anything.

The judge sat silently for several moments. Then he addressed Courtney.

“Miss Cassidy,” he said. “This court cannot emphasize strongly enough the dangers of distracted driving. Your actions suggest you don’t have much regard for that concept. Well, young lady, you’re dead wrong. I am herewith revoking your driving privileges for a period of not less than six months. At the end of that term, we’ll review the situation in order to determine whether or not I will extend the revocation for an additional six months. I am also sentencing you to six months of community service. The district attorney’s office has asked that your service be performed at the Paradise police station, under the supervision of Chief Stone. You will report to him not later than nine a.m. once a week for a period of six months. I will further consider the request for probation and inform the assistant district attorney of my decision.”

Judge Weissberg looked directly at each of the Cassidys.

Then he picked up his gavel and slammed it as hard as he could onto a wooden block, which resounded like a gunshot and startled everyone in the room.

“Dismissed,” he said.