CHAPTER 4 — The Courtroom
CHAPTER 4 — The Courtroom
Eight months later...
The courtroom was packed.
Richard had been charged with felony assault, attempted extortion, and witness intimidation.
Diane faced fraud charges.
Brandon pleaded guilty to theft and financial exploitation.
The prosecutor pressed a button.
My recording filled the courtroom.
"Your brother needs that money more than you need your life."
No one looked at Richard anymore.
They looked at the jury.
One juror wiped away tears.
Another simply shook his head.
The defense tried to argue that Richard had been "under stress."
The prosecutor replied,
"Stress doesn't make a father choose one child's gambling debt over another child's cancer treatment."
The verdict took less than two hours.
Guilty.
On every count.
Richard lowered his head.
May you like
For the first time in my life...
He had nothing left to say.
