Chapter Thirty
“Let me get this right.” Judge Peaks stared down at the paperwork Unique’s attorney had presented to the court. “This woman has been locked up for months under the pretence that she was a drug dealer operating at said property in which was raided by the Columbus City Police Department?”
Jawan nodded to confirm the judge’s statement. “Yes, Your Honor.”
“All the while the police department has been in possession of months’ worth of investigation materials such as ...” The judge paused to flip through the contents of the folder before her. “Pictures, records of drug transactions, the persons conducting the transactions, aliases, street names, recordings of telephone conversations, cell phone records, and so on?”
Once again, Jawan nodded. “That is correct, Your Honor.”
The judge shook her head. “And even right here in the courtroom, only the defense is acknowledging the existence of this evidence.” She gave the prosecution a stern glare. “You are even too ashamed to confirm it, aren’t you?”
The prosecuting attorney, who’d had his head down the entire time, finally spoke up. “Well, Your Honor, I apologize for thinking you were presenting a rhetorical question. I didn’t realize the need to make verbal confirmation.”
Judge Peaks removed her reading glasses she’d slipped on in order to read the file. “Don’t you dare get fresh with me, young man. You didn’t confirm it because you, just like I am right now, are ashamed to know that you were sitting on information that could have had this woman out of jail a long time ago. You were sitting on information that could have possibly allowed her to attend the funeral of her children.”
“Speaking of which, Your Honor,” the female prosecutor who was assisting the gentleman being chastised by the judge interrupted, raising her hand. She stood. “The State wishes to drop the charges against Ms. Gray in reference to the death of her children as well.”
There was a sigh of relief coming from every corner of the room. Unique gasped, holding in the shout she really wanted to release.
“You wish to drop the charges?” the judge repeated. “This is kind of like the employee who knows he’s about to get a pink slip. He quits before he can be fired.”
Both prosecutors looked at each other, and then looked down again.
“Well, Frick and Frack,” Judge Peaks continued over the light chuckles in the courtroom, “let me just entertain your request by asking why you want to drop the charges. Would it happen to have anything to do with that video clip on YouTube titled ...” Once again the judge looked through her files, “Baby Daddy Betta Have My Money”?
Again, there were light chuckles throughout the courtroom.
“Order in my courtroom,” the judge declared, banging her gavel twice. She then glared at the prosecution. “Well, don’t just stand there, answer me. Or wait a minute—let me guess. You thought that too was a rhetorical question.”
The male prosecutor swallowed. “No, ma’am. No, Your Honor. I believe that video clip that some youth recorded of the defendant arguing with her baby’s father about child support pretty much confirms the defendant’s story about exactly why she was at the house at the time of the raid.”
“And is it safe to say that at that time, and only that time, do you have proof of Ms. Gray ever being at that residence?”
“Yes, Your Honor,” the prosecutor answered. “It’s, uh, very safe to say that.”
“And, Judge, if I might,” Jawan interrupted, pulling a piece of paper from her file. “We have a sworn affidavit from the defendant’s deceased son’s father regarding how it came about that Ms. Gray was even in possession of the drugs in the first place.”
“I have seen that statement, Mrs. Martinez,” the judge told her. “And I have been informed that the defendant signed such statement under his own free will. No plea bargains or deals are pending based upon his confession of the drugs being that of his own.”
“That is correct, Your Honor,” Jawan confirmed.
The judge looked back at the prosecution. “Looks like you no longer have a case against this woman on any of the charges.”
“Uh, yes, it does look that way,” the male prosecutor replied.
Leaning in and staring down at both prosecutors, the judge spoke firmly. “Look, I don’t know if it’s due to your lack of experience, laziness to fully research your case and all that is involved, sloppy work, or just being a good old-fashioned shyster, but as an officer of the court and a believer in our system and the Columbus Police Department, I’m going to pray it’s not the latter. But anyway, an injustice has been done against the defendant.” The judge looked at Unique who wanted to explode with happiness. She had to settle for the tears of joy that were flowing down her face.
“And, Ms. Gray, on behalf of the court, the police department, and the state of Ohio, I apologize. Each and every case and each and every charge is hereto dismissed.”
Unique couldn’t hold it in any longer. When the gavel hit the judge’s desk, a yelp came out of her mouth as she nearly collapsed into Jawan’s arms. “Thank you. Thank you so much. I don’t know what I would have done without you and without God Almighty Himself. Thank you for taking my case, Mrs. Martinez. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
“It’s all right, honey. You’re going home. You’re going home.”
Unique pulled herself away from Jawan and gathered her composure.
“Congratulations,” Unique heard from several different voices.
Turning, Unique saw Korica, Lorain, her pastor, and a couple other members of New Day. Her sister Renee, who she hadn’t spoken to since their falling out on the phone, was even there in the courtroom to support her. A couple of her other siblings were there as well.
“Thank you. Thank you all for coming,” Unique said, overjoyed, tears still flowing from her eyes. “Mommy, did you get that meal I wanted?” she asked Korica.
“It’s at my house waiting for you in the fridge,” Korica replied, wiping her own tears of joy.
Lorain hoped to God no one noticed the jealous twitch her lips were giving off.
“Come on, Unique.” Jawan pulled Unique away from the crowd. “Unlike in movies, when charges get dismissed, you don’t always just get to walk out of the courtroom, not when you’ve been in jail anyway. You have to get processed out.”
“How long is all that going to take?” Korica asked with an attitude. “We’ve got a celebration dinner to attend.”
“I’m not sure. I’ll get your contact information from Unique and let you know. But I do know that none of you should wait around.”
“Well, I’ve waited on my baby to come home this long, what’s a couple more hours?” Korica said. “Come on, y’all,” she said to her other adult children and exited the courtroom, but not without having a brief stare down with Lorain and brushing by her, slightly nudging Lorain’s shoulder.
“I’ll see everybody when I get out,” Unique said as Jawan pulled her along.
“See you, Unique,” Lorain waved. The expression on her face looked torn. It looked as though she was glad that Unique was being released, but at the same time, disappointed, scared, perhaps even fearful. All she could think about was Unique getting out, missing her boys, and wanting the girls as replacements to fill the nest.
Once Unique had been led out of the courtroom by both Jawan and a guard, she let out one big and worthy, “Hallelujah to the blood of the lamb!”
Jawan couldn’t help but smile. “What did I tell you, girlfriend?”
“You told me not to give up,” Unique answered. “And I’m so glad I didn’t. But what I’m even more glad of is that God didn’t give up on me, and neither did His chosen vessel, you.”
“It was an honor. And once things get back to normal, I’d like to discuss you perhaps filing a—”
“Unique Emerald Gray,” a police officer said as he walked up on Unique. “Are you Unique Emerald Gray?”
“This is my client, Unique Emerald Gray,” Jawan spoke for Unique. “What seems to be the problem?”
Ignoring Jawan’s question, the police officer simply looked at Unique and said, “Unique Emerald Gray, you are under arrest for violation of the Ohio State Penal Code in which prohibits the possession of contraband in an Ohio prison. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will ...”
After that, Unique clocked out of what the officer was saying to her. She became as limp as a wet noodle as she cried out at the top of her lungs, “Whhhhhhyyyyy? Why, God, why?”
It was that same question she’d been asking God for the past few months. Still, there was no answer.