It was a Monday morning in Branch 42, a satellite felony courtroom at Belmont and Western, part of the Circuit Court of Cook County. It was crowded, but it always was, particularly on a Monday. It stank, too. The heater was going full bore. The place smelled of stale sweat and… funk, and this in the dead of winter, too.
Judge Margarette Coleman-Brown slid her reading glasses to the end of her nose. She wanted to take a deep breath, but she didn’t dare. Not when it reeked like it did. Instead, she sat back in her chair. How she hated the beginning of the week.
She had recognized that her sour moods were no longer contained to just Monday mornings. Her disposition began to darken as the afternoon waned on Sunday. It wasn’t fair to her family; they were suffering from her crabbiness. She had begun to doubt whether a felony trial room was worth the price, but doing bond hearings and prelims was a necessary step to get there. Yeah, life would be good then. There weren’t many black female trial jurists. She didn’t see how they could pass her again. The next seat had to be hers. It had better come soon, though.
She sighed and wondered if a fan might not help with the odor. But stirred-up funk was still just that. It occurred to her that the bench sat up high in the room. Was funk hot air? Or did the hot air rise and bring the odor with it? She could get lower in the room, but then she’d be closer to the source. This wasn’t getting her call handled. She gave a nod to her clerk. “Let’s get the in-custodies out of the way next.”
The clerk flipped the last in-custody file open. “Mister Sheriff, bring out Alonzo Huggins.” The holding cell door clanged open and two deputies escorted a black man out. He was wearing a Department of Correction tan jumpsuit with the sleeves ripped off to expose arms that were thick with prison muscle. His hair was pulled tight in cornrows. She hated that style. It looked stupid and was associated too strongly with the whole “thug life” motif. If that wasn’t enough, the man wore on his face an expression of utter contempt. She couldn’t tell if it was meant for her personally or just for the whole legal system in general.
“Are you Alonzo Huggins?” she asked, as the man was brought in front of her. Jailhouse tattoos ran up and down his arms. He made her uncomfortable. And that was hard to do. “You will either say yes or no.”
“Yeah.” Huggins flexed his hands. The sheriff’s deputies must’ve felt the same way about him. There were two, where one usually sufficed.
“Do you live at 1150 North Sedgwick, apartment 1301?” This day couldn’t be over quick enough for her. She had to admit, though, she was glad this asshole wasn’t going anywhere. He looked like a real piece of work.
“Yeah.”
“Do you have an attorney, Mr. Huggins?”
“Yeah.”
“Who’s your attorney?” She had to admit to being a little surprised. What self-respecting member of the bar would want this guy as a client? Then again, were there any self-respecting attorneys to begin with?
“Mr. Sherman Gold.”
She raised an eyebrow. Ah, that’s who. Gold was in it for the money. No. Not just the money. He liked the glory, too. The action too, or, as she was sure he would say, the challenge. Huggins must have quite a bit to have Gold for his counsel. “Is Mr. Gold going to be here today?”
“He outta town.”
“Public Defender appointed for the purpose of the preliminary hearing,” she said to the court reporter. But she had briefly entertained the thought of giving Huggins a date. She’d just as soon not see him any more today. It was bad enough, as it was.
“That’s bullsh… I want my lawyer!” Huggins raised his voice. He turned to the Public Defender’s bench. Steven Reifman, the courtroom’s PD, sat at the table. He was a skinny, nearly-bald white man in a brown, wrinkled suit two sizes too big for him. He looked like what she expected Bob Cratchet to look like. Overworked and underpaid. But, he was still a good, competent attorney.
“Mr. Huggins, you’re not getting a continuance. Public Defender appointed. Take him in the back, Mr. Sheriff.”
She sighed, feeling worn out. Maybe Traffic Court would be a better alternative.
* * *
Steven Reifman took his stack of court files from the clerk and sat down at the Public Defender’s table. There were a lot of cases, as usual. He was handling the call without a partner, as usual. At least his day wasn’t as bad as it seemed the judge was having. Then again, most of her Mondays were crappy.
He quickly looked through the folders. Since he’d worked in the office for twelve years, he’d come to know what to look for. This group of defendants was typical, except for Alonzo Huggins. Maybe it was going to be an interesting call, after all. He put the Huggins file on the top and stood.
He walked behind the bench to the detention area. The sheriff just nodded at him as he passed. As he got close to the holding cell, Huggins stood. He’d been sitting on the metal bench: big, mean-looking, muscular, with a face that would freeze the heart of the bravest rabbi, particularly his eyes. Alonzo Huggins had absolutely frightening eyes. Like death whacked-out on crack.
“Mr. Huggins?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m the PD appointed to represent you today. My name is Steven Reifman. I’m going to be your attorney.” He opened the file but couldn’t bring himself to look into those eyes staring at him through the lock-up bars. He waited for some kind of indication that Huggins had heard him. There was none. So he had to look up. Shit. “I said I’m representing you.”
“What charges?”
“Two counts Unlawful Use of a Weapon.”
“What ‘bout my car?”
“Well, let’s see.” Reifman scanned the case report. “It seems, Mr. Huggins, that your car was towed and impounded. It’s the law now that if you get caught with a gun, they can confiscate your vehicle.”
Reifman compared the case and arrest reports for discrepancies. None. Huggins had been caught the day after release from prison with not one, but two, handguns. Reifman became aware of Huggins standing within feet of him, staring. He felt the skin on his forehead start to burn. He knew Huggins could reach through the bars and snap his neck.
“Who tricked on me?”
