MAY 13, 2012
9:30 AM
CONVICT: ALFRED F. JONES
SEX: M
DOB: 7/4/1993
ETHNICITY: WHITE
H/C: DIRTY BLONDE
E/C: BLUE
HEIGHT: 6'0"
WEIGHT: 175 LB.
LEVEL OF EDUCATION: SECOND YEAR OF COLLEGE
OFFENSE(S): SEXUAL ASSAULT, BATTERY, DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY
Arthur put down the file. He couldn't stand to read this anymore. Another case that he had absolutely no chance of winning... it was hopeless.
He sat in the completely sealed off room. Every surface was wiped down and metal. It was sterile. Bright. Frightening.
He checked his watch. 9:30 exactly. Where was he? He'd never met this Alfred before, but he seemed like a pretty troubled guy. Other than his offenses, he seemed like a normal guy, judging from his file. Nineteen and in college. Had his whole life ahead of him. Why would he go and do something like this? It just... didn't make any sense.
Arthur sighed. Too late now. He was just glad that there were guards everywhere to keep him safe, and that they'd promised to keep Alfred handcuffed during the interviews.
Suddenly, the door swung open. Arthur looked up to see a young man being forcefully dragged into the room by three guards.
"PUT ME DOWN! I SWEAR I'M INNOCENT! I DON'T BELONG IN HERE!" The man shouted in their faces.
"Yeah yeah, we know, Alfred," The guard in the front rolled his eyes. "Mr. Kirkland, we can stay nearby if you need us..."
Arthur coughed, not sure what to make of this strange situation. "Ah, that won't be necessary. I'm just fine. Thank you." Arthur needed Alfred to open up, so maybe then he'd be able to accurately plead guilty and hope for a merciful jury.
The guards left, and Alfred was still standing, as if trying to be as far away from Arthur at all. Arthur almost stuck out his hand for a handshake, but decided against it when he realized that Alfred was handcuffed.
Alfred seemed to refuse to acknowledge Arthur's presence.
Arthur cleared his throat. "Um... Hello there, Alfred. I'm your attorney, Arthur Kirkland. Please, sit down."
Alfred peaked at Arthur over his shoulder. Then, he looked away just as suddenly. "I guess YOU think I'm some disgusting pervert, too."
Arthur was taken aback. Wait... he was, wasn't he? "I-"
"Well, I'll have you know that I'm not confessing to jack shit." Alfred snapped, voice rigid.
"W-why?" Arthur stammered.
Alfred wheeled around and glared at him. "You know, it's people like YOU I can't fucking STAND! Just because I'm GAY doesn't mean I go around wanting to sleep with every man I see! I mean, come ON!"
Arthur's face turned cherry red. Could it be that this man... was wrongly accused? "I... never thought that. I didn't even know you were..." Arthur cleared his throat, still blushing.
Alfred's eyes widened. "Y-you didn't? Do you even know what I was accused of doing?"
Arthur picked up the file, hands shaking. "Sexual assault, battery, and destruction of-"
"No," Alfred said clearly. "I mean, do you know what exactly they think I did?"
Arthur was at a loss for words. Then, he shook his head no. "Could you sit down and tell me? That's kind of why I'm here. Stop acting like I'm going against you. I'm with you on this. I'm on your team. It's my job to believe what you say, as long as you can promise me one thing."
Alfred took a step closer. "What is it?"
"That if I promise to believe every word you say, then you have to promise me that every word you say is true."
Alfred eagerly sat down across from Arthur. "Yay! Finally someone who wants to listen to what I have to say! Arthur, I think you've got yourself a deal," He looked down at his hands. "I'd shake your hand, but... yeah." He laughed.
Arthur cleared his throat. "So, tell me, tell me where you were on the night of May 2nd."
Alfred sat back in his chair, looking totally at ease. "Well, I was outside, walking home from an important activity I've gotten into recently. And then I-"
"What activity is this?" Arthur had his notepad out.
"Uh... Well, I'm in this group at the college for homosexual students, and we go out once a week and protest for things like gay marriage and stuff."
Arthur was quite familiar with this group. He had seen them in the park sometimes as he took his daily walks.
Suddenly, Alfred squinted his eyes at Arthur and then they filled with recognition. "Oh! I KNEW I'd seen you before!"
"Huh?" Arthur said.
"Yeah! You're that British dude who called me a 'git' that one time!" He laughed.
