The Attorney ✓( A White House occupants prequel)

Chapter Twenty One

  It took about three hours for Sarah and her brother to send messages to multiple media outlets across the country- who all have branches in New York, and now we're inside of a family owned restaurant right next to town hall.

  Outside, some media intern from one of said outlets is busy setting up a podium and mic. The owner- Sam's cousin, was generous enough to let us use the front of his restaurant. With the address being displayed on national tv, it'll bring in business after all.

  Inside- we've been going over talking point for thirty minutes. We all agree on the general idea: let them know what kind of person Zachariah  is, and that he'd never do what Jake Maxwell claimed he did, not anymore at least. Where disagreements have sprung out is in whether or not to show the footage from target and explain the differences in appearance.

  "If we do that couldn't it give  Jake's defense a chance to...you know...build a defense before the trial?" Elizabeth says.

  "Well yes, but I think we already have the upper hand here. There isn't a jury in the world that won't know about this case, and no matter how much the judge tells them to block out any memories of watching the protests, it'll stick in the back of their minds." I reply. "Elizabeth....I know I've already said this but...when we leave court after the verdict Jake Maxwell will receive the maximum charges."

  "Oh you've got to be fucking kidding me-"Ruth rolls her eyes. "Damnit Joe I have faith in you but you cannot promise anything! Time and time again lawyers have done that only to have to walk it back months later because the jury was more racist than they'd admit to!"

  I gulp. In more ways that one she is right. I should not be making these promises, but I just have a feeling. And I know how dangerous that is- relying on feeling alone never ends well. Take the Lynn trial for example- She killed her husband because she was certain he was the antichrist(schizophrenia) and she ended up getting fifty years. Her lawyer has said he regrets promising her she'd get off on an insanity claim, that now she has to sit in there for fifty years stewing, probably thinking of ways to kill him.

  "Okay....okay." I gulp. "I'll....stop promising. My recommendation is that we do show the public that footage, but it's up to you at the end of the day. So....what do you choose?"

  His mother and wife exchange glances, a form of silent communication before the wife simply turns to me and nods. "Okay- but I want you to do that part. I wouldn't know how to explain it in a....lawyer way."

  I nod back. This is exactly what I signed up for. We do still have a few minutes, so Ruth flips the tv on, and what I see (a picture of my face) surprises me. I guess it wouldn't have been too hard for the media to find out my name. I'm already officially down as the family's lawyer, I just didn't think they'd start poking their noses around legal documents this soon.

  Curious as to what the reporter is saying about me, I turn the volume up.

  ".....Joe Norris is a very young lawyer, at just twenty seven. In law school, he was briefly able to question a witness in the Cunningham case, but other than that- he has no previous experience in criminal law. For the past two years, he's been working with smaller corporations on their inevitable tax issues- so I realize it is none of my business, that as a reporter I am just here to report the facts, but I'm going to give my opinion as a black woman anyways: Joe Norris does not have the experience necessary to be working on a case this big. The family would have a far better chance at putting Jake Maxwell in prison if they just got a public defender. Because at the end of the day- you can say "oh, I learned about all types of cases in law school", but in the real world that means nothing."