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47
Bert greeted us minutes later, and we all made our way inside the courthouse. Bert excused himself to the defendants’ table, and Sebastian, Johnny, and I took seats in the spectators’ gallery.
There were a disgusting number of reporters in the courtroom – though thank God there weren’t any cameras or microphones. A handful of the trashier publications pestered me with questions, to which I said ‘No comment.’ A couple were extremely aggressive and kept at it until Bert had the bailiff threaten them with being hauled out of the courtroom. They left me alone after that.
A few minutes after 8:00, Connor walked in, still wearing his orange jumpsuit, escorted by two guards. He scanned the gallery until he found me, and gave me a wink and a grin.
I knew how hard it was for him to keep up that front, and it broke my heart.
He also tossed a couple of head-nods to Johnny and Sebastian, looked at me again and mouthed I love you, then sat down next to Bert.
The court session was short and brutal.
The bailiff said, “Please rise. The court is now in session, the Honorable Judge Selwyn presiding.”
Judge Selwyn came in – a sixty-something man with black robes and thinning grey hair – and told everyone to sit. The DA recited the charges: first-degree murder. The judge asked for the plea, to which Bert said, “Not guilty, your Honor.” Then they went through the bail proceedings.
The assistant DA handling the case read a laundry list of reasons to deny bail.
The judge agreed. “Based on the first degree murder charges against the plaintiff, plus the resources available to him to pose a flight risk, bail is denied.”
It was like I’d been punched in the gut. But it was expected, given what Bert had said last night.
The next part wasn’t.
“And because of the particularly heinous nature of the crime he is accused of,” the judge continued, “it is the court’s decision that he shall be moved immediately from the Manhattan Detention Complex to the Rikers Island Correctional Facility.”
The courtroom exploded.
Bert stood up shouting, “Objection, Your Honor!”
“That doesn’t sound good,” I said to Sebastian.
Sebastian sat there in shock. “Rikers is where he might have been sent if they convicted him of the crime. It makes no sense to send him there now.”
I felt like I might throw up. “Is it bad?”
“It’s one of the most violent prisons in America,” Johnny said grimly.
“No!” I said, and jumped to my feet. “NO!”
Johnny stood up and held me back, then clasped me to him as I sobbed against his chest.
As the bailiff hustled him out of the courtroom, Connor scanned the courtroom until he found me.
He looked angry, but he didn’t look defeated. Far from it.
As soon as our eyes locked, he winked.
It’s all going to be okay.
He was being strong; I had to be strong.
I had to get him out.
We had to prove he was innocent.
