Royal Woods, Michigan, 1933 - Courthouse
Quite the trial had been taking place. Filled to the brim with the likes of citizen, concerned and sour alike, and the local press. Journalist jotting down all the details they can and photographers trying to muscle through the crowd to get a snapshot of the defendant. A defendant that was receiving sour glares from Judge Savino who sat upon his thrown, deeming him a failure of everything civil. The defendant's name being Lynn Loud I, deemed a Public Enemy.
Lynn Loud sat in designated seat for the courts, contained by a pair of handcuffs around his wrist and attached to the table before him. Honestly, many of the journalist and observers would note that he didn't look the part of Public Enemy. His appearance was somewhat awkward looking with his elongated nose and his thinning hair, curly brown on the sides yet leaving a bald scalp. Heck, even the dimly grey jumpsuit barely fitted him, outfitted like snake's skin on his figure. Hardly the look expected from someone that media deemed a gangster.
Lynn didn't care about the officials surrounding him. He didn't acknowledge the glaring Judge looking down on him. He care for the media trying to snap a photo of the "monster" they made him out to be for the past month. Heck, he didn't choose to show any hate towards Detective Richards across from him, the man who arrested him. No. The only folks in the entire courthouse receiving his attention...was his family sitting behind him.
His darling wife, Rita. She looked concerned as most would be. Her eyes were red, probably from a night's worth of crying. Whatever make-up she applied for the occasion had gone running long before her and the children got there. Black mascara running down with tears. Still deemed her beautiful. Over her usual clothing, she had on a salmon colored poncho, hiding her nursing breast as she feed their youngest newborn, Lily. Therefore her figure was crouched as she tried to shield herself away from the photo shooting public. Lynn considered them lucky that he was handcuffed to this table.
The children were a different story for him. All of them didn't dress up different than what they wore everyday. They weren't here for the judge or the public. They were here for their daddy. Each of his daughters had a tearful look similar to that of their mother, a sad look on all of them. He could trace their gazes to the direction of the judge. As if they're silently pleading for him to spare their father. Lynn definitely noticed the manner of his only son, Lincoln. Lincoln remained quiet, his face expressionless and his eyes locked on his father. Lynn's heart dropped for he knew why.
He had damned Lincoln to being the man of the house. All because of his own actions.
"Lynn Loud, Sr. You have been found guilty of various criminal activities." Were the Judge's words later in the case, "Racketeering, extortion and trafficking of drugs are just to name a few. As well as your associated actions resulting in the death of Hernan Santiago."
By those last words, Lynn looked in shame and received a long distanced spat upon himself. He didn't have to look to know that it was the angered Mrs. Santiago. "Order in the court!" The Judge shouted as the scene took place. He waited for the resumed silence before continuing his words.
"Though you have claimed that your actions were meant in the name of your family's financial stability, they are still crimes. And for such, I sentence you to 25 years in the state penitentiary!" The Judge sentenced, cementing it with the final slam of his gavel.
Such was followed by an uproar of noise from everyone in the court. None were more loud than the appropriately named family's shout. "NO!"
The Loud Patriarch's face was absolutely forlorn. His heart shattered. His spirit broken. Simply from being separated from his family. He would turn and hug each and everyone of them if the guards hadn't already grabbed ahold of him and carried him away. The Loud family's looks of sadness would be overwhelming if the guards would allow him to look back at them.
Said looks of sadness turned their paths to the judge and evolved into scowls of angry. The Judge would have to admit, he was kind of put off by such glares. If he were to be weak willed, he would kind of fear for his life. If only he could see into the future. For if such, he would appropriately feel such fear. As well as regret for the clan of criminals he had created with this sentence.
To be Continued...