Oh. Arthur remembered him. He'd been on one of his walks, and Alfred was speaking especially loudly to someone next to him, and Arthur had turned around to look at him and said, "QUIET DOWN, YOU GIT!" And then been on his way.
"Y-you remember that?" Arthur felt his face heat up again.
"Yeah! That was hilarious! My boyfriend didn't stop laughing for, like, five minutes!"
"Glad to have been entertaining to you..." Arthur said, a little embarrassed.
"Okay, so anyway... I was on my way home from that, and it'd just gotten kinda dark out. So I decided to take one of my favorite shortcuts home, which is through this alley behind a pizza place. I didn't know at the time that I was being followed by this DICK-WAD named Kevin McWilliams."
"Oh yeah. The plaintiff. Do you have any history with this man?" Arthur inquired.
"Well... I met him once before this. We were doing are thing in the park, and then this guy comes up and starts screaming at us. He was telling us that we were all going straight to hell and that marriage was between a man and a woman and stuff. So naturally I got up in his face and told him to fuck off," Alfred's voice was getting shaky. "Guess I pissed him off."
"What do you mean?" Artur was writing down notes like crazy on his notepad.
"Well, he'd followed me into the alley and... he just yelled out, 'HEY FAG! I GOT A BONE TO PICK WITH YOU!' And he just came up and punched me in the face," Alfred motioned to a fading bruise on his cheek. "So... I kinda punched him back. But I was a lot stronger so it hurt him more than he'd hurt me," Alfred looked down, clearly ashamed. "Then... He started screaming in my face all these awful things about how disgusting I was and I could smell booze on his breath and it was so scary... I panicked!" He yelled the last part, hiding his face in his hands.
"What did you... do?" Arthur said, bracing himself for the answer.
"I kneed him in the crotch and ran." Alfred said simply.
Arthur was confused. "Well when-"
"He must've called the cops and told them I'd tried to rape him. I really have no idea. And as for destruction of property... That's TOTAL bullshit. I don't know WHERE they got that!"
Arthur cleared his throat. "I'll find out for you, if you like."
"Yeah, that'd be great." Alfred cocked his head at Arthur.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Arthur said.
Alfred chuckled. "Ah, it's nothing. I was just thinking to myself that I never thought I'd get lucky enough to have a gay lawyer."
Arthur's face heated up again. "What?! N-no! I'm... not!"
Alfred raised an eyebrow. "Wow, really? Are you sure? Because-"
"Yes! Of course I'm bloody sure!" Arthur was still blushing.
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
Arthur was quiet. Then he whispered, "No..."
"How old are you?"
"Twenty-three..."
Alfred whistled. "Damn. When I get outta here, I'm gonna help you find a woman!"
Arthur blushed. "No! You don't have to-"
"Oh, but Arthur," Alfred grinned mischievously. "I absolutely insist."
Arthur blushed again. "Git..."
Alfred laughed. "So why don't you have a girlfriend?"
"Why is it any of your business?"
"Touche. But seriously! C'mon, I'll tell you anything you wanna know about me!" Alfred leaned back casually in his chair.
Arthur sighed. "No, it's fine. I guess I just haven't found the right girl yet. None of them are very appealing to be honest. I mean, I've dated before, but I've never been with someone for very long. There, are you happy?" Arthur crossed his arms.
"Yup!" Alfred grinned, showing his teeth.
Arthur checked his watch. "Wow, it's 10:30 already... I've got to go, the guards will be in any minute to pick you up and take you back."
"Well, shit." Alfred's face turned white.
"What?"
"Arthur, I hate it in there. I absolutely hate it. I'm surrounded by people who actually deserve to be in there, but I didn't do anything wrong!" Alfred was beginning to panic.
Arthur rushed over to him and placed a comforting hand on his back.
"There, there... I'll get you out of here, I promise."
Alfred looked at him hopefully. "Really?"
Arthur nodded. "Yes, really."
"Thanks, man! I'd give you a hug but... handcuffs." He held up his cuffed hands and grinned.
"Haha... That's quite alright, thank you." Arthur patted him on the back, just as the guards came in. They looked ready to drag Alfred again.
"Ah, I'm comin' guys. No need to drag me again," Alfred turned and walked towards them. Then, he turned around to Arthur. "See ya later, Arthur." He winked once, and he was gone.
Oh god, this is going to be a long case. Arthur thought ruefully.