“Excuse me?” Reifman took a step back.
“Who gave me up?”
“I can’t tell from these reports.” Reifman looked up, but stared at the bridge of Huggins’ nose to avoid eye contact.
“Give me some paper and something to write with. I got to get a message to my boys.”
“Mr. Huggins, really.” Reifman grew brave. He lifted the files in front of his chest, as if they would protect him from the cold chill that gripped his heart. “I can’t give you anything to write with while you’re in the bullpen and, even if I did, I would have to read it first. If it contained any criminal content, I’d have to disclose that to the State’s Attorney. I’ll not be a party to a criminal conspiracy.”
The clank of the lock-up door echoed throughout the holding area. Reifman took another step back and looked over his shoulder. The man entering the detention area was white, in his middle to late forties, and almost glowed with a golden hue. No salon tan. He had long salt-and-pepper hair pulled back in a ponytail and was dressed in a tailored Italian suit. Reifman stole a glance at Huggins. The monster was smiling; one gold tooth showed.
“Good morning, Lonnie,” the man said, approaching. “I’m Sherman Gold, Mr. Huggins’ private counsel. Nice to meet you.” He held out his well-tanned hand, decked out in gold and diamond rings.
Reifman was surprised. But recovered well enough to hand Gold the Huggins’ court file, instead of his hand. Better to be done with this one, anyway. A little too interesting, thank you very much.
* * *
Sherman Gold opened the file and read. Finished, he turned to make sure no one was within earshot.
“Not good, Lonnie,” he whispered. “Out Friday, pinched Saturday.”
“I got to get my car back.”
“We’re going to have to beat the case first. Might. Might get it back.” Even Gold felt uncomfortable giving Lonnie Huggins bad news. “There’s a different standard at the impound hearing. It’s only a preponderance of the evidence, not beyond a doubt anymore. On the face of it, I’d say that you’re screwed.”
“Man, fuck all that. I got to get my motherfuckin’ car!”
Gold fancied he could feel the heat from Huggins. He’d caught a last-minute flight from his Palm Springs home, cutting short his winter getaway, just to represent this client. He was well aware of the compensation he had received from representing the Mickey Cobras, but the money carried risk. Taking it was dancing with the devil; the fire was always there, so you could get burned by the slightest misstep.
“What happens if we lose the case?” Huggins asked.
“Well, you’ll go to prison on the violation, and they’ll try you for the gun case.” He looked up at his client, definitely the worst of the worst.
“No, what be happenin’ to my car?”
“Sold at an auction, more than likely.” Gold watched as Huggins grabbed the bars. The muscles in his arms bunched and swelled, but the bars held.
“You got to tell my boys something for me,” Huggins said. “We got to be getting’ that car back. Shit still be in the motherfucker. Tell ‘em I be calling Boo’s.”
Gold nodded and turned to walk back out to the courtroom. “I’ll tell them,” he said. “I just don’t see them being able to do anything about it. Not right now.”
“Hold the fuck up,” said Huggins. “Who gave me up?”
“Says here,” Gold said as he read from the case report, “that a concerned but unknown citizen flagged down the officers, after seeing you get into your car with the gun sticking out of your pants.”
Huggins smirked, shaking his head. “Now, ain’t that some motherfuckin’ bullshit.”
* * *
The hearing took place ten minutes later. There was a finding of Probable Cause and a filing of the Violation of Parole. Gold wasn’t surprised in the least. He’d better plan for a jury. His client would be doomed at a bench trial.
He put on his cashmere coat, draped a scarf over his shoulders, packed up his briefcase, and picked up his wool cap off the bench. As he walked out through the courtroom, he nodded at the woman with the swollen face and yellow hair. He remembered her from Huggins’ last court case; she must be his girlfriend. The title apparently carried some penalties. Gold had a hard time looking at her left eye, which was swollen shut.
There were two young teenagers with her. They must be the young men Huggins spoke of. Gold couldn’t help but wonder what kind of criminal backgrounds they must possess. Job security, no doubt.
The entourage followed him from the courtroom to a secluded corner. The young men stepped in front of the woman. They didn’t identify themselves, nor were they asked to. The young man on the left crossed his arms and stared at him. The one on the right chewed at his thumbnail and looked at Gold with the eyes of a tired, old man.
“Boo?” asked Gold. The man on the right nodded, still chewing on his nail.
“Mr. Huggins asked me to deliver a message to you.” Gold thought for a second. How could he say this without saying it? He was a lawyer; it should be easy. Yet, it had to be within their ability to understand. It’d have to be practically spelled out and that, of course, was a good way to get into trouble. “He wanted me to tell you that he’s concerned about some… property he left in his car. He’s hoping that you’ll be able to get it back for him. He’ll call you at Boo’s apartment.”
Boo stopped gnawing his fingernail long enough to shoot a glance at the other man. He nodded back. Boo dropped his hand. As he spoke, he looked away, talking into the corner of the lobby. “So, Lonnie only be charged with them guns, not no drugs, right?”
Gold nodded his head. You just couldn’t be subtle these days. The sun of Palm Springs seemed like an eternity ago. He looked out the window and watched the snow fall. Traffic was going to be terrible on his way back to his office, and his calendar was empty for the next two weeks. Wonderful.
* * *
Latricia Gibbons’ swollen mouth twisted into a grin after Boo and Dease had walked by. A trickle of blood ran into her mouth from her split lip. The attorney began to bundle up. He told her that he was doing everything he could for Lonnie. Things was looking up. Shit, things could still be worse; he could get Lonnie out.
