New Matter （n.） – Liam
NEW MATTER (N.):
ANY NEW FACTS OR LEGAL ISSUES INTRODUCED INTO A LEGAL PROCEEDING OR DOCUMENT THAT GO BEYOND A SIMPLE DENIAL OF PRIOR ALLEGATIONS.
LIAM
Later that night
Olivia paced in front of my windows in silk pink pajamas, tapping her bottom lip as she read over my notes.
We’d spent most of the day reconstructing the whiteboard from my office.
Well, most of it.
I’d left some things off it for personal reasons.
As far as I was concerned, everything that was staring back at us would secure a second guilty verdict for Grant, and I couldn’t wait to “privately” mail everything to the state’s lawyers.
“So, Olivia?” I couldn’t take the anticipation anymore. “What do you think about my defense?”
She stopped walking and sighed.
“I think you’re looking at a hung jury at best.”
“A what?” I sat up. “How do you figure that?”
“Because all this evidence is good, but...I don’t think it’s enough.”
It’s more than enough.
“I mean, I understand your obsession with people who don’t obey traffic laws—trust me—but it really seems like this Grant Jenkins guy swerved too hard into a family’s van by accident.”
I clenched my jaw.
“I know you don’t want to hear this for whatever reason,” she said, “but…He was only slightly tipsy that night. He wasn’t driving drunk.”
“So, he gets to cause generational trauma twice?”
“You mean five times for five deaths, right?”
“Sure.”
“Well, no. That’s not what I’m saying.” She walked over to me, lowering herself into my lap. “But, with a new judge and new jury, you can’t control how the verdict will go this time.”
But I could still try.
“Why does this case bother you so much?” She looked into my eyes. “Honestly.”
“Because it’s a good example of how there are two justice systems and they’re both unfair.” My eyes clouded over. “One lenient for the rich, and one punishing for the poor.”
“He can’t help that he was born to rich parents, Liam…” She paused. “If you had a son, wouldn’t you try to help him get out of trouble?”
“It depends on what he did or who he hurt.” My voice was now hoarse. “I would never shield him from consequences, though. Never.”
“What about your dad, then?” She smiled. “Would he protect you if you caused a car accident?”
“Let’s talk about something else.” I changed the subject. “Anything else.”
She sighed and moved out of my lap, but I grabbed her hand and pulled her back down.
“I’m sorry,” I said to her. “I despise Grant Jenkins and his entire family, and it’ll never change—whether he’s in prison or not…But he deserves to be there.”
“Did you know that some of the original jurors were on the fence?”
“Yes.” I could still remember it like yesterday. “It was originally eight to four…Until someone paid them all seventy-five thousand dollars apparently.”
“I thought only two were paid off…”
“His father tried to pay them all off at the beginning.” I paused. “I guess they retaliated somehow.”
“I never saw that fact in my research.”
“Why would you?” I looked at her. “Why would it ever come up at all?”
Silence.
She held my gaze. “Did you know him personally?”
I didn’t answer.
“Liam.” She looked into my eyes. “Did you know him when you presided over the case?”
Nothing.
“I would hope you didn’t,” she said. “Otherwise—”
“Otherwise, what?”
“I’d have to start questioning if the rumors about you being a ‘dirty judge’ had any merit.”
“You should go into comedy someday.” I kissed her hair. “It would fit you.”
“But for the record…” I gently lifted her from my lap. “No, I had no idea who he was back then. I just thought he deserved to be punished.”
“Okay.” She smiled and I felt a small pang of guilt. “Ready for me to go home yet?”
“I would prefer it if you stayed for the rest of the week,” I admitted. “But that’s entirely up to you.”
“I’ll stay.”
“I’d also like it if you came over more during the work week.”
“Why?”
“It’ll make it easier for me to take you on dates,” I said. “It’s still up to you.”
“Hmmm.” She blushed, and the look in her eyes told me all I needed to know. “I’ll have to think about it...”