CODA
D.A. Lauren Castro grumbled as she looked over the evidence. She had watched the tapes – the Bar & Grille, as well as the shop across the street, had a security camera out front. Between them, she had an unimpeded and uninterrupted view of the fight. And those… those criminals were going to get away with it! Or very nearly. Why, oh why couldn't the state legislatures have included a more expansive definition of assault? Or why couldn't Burkhardt have let himself get stabbed, just a little?
§163.185 Assault in the first degree
…Intentionally causes serious physical injury to another by means of a deadly or dangerous weapon…
Well, the trio had used deadly weapons. But there was no physical injury. Grr. Well, there went one statute she couldn't use. Okay, move on to the next.
§ 163.175 Assault in the second degree
…knowingly causes physical injury…
There was that damned expression again. "Causes physical injury." Moving on.
§ 163.165 Assault in the third degree
…While being aided by another person actually present, intentionally or knowingly causes physical injury to another;
She thought that one over. Well, the thugs had worked together. Unfortunately, none of them had landed a single blow. Seriously! Was Burkhardt some kind of ninja mutant? That synchronized attack between Robinson and Peters (or "Spiky" and "Mohawk", as Sgt. Franco had so colorfully put it) should have at least left her with a beautiful stab wound to present as evidence. But alas, nary a scratch.
She'd offered to cut him a little, manufacture some evidence, but the coward refused. You'd think he'd want these guys put away for a long time, too.
Lauren looked again at Assault in the Fourth Degree, but a judge had once ruled that a mere torn shirt did not equal physical injury, and Burkhardt didn't have even that. She couldn't even get the bastards for assaulting a police officer for the same damn reason…
The worst she could convict them of was Attempt, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Carrying Concealed, and Menacing. Menacing! At least the first two were felonies, but they'd probably plea bargain out and cop to the misdemeanors, be out in eighteen months. True, Rose Evans had given Burkhardt a bruise, plus minor cuts from the glass. But Evans had come late to the scene – she could claim mistaken defense of another. And Burkhardt hadn't even required stitches. That wouldn't play well before a jury.
All this video evidence, and not one good, media-frenzy case. Damn that Burkhardt! She'd never make mayor at this rate.
G-R-I-M-M
BLOOPER REEL.
What Lauren isn't telling you is that she asked to inspect Nick for wounds personally. Hank broke into uncontrollable guffaws (yes, 'laughter' is too benign a word) and Nick demanded that Juliette be present because of the earlier Ariel fiasco. Lauren got a little distracted at the magnificence that is a bare-chested Nick and may have drooled a little. She inspected him thoroughly, running her hands along his stomach and sides to check for little punctures the eye might miss. Juliette stood in the corner the whole time, arms crossed, alternately amused – and fuming.
(What Nick isn't telling you is that after the inspection, Juliette took him home and made some very proprietary … claims. Nick thought he might let other women feel him up more often if that was the reaction he got at home.)
G-R-I-M-M
I know, except for the joke at the end, it's pretty boring. But I needed to add something if I'm editing an earlier chapter. Otherwise I get yelled at. Or at least, that's what happened with my DBZ stories. I never understood why people got so upset. I even got flamed. Anyway, I hope Lauren isn't too OOC. It's been a whle since I saw 'To Protect and Serve Man' and I only saw it once. If she is, let me know if you want me to change it to an original character. Although I'd probably have to change the ending line since how many high powered D.A.s can be running for mayor all at once? The statutes used here were supposed to be indented so you could just skim them, but FFnet doesn't allow that. I hope they don't give you too much trouble. I pared them down to minimal text. Those are actual statutes I googled.
Regards,
Jillian
